Globalization Handbook for the Microsoft .NET Platform

Part II of Globalization Handbook for the Microsoft .NET Platform is now available in PDF format for $25. Complete our secure on-line form, to receive download information for the book and code files within 24 hours (excluding weekends).

Download a PDF of the table of contents.

In Globalization Handbook for the Microsoft .NET Platform, Bill Hall examines the requirements for making an application ready for the world and explains in detail how to accomplish this using the .NET platform. This monograph is published in PDF format in sections, each of which will be available separately for download. Hall also plans to make updates available in the same format as necessary.

In the seven chapters of Part II, internationalization veteran Bill Hall explores such classes as RegionInfo, TimeSpan, DateTime and DateTimeFormatInfo. He includes illustrations and demonstration programs so that the reader reach a full understanding of the date and time formats available and how they are used. The discussions of classes in Part II build upon the introductory and class-related material in Part I.

"The RegionInfo Class" and "The DateTimeFormatInfo Class" chapters cover the constructors, methods and properties of each class in detail.

"RegionInfo Demo Programs" provides several demonstration programs of the class’s properties and methods, including console, web, Windows and Compact Edition programs.

"Fundamentals of Formatting in Microsoft .NET" explains the important IFormattable and IFormatProvider interfaces and examines their importance in internationalization in .NET, with applications to formatting date, time, currency, number and percent in culturally acceptable ways. The author also explains custom formatting of numerical and time data in detail. This chapter also presents composite formatting as the preferred method of handling dynamic inserts into message strings to get culturally acceptable output.

The DateTimeFormatInfo Class of Microsoft .NET is the IFormatProvider (supplier of culturally sensitive properties and methods) for the important DateTime structure, a container of an instant of time. The class is also a property of CultureInfo. These chapters cover properties and methods of DateTimeFormatInfo as well as its intimate relationship with DateTime. Practical examples in "The DateTimeFormatInfo Class Demo Programs" reveal the techniques of using this class in web and Windows programming.

Part III will build further on the material in Part I and II with detailed examinations of other classes, extended examples and an important section on "Localization Basics" that will cover the mechanics of setting up a localization structure for various forms of .NET programs and projects.