Localizable.strings failing to load every other build?

Question

I have been having a strange problem with the localization system built into Cocoa. I used genstrings to create a localizable.strings file for my project, and the file loads and replaces the strings as expected in my app.

However, it appears to only work every other build. I will build the code with XCode, test it on my device, and it will display the correct strings no problem. The next build, however, will fail to load the strings file (At least, that's what I'm assuming.) This is not random, but predictably every other build. I am doing nothing fancy with the Localizable.strings file.

I have no idea where to even start in diagnosing this issue, and I was wondering if anyone had experience with doing localizations on Cocoa.

I am using NSLocalizedString throughout my code base like so:

NSLocalizedString(@"ReallyNewGame", @"Are you sure you want to start a new game?")

The corresponding entry in my Localizable.strings file:

/* Are you sure you want to start a new game? */
"ReallyNewGame" = "Do you really want to start a new game?";

Here are the relavent parts of my Info.plist:

<key>CFBundleDevelopmentRegion</key>
<string>English</string>

Here is a screenshot of what happens every other build of the app:

Correct:

Incorrect:

I am baffled as to why this happens. I do not do anything manually with the Localizable.strings file and I have cleaned my project several times on XCode. Any pointers in the right direction would be greatly appreciated. If you need any more information, I will attempt to provide it.

Thanks!

Answer 1

In case it helps anyone else:

I encountered exactly the same problem: every other build the localizations would not work. I found when I inspected the bundle contents that the Localizable.strings in the en.lproj were corrupt - the file was only 76 bytes long when it should have been 4k. The next build the corruption was gone, then back again, then gone...

It turned out that I had copied over an extra Localizable.strings folder into my project when I had copied a folder from another project. When I deleted the extra Localizable.strings folder everything magically worked. Whew!

Answer 2

I cannot give you a straight out answer but can suggest some ways to proceed. I don't actually have a multi language app now, so most of this is what I've gleaned by reading up (I may have one soon so your issue is of interest to me):

1) Apple has deprecated the user of English.lproj in favor of en.lproj. In any case, its important that if you use "English" as your CFBundleDevelopmentRegion value, that the folder be named "English" and not "en".

2) Your strings file should be UTF16, and noted as such in the file inspector (that right most pane in Xcode)

3) There is a nice previous question that has some graphical pointers on insuring that your localization files are correctly entered in Xcode (so Xcode knows about then, and knows it must process them).

4) Its possible your file has gotten corrupt, the Resource Guide says you can run "plutil -lint Localizable.strings" on it to verify correctness

5) As a side note, a number of people have pointed to Mac App Store App as a nice utility to merge (not overwrite) strings files (as you make additions).

6) If things still look good, then add the following to your AppDelegate "didFinishLaunchingWithOptions" (at the top) when the app first launches:

NSBundle *bundle = [NSBundle bundleForClass:[self class]];
NSLog(@"Strings file: %@", [bundel pathForResource:@"Localizable" ofType:@".strings"]);
NSLog(@"Localizations: %@" [bundle localizations]);
NSLog(@"Local Dict: %@", [bundle localizedInfoDictionary]];
NSLog(@"localizedStringForKey: %@", [bundle localizedStringForKey:@"ReallyNewGame"value:@"WTF???" table:nil];
NSLog(@"Localized String: %@", NSLocalizedString(@"ReallyNewGame", @"Are you sure you want to start a new game?"));
exit(0); // just testing the above for now

Run the app several times. The output should be the same. If its not add a comment to this answer and we can drill down further. If it is the same, well, then something is causing corruption further on in your app.