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    Localizing Microsoft ReportViewer

    Microsoft ReportViewer Control can be localized by implementing the three IReportViewerMessages interfaces. However, the documentation of these interfaces lacks the original string values, which in turn makes it difficult to provide a proper translation. In this blog, a complete listing of these values and a Dutch implementation of IReportViewerMessages are presented.

    Microsoft ReportViewer

    Microsoft ReportViewer is a .NET control that can be used in both Windows and Web applications to render Microsoft Reports. Unlike the name suggests, the ReportViewer does a whole lot more than just view reports. The control is capable of loading (remote) RDL files, executing its contents and rendering the end result in various formats (including HTML, Excel, Word, PDF). Once rendered, the user can interact with the control in order to pass report parameters, navigate through multipage reports and more.

    ReportViewer localized to the Dutch culture and language.

    In my current project, we embedded ReportViewer inside an ASP MVC web application. As the audience of the application is Dutch, all content, including the ReportViewer, must be localized to the Dutch culture. Unfortunately, the language packs available for ReportViewer do not include Dutch, so I had to come up with an alternative solution.

    The Good

    Fortunately, Microsoft included a mechanism in the ReportViewer control which allows developers to override the default messages. This is achieved by implementing various interfaces in the parent application that utilizes ReportViewer and then passing these custom implementations to the ReportViewer control.

    More specifically, these interfaces are IReportViewerMessages, IReportViewerMessages2 and IReportViewerMessages3, which reside in the Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms namespace (or WinForms if you’re using that). These interfaces are essentially just collections of read-only string properties with static hardcoded values.

    The Bad

    While Microsoft was graceful enough to document these interfaces, their documentation lacks the original values of these string properties. As a result, anyone who wants to create a meaningful translation of these properties must deduce the meaning from the property’s name and description, rather than the original value. This can be quite challenging when faced with cryptic names such as ParameterAreaButtonToolTip, NullValueText or ClientPrintControlLoadFailed.

    The Ugly

    While the lack of original values is a nuisance, it is in no means a showstopper. Poor translations can result in the user being faced with messages that seem out of place, but the application itself will remain functional. Or so I thought:

    First attempt at localizing ReportViewer results in a FormatException

    Most .NET developers will be familiar with this exception as it is the result of String.Format being invoked with a format string which does not match the expected objects to format. In other words, one or more of the strings which I am translating use the composite formatting feature. Without the original English values of these strings, one is left to guess which of these strings must contain formatting placeholders.

    The Solution

    To overcome this problem, I decompiled the ReportViewer assembly and extracted the original string values of these properties. Below is a version of my Dutch implementation of the IReportViewerMessages interfaces. Each property includes the original text in English, so you could use it as a template for your own translations.

    using System;
using System.Globalization;
using Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms;

namespace InfoSupport.SomeApplication
{
    public class DutchReportViewerMessages : IReportViewerMessages, IReportViewerMessages2, IReportViewerMessages3
    {
        #region IReportViewerMessages Members

        // English value: Back to Parent Report
        public string BackButtonToolTip
        {
            get { return "Terug naar het vorige rapport"; }
        }

        // English value: Change Credentials
        public string ChangeCredentialsText
        {
            get { return "Wijzig Rechten"; }
        }

        // English value: Change Credentials
        public string ChangeCredentialsToolTip
        {
            get { return "Wijzig Rechten"; }
        }

        // English value: Current Page
        public string CurrentPageTextBoxToolTip
        {
            get { return "Huidige Pagina"; }
        }

        // English value: Document Map
        public string DocumentMap
        {
            get { return "Document Map"; }
        }

        // English value: Show / Hide Document Map
        public string DocumentMapButtonToolTip
        {
            get { return "Toon / Verberg Document Map"; }
        }

        // English value: Export
        public string ExportButtonText
        {
            get { return "Exporteer"; }
        }

        // English value: Export
        public string ExportButtonToolTip
        {
            get { return "Exporteer"; }
        }

        // English value: Export Formats
        public string ExportFormatsToolTip
        {
            get { return "Exporteer Formaten"; }
        }

        // English value: False
        public string FalseValueText
        {
            get { return "Onwaar"; }
        }

        // English value: Find
        public string FindButtonText
        {
            get { return "Zoek"; }
        }

        // English value: Find
        public string FindButtonToolTip
        {
            get { return "Zoek"; }
        }

        // English value: Next
        public string FindNextButtonText
        {
            get { return "Volgende"; }
        }

        // English value: Find Next
        public string FindNextButtonToolTip
        {
            get { return "Volgend Resultaat"; }
        }

        // English value: First Page
        public string FirstPageButtonToolTip
        {
            get { return "Eerste Pagina"; }
        }

        // English value: Enter a valid page number
        public string InvalidPageNumber
        {
            get { return "Voer een geldig paginanummer in"; }
        }

        // English value: Last Page
        public string LastPageButtonToolTip
        {
            get { return "Laatste Pagina"; }
        }

        // English value: Next Page
        public string NextPageButtonToolTip
        {
            get { return "Volgende Pagina"; }
        }

        // English value: The entire report has been searched.
        public string NoMoreMatches
        {
            get { return "Het volledige rapport is doorzocht."; }
        }

        // English value: NULL
        public string NullCheckBoxText
        {
            get { return "Geen waarde"; }
        }

        // English value: Null
        public string NullValueText
        {
            get { return "Geen waarde"; }
        }

        // English value: of
        public string PageOf
        {
            get { return "van"; }
        }

        // English value: Show / Hide Parameters
        public string ParameterAreaButtonToolTip
        {
            get { return "Toon / Verberg Parameters"; }
        }

        // English value: Password:
        public string PasswordPrompt
        {
            get { return "Wachtwoord:"; }
        }

        // English value: Previous Page
        public string PreviousPageButtonToolTip
        {
            get { return "Vorige Pagina"; }
        }

        // English value: Print
        public string PrintButtonToolTip
        {
            get { return "Afdrukken"; }
        }

        // English value: Loading...
        public string ProgressText
        {
            get { return "Verwerken..."; }
        }

        // English value: Refresh
        public string RefreshButtonToolTip
        {
            get { return "Vernieuwen"; }
        }

        // English value: Find Text in Report
        public string SearchTextBoxToolTip
        {
            get { return "Zoek naar tekst binnen het rapport"; }
        }

        // English value: <Select a Value>
        public string SelectAValue
        {
            get { return &quot;<Selecteer een waarde>&quot;; }
        }

        // English value: (Select All)
        public string SelectAll
        {
            get { return &quot;(Selecteer alles)&quot;; }
        }

        // English value: Select a format
        public string SelectFormat
        {
            get { return &quot;Selecteer een formaat&quot;; }
        }

        // English value: The search text was not found.
        public string TextNotFound
        {
            get { return &quot;De zoektekst is niet gevonden.&quot;; }
        }

        // English value: Today is {0}
        public string TodayIs
        {
            get { return &quot;Vandaag is {0}&quot;; }
        }

        // English value: True
        public string TrueValueText
        {
            get { return &quot;Waar&quot;; }
        }

        // English value: Log In Name:
        public string UserNamePrompt
        {
            get { return &quot;Gebruikersnaam:&quot;; }
        }

        // English value: View Report
        public string ViewReportButtonText
        {
            get { return &quot;Toon Rapport&quot;; }
        }

        // English value: Zoom
        public string ZoomControlToolTip
        {
            get { return &quot;Zoom&quot;; }
        }

        // English value: Page Width
        public string ZoomToPageWidth
        {
            get { return &quot;Paginabreedte&quot;; }
        }

        // English value: Whole Page
        public string ZoomToWholePage
        {
            get { return &quot;Volledige pagina&quot;; }
        }

        #endregion

        #region IReportViewerMessages2 Members

        // English value: Your browser does not support scripts or has been configured not to allow scripts.
        public string ClientNoScript
        {
            get { return &quot;Uw browser ondersteunt geen JavaScript of deze ondersteuning is uitgeschakeld.&quot;; }
        }

        // English value: Unable to load client print control.
        public string ClientPrintControlLoadFailed
        {
            get { return &quot;Het laden van het client print control is niet gelukt.&quot;; }
        }

        // English value: One or more data sources is missing a user name.
        public string CredentialMissingUserNameError(string dataSourcePrompt)
        {
            return &quot;Een of meerdere databronnen missen een gebruikersnaam.&quot;;
        }

        // English value is different for each Rendering Extension. See comment behind each type.
        public string GetLocalizedNameForRenderingExtension(string format)
        {
            switch (format)
            {
                case &quot;XML&quot;   : return &quot;XML databestand (.xml)&quot;;  // XML file with report data
                case &quot;CSV&quot;   : return &quot;CSV databestand (.csv)&quot;;  // CSV (comma delimited)
                case &quot;PDF&quot;   : return &quot;PDF document (.pdf)&quot;;     // PDF
                case &quot;MHTML&quot; : return &quot;Webarchief (.mhtml)&quot;;     // MHTML (web archive)
                case &quot;EXCEL&quot; : return &quot;Excel rekenblad (.xls)&quot;;  // Excel
                case &quot;IMAGE&quot; : return &quot;Afbeelding (.tif)&quot;;       // TIFF file
                case &quot;WORD&quot;  : return &quot;Word document (.doc)&quot;;    // Word
                default      : return null;
            }
        }

        // English value: Select a value
        public string ParameterDropDownToolTip
        {
            get { return &quot;Selecteer een waarde&quot;; }
        }

        // English value: Please select a value for the parameter '{0}'.
        public string ParameterMissingSelectionError(string parameterPrompt)
        {
            return String.Format(CultureInfo.CurrentCulture, &quot;Selecteer een waarde voor de parameter '{0}'&quot;, parameterPrompt);
        }

        // English value: Please enter a value for the parameter '{0}'. The parameter cannot be blank.
        public string ParameterMissingValueError(string parameterPrompt)
        {
            return String.Format(CultureInfo.CurrentCulture, &quot;Selecteer een waarde voor de parameter '{0}'. De parameter mag niet leeg zijn.&quot;, parameterPrompt);
        }

        #endregion

        #region IReportViewerMessages3 Members

        // English value: Loading...
        public string CalendarLoading
        {
            get { return &quot;Verwerken...&quot;; }
        }

        // English value: Cancel
        public string CancelLinkText
        {
            get { return &quot;Annuleer&quot;; }
        }

        // English value: pageCount if PageCountMode.Actual, else pageCount suffixed with a ?
        public string TotalPages(int pageCount, PageCountMode pageCountMode)
        {
            return string.Format(CultureInfo.CurrentCulture, &quot;{0}{1}&quot;, pageCount, pageCountMode == PageCountMode.Estimate ? &quot;~&quot; : String.Empty);
        }

        #endregion
    }
}

    Naturally, it would be irresponsible of me to paste code without some matching unit tests:

    using System;
using Microsoft.VisualStudio.TestTools.UnitTesting;
using InfoSupport.SomeApplication;

namespace InfoSupport.SomeApplication.Tests
{
    [TestClass]
    public class DutchReportViewerMessagesTests
    {
        [TestMethod]
        public void TranslatedStringsTests()
        {
            var m = new DutchReportViewerMessages();
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.BackButtonToolTip));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.CalendarLoading));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.CancelLinkText));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.ChangeCredentialsText));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.ChangeCredentialsToolTip));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.ClientNoScript));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.ClientPrintControlLoadFailed));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.CredentialMissingUserNameError(null)));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.CurrentPageTextBoxToolTip));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.DocumentMap));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.DocumentMapButtonToolTip));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.ExportButtonText));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.ExportButtonToolTip));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.ExportFormatsToolTip));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.FalseValueText));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.FindButtonText));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.FindButtonToolTip));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.FindNextButtonText));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.FindNextButtonToolTip));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.FirstPageButtonToolTip));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.InvalidPageNumber));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.LastPageButtonToolTip));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.NextPageButtonToolTip));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.NoMoreMatches));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.NullCheckBoxText));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.NullValueText));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.PageOf));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.ParameterAreaButtonToolTip));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.ParameterDropDownToolTip));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.ParameterMissingSelectionError(String.Empty)));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.ParameterMissingValueError(String.Empty)));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.PasswordPrompt));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.PreviousPageButtonToolTip));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.PrintButtonToolTip));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.ProgressText));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.RefreshButtonToolTip));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.SearchTextBoxToolTip));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.SelectAll));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.SelectAValue));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.SelectFormat));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.TextNotFound));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.TodayIs));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.TrueValueText));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.UserNamePrompt));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.ViewReportButtonText));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.ZoomControlToolTip));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.ZoomToPageWidth));
            Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.ZoomToWholePage));
        }

        [TestMethod]
        public void FormattableStringsTest()
        {
            var m = new DutchReportViewerMessages();
            var parameter = &quot;abc123&quot;;
            Assert.IsTrue(m.ParameterMissingSelectionError(parameter).Contains(parameter));
            Assert.IsTrue(m.ParameterMissingValueError(parameter).Contains(parameter));
            Assert.IsTrue(String.Format(m.TodayIs, parameter).Contains(parameter));
        }

        [TestMethod]
        public void GetLocalizedNameForRenderingExtensionTest()
        {
            var m = new DutchReportViewerMessages();
            string[] knownExtensions = { &quot;XML&quot;, &quot;CSV&quot;, &quot;PDF&quot;, &quot;MHTML&quot;, &quot;EXCEL&quot;, &quot;IMAGE&quot;, &quot;WORD&quot;};
            foreach (var ext in knownExtensions)
                Assert.IsTrue(!String.IsNullOrEmpty(m.GetLocalizedNameForRenderingExtension(ext)));
        }

        [TestMethod]
        public void GetLocalizedNameForRenderingExtensionTest_UnknownExtensionReturnsNull()
        {
            var m = new DutchReportViewerMessages();
            string[] unknownExtensions = { &quot;DOCX&quot;, &quot;PNG&quot;, &quot;JPG&quot;, &quot;JPEG&quot; };
            foreach (var ext in unknownExtensions)
                Assert.IsNull(m.GetLocalizedNameForRenderingExtension(ext));
        }

        [TestMethod]
        public void TotalPagesTest()
        {
            var m = new DutchReportViewerMessages();
            Assert.AreEqual(&quot;10&quot;,  m.TotalPages(10, Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.PageCountMode.Actual));
            Assert.AreEqual(&quot;10~&quot;, m.TotalPages(10, Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.PageCountMode.Estimate));
        }
    }
}

    Additionally, below is a table of all properties with their respective English and Dutch translation. Note that this table does not include the methods that are part of the interfaces.

    IReportViewerMessages

    Property Name Original English Value Dutch Translation
    BackButtonToolTip Back to Parent Report Terug naar het vorige rapport
    ChangeCredentialsText Change Credentials Wijzig Rechten
    ChangeCredentialsToolTip Change Credentials Wijzig Rechten
    CurrentPageTextBoxToolTip Current Page Huidige Pagina
    DocumentMap Document Map Document Map
    DocumentMapButtonToolTip Show / Hide Document Map Toon / Verberg Document Map
    ExportButtonText Export Exporteer
    ExportButtonToolTip Export Exporteer
    ExportFormatsToolTip Export Formats Exporteer Formaten
    FalseValueText False Onwaar
    FindButtonText Find Zoek
    FindButtonToolTip Find Zoek
    FindNextButtonText Next Volgende
    FindNextButtonToolTip Find Next Volgend Resultaat
    FirstPageButtonToolTip First Page Eerste Pagina
    InvalidPageNumber Enter a valid page number Voer een geldig paginanummer in
    LastPageButtonToolTip Last Page Laatste Pagina
    NextPageButtonToolTip Next Page Volgende Pagina
    NoMoreMatches The entire report has been searched. Het volledige rapport is doorzocht.
    NullCheckBoxText NULL Geen waarde
    NullValueText Null Geen waarde
    PageOf of van
    ParameterAreaButtonToolTip Show / Hide Parameters Toon / Verberg Parameters
    PasswordPrompt Password: Wachtwoord:
    PreviousPageButtonToolTip Previous Page Vorige Pagina
    PrintButtonToolTip Print Afdrukken
    ProgressText Loading... Verwerken...
    RefreshButtonToolTip Refresh Vernieuwen
    SearchTextBoxToolTip Find Text in Report Zoek naar tekst binnen het rapport
    SelectAValue <Select a Value> <Selecteer een waarde>
    SelectAll (Select All) (Selecteer alles)
    SelectFormat Select a format Selecteer een formaat
    TextNotFound The search text was not found. De zoektekst is niet gevonden.
    TodayIs Today is {0} Vandaag is {0}
    TrueValueText True Waar
    UserNamePrompt Log In Name: Gebruikersnaam:
    View Report ViewReportButtonText Toon Rapport
    ZoomControlToolTip Zoom Zoom
    ZoomToPageWidth Page Width Paginabreedte
    ZoomToWholePage Whole Page Volledige pagina

    IReportViewerMessages2

    Property Name Original English Value Dutch Translation
    ClientNoScript Your browser does not support scripts or has been configured not to allow scripts. Uw browser ondersteunt geen JavaScript of deze ondersteuning is uitgeschakeld.
    ClientPrintControlLoadFailed Unable to load client print control. Het laden van het client print control is niet gelukt.
    ParameterDropDownToolTip Select a value Selecteer een waarde

    IReportViewerMessages3

    Property Name Original English Value Dutch Translation
    CalendarLoading Loading... Verwerken...
    CancelLinkText Cancel Annuleer

    Additional notes

    • Returning null will make ReportViewer default back to the original value. Use this for string properties or methods you do not wish to translate.
    • Getting ReportViewer to pick up your custom implementation requires a change in your application’s web.config or app.config. Add the following line to your appSettings and substitute MyClass and MyAssembly with the name of your implementing class and the assembly it resides in.

    Share this

10 comments

  1. This is the key you need to implement in the web.config for the ReportViewer to load your implemented class.

    comaunite

  2. ”

    “

    comaunite

  3. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/microsoft.reporting.webforms.ireportviewermessages2.aspx

    there you can find the key needed in the web.config in order for ReportViewer to load your class. (Sorry for comment spam, appearantly website removes the tags (or tries to work those for that matter))

    comaunite

    • Thanks, it seems you are not the only one struggling with the tags: The snippet is actually at the end of the blog after the line “Add the following line to your appSettings and substitute MyClass and MyAssembly with the name of your implementing class and the assembly it resides in.”, but it seems it has been omitted when I published the blog. I will see if I can restore the snippet. Thanks again for noticing 🙂

      Martin Devillers

  4. Is this for VS2005 because I use 2008 and I get a few more strings.

    Staffan Vilcans

    • Which extra strings are you seeing? Did you implement IReportViewerMessages, IReportViewerMessages2, and IReportViewerMessages3?

      Martin Devillers

  5. Hi Martin,
    I have a differetn question on Reportviewer. I want to display HTMl inside the reportviewer.I noticed that the content does not render all HTMl tags. Is there any work around for that or there is no possibilty for that
    I have a field which holds HTML content i.e HTML tags so i need that to display inside a reportviewer..Let me know if there is any possibility

    Jiju

  6. Thanks a lot, great job. I spend the whole day googling how to change default validation messages and found only answers “can’t be done”. And here it is! (In fact I missed this 2 additional interfaces 🙂 )

    Thanks
    Slawek

    Slawek

  7. This works fine but when there is a dropdown in the report and when I select a new value from the dropdown and click on the ‘View Report’ button, the controls are defaulted to English. Please help me in resolving this.

    Madhuri

  8. Thanks a lot. Is there a way to localize the alert
    “The value provided for the report parameter … is not valid for its type.(rsReportParameterTypeMismatch)” ?

    Gal

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