• If you include graphics in your application, make sure that the graphics are localized. For example, in Arabic, question
mark icons are mirror images of question mark icons used in English.
• Include tooltips for all icons. Even within one culture, some icons might not be recognized by everyone.
• Avoid using national flags to identify languages, user IDs, or countries. Use text instead.
Best practice: Coding for different languages and
regions
• Store text strings in separate resource files and and use unique identifiers (string IDs) for each text string.
• Avoid concatenating partial strings to form a sentence. When translated, the strings might not produce a logical
sentence. Create a new string for the sentence instead.
• Avoid using variables in place of nouns (for example, "The <X> is locked."). Instead, create a specific string for each
noun (for example "The screen is locked." and "The keypad is locked."). Even if the sentence appears correctly in
English, in some languages, if a noun is singular or plural and masculine or feminine, the rest of the string might need to
change. Only use variables for strings that can only be known at runtime (for example, file names).
• Avoid making part of a sentence into a link. When translated, the words in the link might appear in a grammatically
incorrect order. For example, use "For more information, click the following link: <link>" instead of "Click on <link> for
more information."
• Avoid using a common string if the context of usage differs. Depending on the context, a word could require different
translations. For example, the word "new" might require a different translation depending on the gender of the noun.
• Avoid hard-coding spaces, punctuation marks, and words. Include these items in translatable strings instead. This
approach allows translators to make changes according to the rules for each language.
• Avoid hard-coding strings of any kind, including weekdays and weekends. Verify that the start of the week matches the
convention for each locale.
UI Guidelines Strategies
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