Home  |  Site Map
  ConceptDevelopment.NET
Skip Navigation Links
Home
SearchExpand Search
SilverlightExpand Silverlight
DatabaseExpand Database
ValidationExpand Validation
LocalizationExpand Localization
Fun stuffExpand Fun stuff
  Download now

ZIP file (331k) This ZIP file (331k) contains a Word document, resource files and some sample C# code that demonstrates the process of 'localizing' the Nile sample bookstore application.


About the code
The localization process described in the ZIP file took a single developer approximately 30 hours.
It was built using the Microsoft VisualStudio.NET on Windows 2000 and Internet Explorer 6.0.

NOTE: We have not included the complete modified source code, for fear of upsetting someone at Microsoft.

  What is NileGlobal.NET?

The Nile sample application was born as a Doculabs benchmark application to test different aspects of Microsoft's application server products (see this article, Nov 2000).

The original Nile application fulfilled it's purpose and the benchmarking was completed. When the .NET Framework became available, Microsoft ported the code to C# to demonstrate it's capabilities versus a WebSphere/J2EE implementation - Nile 2.0 (Jul 2001).

Japanese login page - click to enlarge NileGlobal.NET came about as a 'prototype' to help understand the localization support available within the .NET Framework. Rather than create yet another 'do-nothing' sample, it uses the existing Nile code (which other developers may already be familiar with) and applied the basic localization techniques suggested by the QuickStart code samples.

Japanese account management page - click to enlarge The result is a functioning application that should be useable in English Japanese, French, German and any other left-to-right language you care to name.

There are still a number of localization issues that have not been addressed in NileGlobal.NET, including:

  • Storing localizable database content as Unicode, tagged with a language key.
  • Currency display, conversion and management.
  • Multi-lingual email generated when orders are completed.
  • Online editing of resource files to enable translators to work with the text without knowing about the code. This should include explanations when String.Format placeholders are being used.
  • Custom sort orders for localized database content.
  • Addressing Right-To-Left issues.
  • Possibly other issues as they arise...
In time more information will be added to this site for others to use as a template for localizing their own applications, or to assist in designing localizable ASP.NET applications from scratch.

back to top
Useful links

Nile 2.0 Source Code (MSDN)
Download the source and documentation for the Nile application.

GotDotNet.com QuickStart
Read the .NET sample code for internationalization, upon which NileGlobal.NET is based.

CJKV Information Processing
Fantastic book for understanding 'the issues' associated with localization into double-byte character sets and Unicode.

Internationalization with VB
Interesting book that I found helpful working on past i18n projects with VB and ASP 'classic'.