Changing the locale of the Navigation drawer items

Question

When I change the locale of the app, every TextView changes the language but navigation drawer items don't change the language.

I have used

@Override
public void onDrawerOpened(View drawerView) {    
    super.onDrawerOpened(drawerView);
    invalidateOptionsMenu();
    drawerView.invalidate();
    supportInvalidateOptionsMenu();
}

After locale change, still the language change is not getting reflected in navigation drawer.

But when I restart the activity, the language change is getting reflected in Navigation Drawer.

How to change the language in Navigation Drawer items as soon as the locale is changed ?

Answer 1

those who are looking for latest solution in kotlin:

upgrade your appcompat version to 1.6.0 or later

implementation 'androidx.appcompat:appcompat:1.6.0'

create a function

fun setLocale(language: String?) {
    val appLocale: LocaleListCompat = LocaleListCompat.forLanguageTags(language)
    AppCompatDelegate.setApplicationLocales(appLocale)
}

then use it like

setLocale("en-EN")

it will update and refresh all language change/locale including NavigationView

Answer 2

Simply put this code before the setContentView in the activity

 Locale locale;
    locale = new Locale(languageToLoad);
    Locale.setDefault(locale);
    Configuration config = new Configuration();
    config.locale = locale;
    activity.getBaseContext().getResources().updateConfiguration(config,
            activity.getBaseContext().getResources().getDisplayMetrics());

Answer 3

You need to reload resources for your app in order to change language. Resources loaded before language change for all text based resources were of previous locale. Now, you need are resources with different locale, after language is changed.

So, the way to do is refresh your whole activity, because, not only different resources are needed, but also, text in different language might have different length and span. So, whole new re-rendering is needed, (otherwise, text will spill over other ui elements, without adjustment).

I will post here the complete code which refreshes the activity on language changed, and everything changes to different locale including navigation drawer items.

---

Code

src/java/com/pabhinav/testapp/MainActivity.java

package com.pabhinav.testapp;

import android.content.Intent;
import android.content.res.Configuration;
import android.content.res.Resources;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.support.design.widget.FloatingActionButton;
import android.support.design.widget.NavigationView;
import android.support.design.widget.Snackbar;
import android.support.v4.view.GravityCompat;
import android.support.v4.widget.DrawerLayout;
import android.support.v7.app.ActionBarDrawerToggle;
import android.support.v7.app.AppCompatActivity;
import android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar;
import android.util.DisplayMetrics;
import android.view.Menu;
import android.view.MenuItem;
import android.view.View;

import java.util.Locale;

public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity
        implements NavigationView.OnNavigationItemSelectedListener {

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
        Toolbar toolbar = (Toolbar) findViewById(R.id.toolbar);
        setSupportActionBar(toolbar);

        FloatingActionButton fab = (FloatingActionButton) findViewById(R.id.fab);
        fab.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onClick(View view) {
                Snackbar.make(view, "Replace with your own action", Snackbar.LENGTH_LONG)
                        .setAction("Action", null).show();
            }
        });

        DrawerLayout drawer = (DrawerLayout) findViewById(R.id.drawer_layout);
        ActionBarDrawerToggle toggle = new ActionBarDrawerToggle(
                this, drawer, toolbar, R.string.navigation_drawer_open, R.string.navigation_drawer_close);
        drawer.setDrawerListener(toggle);
        toggle.syncState();

        NavigationView navigationView = (NavigationView) findViewById(R.id.nav_view);
        navigationView.setNavigationItemSelectedListener(this);
    }

    @Override
    public void onBackPressed() {
        DrawerLayout drawer = (DrawerLayout) findViewById(R.id.drawer_layout);
        if (drawer.isDrawerOpen(GravityCompat.START)) {
            drawer.closeDrawer(GravityCompat.START);
        } else {
            super.onBackPressed();
        }
    }

    @Override
    public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
        // Inflate the menu; this adds items to the action bar if it is present.
        getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.main, menu);
        return true;
    }

    @Override
    public boolean onOptionsItemSelected(MenuItem item) {
        // Handle action bar item clicks here. The action bar will
        // automatically handle clicks on the Home/Up button, so long
        // as you specify a parent activity in AndroidManifest.xml.
        int id = item.getItemId();

        //noinspection SimplifiableIfStatement
        if (id == R.id.action_settings) {
            return true;
        }

        return super.onOptionsItemSelected(item);
    }

    @SuppressWarnings("StatementWithEmptyBody")
    @Override
    public boolean onNavigationItemSelected(MenuItem item) {
        // Handle navigation view item clicks here.
        int id = item.getItemId();

        if (id == R.id.nav_camera) {
            // Handle the camera action
        } else if (id == R.id.nav_gallery) {

        } else if (id == R.id.nav_slideshow) {

        } else if (id == R.id.nav_manage) {

        } else if (id == R.id.nav_share) {

        } else if (id == R.id.nav_send) {

        }

        DrawerLayout drawer = (DrawerLayout) findViewById(R.id.drawer_layout);
        drawer.closeDrawer(GravityCompat.START);
        return true;
    }

    // THIS PART CHANGES LANGUAGE : 
    public void changeLanguageClicked(View view) {

        String locale = (getResources().getConfiguration().locale.toString().toLowerCase().equals(Locale.US.toString().toLowerCase())) ? "hi" : Locale.US.toString();
        Locale myLocale = new Locale(locale);
        Resources res = getResources();
        DisplayMetrics dm = res.getDisplayMetrics();
        Configuration conf = res.getConfiguration();
        conf.locale = myLocale;
        res.updateConfiguration(conf, dm);
        Intent refresh = new Intent(this, MainActivity.class);
        startActivity(refresh);
        finish();
    }
}

src/res/layout/activity_main.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<android.support.v4.widget.DrawerLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:id="@+id/drawer_layout"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
    tools:openDrawer="start">

    <include
        layout="@layout/app_bar_main"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent" />

    <android.support.design.widget.NavigationView
        android:id="@+id/nav_view"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:layout_gravity="start"
        android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
        app:headerLayout="@layout/nav_header_main"
        app:menu="@menu/activity_main_drawer" />

</android.support.v4.widget.DrawerLayout>

src/res/layout/app_bar_main.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<android.support.design.widget.CoordinatorLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
    tools:context="com.pabhinav.testapp.MainActivity">

    <android.support.design.widget.AppBarLayout
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:theme="@style/AppTheme.AppBarOverlay">

        <android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar
            android:id="@+id/toolbar"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="?attr/actionBarSize"
            android:background="?attr/colorPrimary"
            app:popupTheme="@style/AppTheme.PopupOverlay" />

    </android.support.design.widget.AppBarLayout>

    <include layout="@layout/content_main" />

    <android.support.design.widget.FloatingActionButton
        android:id="@+id/fab"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_gravity="bottom|end"
        android:layout_margin="@dimen/fab_margin"
        app:srcCompat="@android:drawable/ic_dialog_email" />

</android.support.design.widget.CoordinatorLayout>

src/res/layout/content_main.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:id="@+id/content_main"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:paddingBottom="@dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
    android:paddingLeft="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
    android:paddingRight="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
    android:paddingTop="@dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
    app:layout_behavior="@string/appbar_scrolling_view_behavior"
    tools:context="com.pabhinav.testapp.MainActivity"
    tools:showIn="@layout/app_bar_main">

    <TextView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="@string/hello_world" />

    <Button
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text = "@string/change_language"
        android:onClick = "changeLanguageClicked"
        android:layout_centerVertical="true"
        android:layout_centerHorizontal="true" />

</RelativeLayout>

src/res/layout/nav_main_header.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="@dimen/nav_header_height"
    android:background="@drawable/side_nav_bar"
    android:gravity="bottom"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    android:paddingBottom="@dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
    android:paddingLeft="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
    android:paddingRight="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
    android:paddingTop="@dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
    android:theme="@style/ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.Dark">

    <ImageView
        android:id="@+id/imageView"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:paddingTop="@dimen/nav_header_vertical_spacing"
        app:srcCompat="@android:drawable/sym_def_app_icon" />

    <TextView
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:paddingTop="@dimen/nav_header_vertical_spacing"
        android:text="@string/android_studio"
        android:textAppearance="@style/TextAppearance.AppCompat.Body1" />

</LinearLayout>

src/res/menu/activity_main_drawer.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<menu xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">

    <group android:checkableBehavior="single">
        <item
            android:id="@+id/nav_camera"
            android:icon="@drawable/ic_menu_camera"
            android:title="@string/import_nav" />
        <item
            android:id="@+id/nav_gallery"
            android:icon="@drawable/ic_menu_gallery"
            android:title="@string/gallery" />
        <item
            android:id="@+id/nav_slideshow"
            android:icon="@drawable/ic_menu_slideshow"
            android:title="@string/slideshow" />
        <item
            android:id="@+id/nav_manage"
            android:icon="@drawable/ic_menu_manage"
            android:title="@string/tools" />
    </group>

    <item android:title="@string/communicate">
        <menu>
            <item
                android:id="@+id/nav_share"
                android:icon="@drawable/ic_menu_share"
                android:title="@string/share" />
            <item
                android:id="@+id/nav_send"
                android:icon="@drawable/ic_menu_send"
                android:title="@string/send" />
        </menu>
    </item>

</menu>

src/res/menu/main.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<menu xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto">
    <item
        android:id="@+id/action_settings"
        android:orderInCategory="100"
        android:title="@string/action_settings"
        app:showAsAction="never" />
</menu>

src/res/values/strings.xml

<resources>
    <string name="app_name">TestApp</string>

    <string name="navigation_drawer_open">Open navigation drawer</string>
    <string name="navigation_drawer_close">Close navigation drawer</string>

    <string name="action_settings">Settings</string>
    <string name="import_nav">Import</string>
    <string name="gallery">Gallery</string>
    <string name="slideshow">Slideshow</string>
    <string name="tools">Tools</string>
    <string name="communicate">Communicate</string>
    <string name="share">Share</string>
    <string name="send">Send</string>
    <string name="android_studio">Android Studio</string>
    <string name="hello_world">Hello World!</string>
    <string name="change_language">Change Language</string>
</resources>

src/res/values-hi/strings.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<resources>
    <string name="app_name">परीक्षण ऐप</string>
    <string name="navigation_drawer_open">खुले नेविगेशन दराज</string>
    <string name="navigation_drawer_close">बंद नेविगेशन दराज</string>
    <string name="action_settings">सेटिंग्स</string>
    <string name="import_nav">आयात</string>
    <string name="gallery">गेलरी</string>
    <string name="slideshow">स्लाइड शो</string>
    <string name="tools">उपकरण</string>
    <string name="communicate">संवाद</string>
    <string name="share">शेयर</string>
    <string name="send">भेजना</string>
    <string name="android_studio">एंड्रॉयड स्टूडियो</string>
    <string name="hello_world">नमस्ते दुनिया</string>
    <string name = "change_language">भाषा बदलो</string>
</resources>

src/AndroidManifest.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="com.pabhinav.testapp">

    <application
        android:allowBackup="true"
        android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:supportsRtl="true"
        android:theme="@style/AppTheme">
        <activity
            android:name=".MainActivity"
            android:configChanges="locale"
            android:label="@string/app_name"
            android:theme="@style/AppTheme.NoActionBar">
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>
    </application>

</manifest>

---

Everthing above I have tested and it works fine.

Hope it helps !