How to programmatically change language?

Question

I want to programmatically change the language.

So I have built two xml files.

values-it
-->string.xml

values-en
-->string.xml

This is the code in MainActivity to change the language of the whole application:

//ITALIAN

Resources res = getApplicationContext().getResources();
DisplayMetrics dm = res.getDisplayMetrics();
android.content.res.Configuration conf = res.getConfiguration();
conf.locale = new Locale("it");
res.updateConfiguration(conf, dm);

//ENGLISH

Resources res2 = getApplicationContext().getResources();
DisplayMetrics dm2 = res2.getDisplayMetrics();
android.content.res.Configuration conf2 = res2.getConfiguration();
conf2.locale = new Locale("en");
res2.updateConfiguration(conf2, dm2);

Now if I set the English language (for example) the code is executed with no error, but the label doesn't not change its text.
If I change the orientation of my device, the label changes its text correctly.

Now how can I modify my code to automatically refresh the label?

Hi, here you are a link telling you how to reload changes without closing the activity: stackoverflow.com/questions/2644377/… — Miguel Benitez
– Miguel Benitez, Commented May 26, 2016 at 7:53
Possible duplicate of How to refresh activity after changing language (Locale) inside application — Jofre Mateu
– Jofre Mateu, Commented May 26, 2016 at 7:54
conf2.locale and res2.updateConfiguration() are deprecated. :S — baquiax
– baquiax, Commented Mar 21, 2017 at 17:26

Ramchandra Singh · Accepted Answer · 2016-05-26 07:48:16Z

10

 AlertDialog.Builder builder = new AlertDialog.Builder(DashboardActivity.this);
            builder.setTitle(R.string.languages);
            // Add the buttons
            builder.setPositiveButton(R.string.english, new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {
                public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int id) {
                    String languageToLoad = "en"; // your language
                    Locale locale = new Locale(languageToLoad);
                    Locale.setDefault(locale);
                    Configuration config = new Configuration();
                    config.locale = locale;
                    getBaseContext().getResources().updateConfiguration(config,
                            getBaseContext().getResources().getDisplayMetrics());
                    dialog.dismiss();
                    rEditor.putString("language", languageToLoad);
                    rEditor.commit();



                    Intent refresh = new Intent(DashboardActivity.this, DashboardActivity.class);
                    startActivity(refresh);
                    finish();

                }
            });
            builder.setNegativeButton(R.string.gujarati, new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {
                public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int id) {
                    // User cancelled the dialog

                    String languageToLoad = "gu"; // your language
                    Locale locale = new Locale(languageToLoad);
                    Locale.setDefault(locale);
                    Configuration config = new Configuration();
                    config.locale = locale;
                    getBaseContext().getResources().updateConfiguration(config,
                            getBaseContext().getResources().getDisplayMetrics());
                    dialog.dismiss();
                    rEditor.putString("language", languageToLoad);
                    rEditor.commit();


                    Intent refresh = new Intent(DashboardActivity.this, DashboardActivity.class);
                    startActivity(refresh);
                    finish();

                }
            });

            builder.create().show();

you have to reload activity to show new language text means restart.

answered May 26, 2016 at 7:48

Ramchandra Singh

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5 Comments

Choletski Over a year ago

what is rEditor ?

Ramchandra Singh Over a year ago

sharedPreference Editor for saving data.developer.android.com/training/basics/data-storage/…

Lalit Jadav Over a year ago

resource.updateConfiguration is deprecated. Now what is alternative?

Ramchandra Singh Over a year ago

check this link... stackoverflow.com/questions/40221711/…

Slava Over a year ago

How to check language from SharedPreferences and change language on app start up for not restarting app on start up? At what place it should be done?

user642700 · Accepted Answer · 2016-05-26 07:47:03Z

5

you need to refresh your activity to load resources which it does incase of changing the orientation. try this

private void restartActivity() { 
 Intent intent = getIntent(); 
 finish(); 
 startActivity(intent);
}

answered May 26, 2016 at 7:47

user642700

1 Comment

Sam Over a year ago

Wouldn't a call to recreate() be simpler than writing a custom method?

Fazeel Qureshi · Accepted Answer · 2017-09-21 19:28:31Z

If you have not solved with your problem yet, you can try this. It works for me, hope so it will help you. You can refer it in future

mSwitch = (Switch) findViewById(R.id.language_switch);

    mSwitch.setOnCheckedChangeListener(new CompoundButton.OnCheckedChangeListener() {
        @RequiresApi(api = Build.VERSION_CODES.JELLY_BEAN_MR1)
        @Override
        public void onCheckedChanged(CompoundButton compoundButton, boolean isChecked) {
                if (isChecked){
                    mSwitch.setTextColor(Color.GRAY);
                    String languageToLoad = "es";
                    Locale locale = new Locale(languageToLoad);
                    Locale.setDefault(locale);
                    Configuration configuration = new Configuration();
                    configuration.setLocale(locale);
                    Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "spanish is set", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
                    getBaseContext().getResources().updateConfiguration(configuration, getBaseContext().getResources().getDisplayMetrics());
                } else {
                    String languageToLoad = "en";
                    Locale locale = new Locale(languageToLoad);
                    Locale.setDefault(locale);
                    Configuration configuration = new Configuration();
                    configuration.setLocale(locale);
                    Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "english is set", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
                    getBaseContext().getResources().updateConfiguration(configuration, getBaseContext().getResources().getDisplayMetrics());
                }
        }
    });

Flummox uses codidact.com · Accepted Answer · 2017-01-04 08:12:57Z

2

Best way would be to put all TextView.setText() in a method. Call that method in your onResume(); to set it the first time. Then recall that method when you have reset the language. (the Activity goes trough the onStart() onResume() etc when you change orientation)

edited Jan 4, 2017 at 8:12

answered May 26, 2016 at 7:48

Flummox uses codidact.com

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3 Comments

Muhammad Naderi Over a year ago

it's not just about the strings ... sometimes directions are important too, RTL or LTR

Flummox uses codidact.com Over a year ago

Good call, this seems a good way to deal with it: stackoverflow.com/questions/10964488/…

Muhammad Naderi Over a year ago

actually dug around a bit more and found the correct solution, and put it in a gist: gist.github.com/muhammad-naderi/…

Zbigniew Mazur · Accepted Answer · 2018-05-09 15:49:40Z

0

This is how we do:

com.android.internal.app.LocalePicker.updateLocales(LocaleList locales)

answered May 9, 2018 at 15:49

Zbigniew Mazur

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