It's the programmer's job

Your source code probably contains some strings which require localization, but it will probably contain some strings which should not be localized. In fact, it may contain strings which must not be localized, because doing so would break the functionality of the program.

Figuring out which strings require localization, and which do not, is best performed by the original programmer.

You only want to do it once

After version 1 of your program has been localized and released, you are probably going to make some changes and at some point release a version 2.

Version 2 probably contains some new strings which require localization.

If you had previously (in version 1) marked the strings which do not require localization, then it will be fairly easy to find any new strings added in version 2.

If you did not mark the strings which do not require localization, then you might end up looking at every one of them again, to decide whether or not it requires localization.

Strings containing no letters

Strings which do not contain any letters are ignored.

For example ".", "100" or " ".

Strings in ignored modules

Attribute parameters

In the current version (7.02.0004) attribute parameters are ignored, because a necessary code fix has not yet been implemented.

This will be changed in a future version.

Parameters to ...

Parameters to certain special functions are ignored, in particular:

• ml.ml_string() (C#)
• ml_string() (VB)
• ml.GetString()
• Debug.WriteLine()

This list may be expanded in future.

Strings in a hidden block

You can define a hidden block using the comments MLHIDEON and MLHIDEOFF, for example

//MLHIDEON
private string templatefile = "template.cs" ;
private string logfile      = "logfile.txt" ;
private string helpfile     = "helpfile.chm" ;
//MLHIDEOFF

Any string in a hidden block is ignored.

Strings in double brackets

This is a special syntax used by Multi-Language to hide a single string, for example:

public string junk()
{
  string hello = (("Hello World")) ;
  return hello ;
}

Strings in double brackets are ignored.

Lines with the MLHIDE comment

The usual way to hide a string using Multi-Language is to add the comment MLHIDE to the end of the line, for example:

public string junk()
{
  string hello = "Hello World" ;    //MLHIDE
  return hello ;
}

Any string on a line with this comment is ignored.

Blocked functions

All strings in certain blocked functions are ignored, in particular:

• InitializeComponent
• ml_UpdateControls

This list may be expanded in future.

Actually, it only really makes sense to ignore the function InitializeComponent in WinForms projects (and not WPF) so this might also be changed.

Strings localized using IStringLocalizer

ASP.NET Core supports a method of localization using a "localizer" object with the interface IStringLocalizer. This uses the original text string as resource-key to for the localized text.

The parameter to the localizer object is ignored..