🌍 Uniface Localization Series (Part 3): Testing & Best Practices 🏁

#qa #testing #bestpractices #webdev

We made it! 🥳 We've covered the Architecture (Part 1) and the Message Library magic (Part 2). Now, let's wrap up this series on Date/Time Localization in Uniface with some practical tips on testing and best practices.

Implementing localization is one thing, but making sure it works flawlessly for every user is another! 🕵️‍♂️

🧪 How to Test Effectively

When you download the Web sample: Date Time Localization, don't just run it—break it! Here is how to properly test localization:

1. The "Edge Case" Test

Select a language with a unique format (e.g., a locale that uses YYYY-MM-DD).
Try entering an ambiguous date like 05/06/2023.
Result: Does the system interpret it as May 6th or June 5th? If your Uniface setup is correct, it should align strictly with the selected locale's rules.

2. Browser Developer Tools

Open Chrome or Firefox DevTools (F12). 💻
Watch the Network tab when you switch languages in the dropdown.
You should see the request to the DSP. Check the Payload or Response. You want to confirm that the data is being sent/received in the format Uniface expects, not just "painted" over with JavaScript.

3. Session Persistence

Refresh the page. 🔄
Does the language reset to English? In a real-world app, you'd want to store the user's preference (in a cookie or database) so they don't have to pick "German" every time they log in.

✅ Best Practices for Global Apps

Based on this sample and general Uniface wisdom, here are my top 3 tips:

Centralize Everything: Never scatter format strings in your component code. Use the Message Library as your "Single Source of Truth".
Stick to Standards: Use standard ISO codes for your locales (e.g., en_US, de_DE, fr_FR). It makes integrating with other web libraries (like Moment.js) much easier down the road.
Don't Forget Input! Localization isn't just for displaying data. Make sure your input fields also accept the localized format. This sample demonstrates this bidirectional capability beautifully.

👋 Conclusion

Localization might seem daunting, but Uniface provides robust tools to handle it. This sample project is a fantastic starting point to understand the mechanics of DSPs and Message Libraries.

Go ahead, download the XMLs, import them into your Uniface environment, and start playing around!

Thanks for following this series! Let me know in the comments if you've faced any crazy date/time bugs in your projects. 🐛📅