Advanced Search

Log In | Not a Member? Contact ADC

Localized Character Strings

One very common resource type is a strings file (which, by convention, has an extension of .strings). Strings files are used for character strings that must be localized. They are essentially dictionaries that map a string in the development language to the localized version of the string. The key is not required to be the development language version of the string, but this convention is usually used.

System routines know how to locate and load the strings file (like any other resource) and then look up the string you want all in one step. They also provide caching so multiple lookups from the same table do not require locating and loading the strings file again.

Because strings files are used so frequently, the Mac OS X development environments provide special macros and tools for working with them. For details, see “Localizing Strings”.

Last updated: 2003-08-21

	Get information on Apple products. Visit the Apple Store online or at retail locations. 1-800-MY-APPLE Copyright © 2003 Apple Computer, Inc. All rights reserved. | Terms of use | Privacy Notice