[RESOLVED] Learn which language CString::LoadString() used

[VictorN]

Only the end user chooses which language version of the resource dll he/she will use. Period.

[ahmd]

Oh, so you don't detect it at the app's start-up and present the language appropriate for a user locale? I've seen it done a million times...

[VictorN]

No! Never!
I never trust "a user locale".
User select the UI language either from the options combobox or/and pass the preferable language id (usually the abbreviation like "ENU"," DEU", "ESP" ,...) as a command line option.

[ahmd]

No! Never!
I never trust "a user locale".

Just curious, why so?

[VictorN]

Because some German users prefer using German UI for my applications also in English-US Windows

[ahmd]

Because some German users prefer using German UI for my applications also in English-US Windows

So let me get it right -- your software defaults to English, and then someone can change it manually to German, right?

If so, what if some of your German users don't speak a word in English and you load the UI in it?

[Paul McKenzie]

So let me get it right -- your software defaults to English, and then someone can change it manually to German, right?

If so, what if some of your German users don't speak a word in English and you load the UI in it?

Then they shouldn't have chosen "English" as the language to use on installation, or they shouldn't have downloaded (or ordered) the "English version" of the installer program.

Look how many authors accomplish this -- they have different installation versions for the various languages, and in the installation, the user has the option of choosing the installation language or another language as the default language for the app. After that, it is a user error if the language of the application doesn't show up in something they understand.

IMO, trying to be too smart in what language the user may be using is a losing game. What would you do if the person is running the program in Switzerland? There are 3 official languages there -- which one do you choose to give to the user? This is where you let the user decide, and that is usually done on installation and/or menu choice, INI or registry setting, etc.

Regards,

Paul McKenzie

[VictorN]

So let me get it right -- your software defaults to English, and then someone can change it manually to German, right?

If so, what if some of your German users don't speak a word in English and you load the UI in it?

The primary language choice has an Admin who installs that software.
But there is no problem to edit the app shortcuts later to change the language if someone would like to use another one...