Coding for Internationalization

When you are coding your application, several coding practices can make the internationalization process easier. A few of these practices are the following:

Another potential problem involves declaring a single string and displaying it in a number of different contexts: on a menu, in a dialog box, and perhaps in several messages. The problem with using all-purpose strings is that in European languages, adjectives and some nouns have from 4 to 14 different forms, such as masculine, feminine, and neuter singular; and masculine, feminine, and neuter plural, that must match the nouns they modify. A single string displayed in different contexts is correct in gender and number in some cases but incorrect in others.

One way to ensure that your coding practices works in an international market is to substitute your language strings with a pseudolanguage, and then test your code. Any potential problems should surface immediately.