WPF BAML Localization

Localize WPF applications using x:Uid attributes and LocBaml tool for satellite assembly generation.

1. BAML Localization Overview

BAML Localization Workflow ├── 1. Add x:Uid to XAML elements ├── 2. Set UICulture in project ├── 3. Build to generate default resources ├── 4. Extract with LocBaml /parse ├── 5. Translate CSV files └── 6. Generate satellite assemblies with LocBaml /generate

When to use BAML:

• Enterprise applications with professional translation workflow

• Need to localize without recompiling

• Complex UI with many localizable properties

2. Adding x:Uid Attributes

<Window x:Class="MyApp.MainWindow" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation" xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml" x:Uid="MainWindow" Title="My Application"> <Grid x:Uid="MainGrid"> <StackPanel x:Uid="ContentPanel"> <TextBlock x:Uid="TitleText" Text="Welcome to My Application"/> <TextBlock x:Uid="DescriptionText" Text="Please select an option below."/> <Button x:Uid="SaveButton" Content="Save"/> <Button x:Uid="CancelButton" Content="Cancel"/> <Button x:Uid="HelpButton" Content="Help" ToolTip="Click for help"/> </StackPanel> </Grid> </Window>

x:Uid naming conventions:

• Use descriptive names: SaveButton , TitleText

• Unique within the XAML file

• Applied to elements with localizable properties

3. Project Configuration

3.1 Set UICulture

<!-- .csproj --> <PropertyGroup> <UICulture>en-US</UICulture> </PropertyGroup>

3.2 Build Output Structure

bin/Release/ ├── MyApp.exe ├── MyApp.resources.dll └── ko-KR/ └── MyApp.resources.dll ← Korean satellite assembly

4. LocBaml Tool Usage

4.1 Extract Resources

Parse and extract to CSV

LocBaml /parse MyApp.resources.dll /out:en-US.csv

CSV output format:

MyApp.g.en-US.resources:mainwindow.baml,MainWindow:Window.Title,Title,True,True,None,My Application MyApp.g.en-US.resources:mainwindow.baml,TitleText:TextBlock.Text,Text,True,True,None,Welcome to My Application MyApp.g.en-US.resources:mainwindow.baml,SaveButton:Button.Content,Content,True,True,None,Save

4.2 Translate CSV

Create ko-KR.csv with translations:

MyApp.g.en-US.resources:mainwindow.baml,MainWindow:Window.Title,Title,True,True,None,내 애플리케이션 MyApp.g.en-US.resources:mainwindow.baml,TitleText:TextBlock.Text,Text,True,True,None,내 애플리케이션에 오신 것을 환영합니다 MyApp.g.en-US.resources:mainwindow.baml,SaveButton:Button.Content,Content,True,True,None,저장

4.3 Generate Satellite Assembly

Create Korean satellite assembly

LocBaml /generate MyApp.resources.dll /trans:ko-KR.csv /cul:ko-KR /out:.\ko-KR

Create Japanese satellite assembly

LocBaml /generate MyApp.resources.dll /trans:ja-JP.csv /cul:ja-JP /out:.\ja-JP

5. Automation Script

build-localization.ps1

param( [string]$ProjectPath = ".", [string[]]$Cultures = @("ko-KR", "ja-JP", "de-DE") )

$OutputPath = "$ProjectPath\bin\Release" $ResourceDll = "$OutputPath\MyApp.resources.dll"

Extract base resources

LocBaml /parse $ResourceDll /out:"$OutputPath\en-US.csv"

Generate satellite assemblies for each culture

foreach ($culture in $Cultures) { $csvPath = "$ProjectPath\Localization$culture.csv" $outPath = "$OutputPath$culture"

if (Test-Path $csvPath) {
    New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path $outPath | Out-Null
    LocBaml /generate $ResourceDll /trans:$csvPath /cul:$culture /out:$outPath
    Write-Host "Generated: $culture"
}

}

6. Runtime Culture Selection

// App.xaml.cs protected override void OnStartup(StartupEventArgs e) { // Set culture before any UI is created var culture = new CultureInfo("ko-KR"); Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentCulture = culture; Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentUICulture = culture;

base.OnStartup(e);

}

7. Localizable Properties

Element Localizable Properties

Window Title

TextBlock Text

Button Content, ToolTip

Label Content

MenuItem Header

ToolTip Content

8. References

• WPF Globalization - Microsoft Docs

• LocBaml Tool - Microsoft Docs