I have had the same situation, and all answers that I found here and elsewhere did not help or were not satisfying:
The Thread.CurrentUICulture
changes the language of the .net exceptions, but it does not for Win32Exception
, which uses Windows resources in the language of the Windows UI itself. So I never managed to print the messages of Win32Exception
in English instead of German, not even by using FormatMessage()
as described in
How to get Win32Exception in English?
Therefore I created my own solution, which stores the majority of existing exception messages for different languages in external files. You will not get the very exact message in your desired language, but you will get a message in that language, which is much more than you currently get (which is a message in a language you likely don't understand).
The static functions of this class can be executed on Windows installations with different languages:
CreateMessages()
creates the culture-specific texts
SaveMessagesToXML()
saves them to as many XML files as languages are created or loaded
LoadMessagesFromXML()
loads all XML files with language-specific messages
When creating the XML files on different Windows installations with different languages, you will soon have all languages you need.
Maybe you can create the texts for different languages on 1 Windows when you have multiple MUI language packs installed, but I haven't tested that yet.
Tested with VS2008, ready to use. Comments and suggestions are welcome!
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Globalization;
using System.Reflection;
using System.Threading;
using System.Xml;
public struct CException
{
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
public CException(Exception i_oException)
{
m_oException = i_oException;
m_oCultureInfo = null;
m_sMessage = null;
}
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
public CException(Exception i_oException, string i_sCulture)
{
m_oException = i_oException;
try
{ m_oCultureInfo = new CultureInfo(i_sCulture); }
catch
{ m_oCultureInfo = CultureInfo.InvariantCulture; }
m_sMessage = null;
}
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
public CException(Exception i_oException, CultureInfo i_oCultureInfo)
{
m_oException = i_oException;
m_oCultureInfo = i_oCultureInfo == null ? CultureInfo.InvariantCulture : i_oCultureInfo;
m_sMessage = null;
}
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
// GetMessage
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
public string GetMessage() { return GetMessage(m_oException, m_oCultureInfo); }
public string GetMessage(String i_sCulture) { return GetMessage(m_oException, i_sCulture); }
public string GetMessage(CultureInfo i_oCultureInfo) { return GetMessage(m_oException, i_oCultureInfo); }
public static string GetMessage(Exception i_oException) { return GetMessage(i_oException, CultureInfo.InvariantCulture); }
public static string GetMessage(Exception i_oException, string i_sCulture)
{
CultureInfo oCultureInfo = null;
try
{ oCultureInfo = new CultureInfo(i_sCulture); }
catch
{ oCultureInfo = CultureInfo.InvariantCulture; }
return GetMessage(i_oException, oCultureInfo);
}
public static string GetMessage(Exception i_oException, CultureInfo i_oCultureInfo)
{
if (i_oException == null) return null;
if (i_oCultureInfo == null) i_oCultureInfo = CultureInfo.InvariantCulture;
if (ms_dictCultureExceptionMessages == null) return null;
if (!ms_dictCultureExceptionMessages.ContainsKey(i_oCultureInfo))
return CreateMessage(i_oException, i_oCultureInfo);
Dictionary<string, string> dictExceptionMessage = ms_dictCultureExceptionMessages[i_oCultureInfo];
string sExceptionName = i_oException.GetType().FullName;
sExceptionName = MakeXMLCompliant(sExceptionName);
Win32Exception oWin32Exception = (Win32Exception)i_oException;
if (oWin32Exception != null)
sExceptionName += "_" + oWin32Exception.NativeErrorCode;
if (dictExceptionMessage.ContainsKey(sExceptionName))
return dictExceptionMessage[sExceptionName];
else
return CreateMessage(i_oException, i_oCultureInfo);
}
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
// CreateMessages
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
public static void CreateMessages(CultureInfo i_oCultureInfo)
{
Thread oTH = new Thread(new ThreadStart(CreateMessagesInThread));
if (i_oCultureInfo != null)
{
oTH.CurrentCulture = i_oCultureInfo;
oTH.CurrentUICulture = i_oCultureInfo;
}
oTH.Start();
while (oTH.IsAlive)
{ Thread.Sleep(10); }
}
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
// LoadMessagesFromXML
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
public static void LoadMessagesFromXML(string i_sPath, string i_sBaseFilename)
{
if (i_sBaseFilename == null) i_sBaseFilename = msc_sBaseFilename;
string[] asFiles = null;
try
{
asFiles = System.IO.Directory.GetFiles(i_sPath, i_sBaseFilename + "_*.xml");
}
catch { return; }
ms_dictCultureExceptionMessages.Clear();
for (int ixFile = 0; ixFile < asFiles.Length; ixFile++)
{
string sXmlPathFilename = asFiles[ixFile];
XmlDocument xmldoc = new XmlDocument();
try
{
xmldoc.Load(sXmlPathFilename);
XmlNode xmlnodeRoot = xmldoc.SelectSingleNode("/" + msc_sXmlGroup_Root);
string sCulture = xmlnodeRoot.SelectSingleNode(msc_sXmlGroup_Info + "/" + msc_sXmlData_Culture).Value;
CultureInfo oCultureInfo = new CultureInfo(sCulture);
XmlNode xmlnodeMessages = xmlnodeRoot.SelectSingleNode(msc_sXmlGroup_Messages);
XmlNodeList xmlnodelistMessage = xmlnodeMessages.ChildNodes;
Dictionary<string, string> dictExceptionMessage = new Dictionary<string, string>(xmlnodelistMessage.Count + 10);
for (int ixNode = 0; ixNode < xmlnodelistMessage.Count; ixNode++)
dictExceptionMessage.Add(xmlnodelistMessage[ixNode].Name, xmlnodelistMessage[ixNode].InnerText);
ms_dictCultureExceptionMessages.Add(oCultureInfo, dictExceptionMessage);
}
catch
{ return; }
}
}
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
// SaveMessagesToXML
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
public static void SaveMessagesToXML(string i_sPath, string i_sBaseFilename)
{
if (i_sBaseFilename == null) i_sBaseFilename = msc_sBaseFilename;
foreach (KeyValuePair<CultureInfo, Dictionary<string, string>> kvpCultureExceptionMessages in ms_dictCultureExceptionMessages)
{
string sXmlPathFilename = i_sPath + i_sBaseFilename + "_" + kvpCultureExceptionMessages.Key.TwoLetterISOLanguageName + ".xml";
Dictionary<string, string> dictExceptionMessage = kvpCultureExceptionMessages.Value;
XmlDocument xmldoc = new XmlDocument();
XmlWriter xmlwriter = null;
XmlWriterSettings writerSettings = new XmlWriterSettings();
writerSettings.Indent = true;
try
{
XmlNode xmlnodeRoot = xmldoc.CreateElement(msc_sXmlGroup_Root);
xmldoc.AppendChild(xmlnodeRoot);
XmlNode xmlnodeInfo = xmldoc.CreateElement(msc_sXmlGroup_Info);
XmlNode xmlnodeMessages = xmldoc.CreateElement(msc_sXmlGroup_Messages);
xmlnodeRoot.AppendChild(xmlnodeInfo);
xmlnodeRoot.AppendChild(xmlnodeMessages);
XmlNode xmlnodeCulture = xmldoc.CreateElement(msc_sXmlData_Culture);
xmlnodeCulture.InnerText = kvpCultureExceptionMessages.Key.Name;
xmlnodeInfo.AppendChild(xmlnodeCulture);
foreach (KeyValuePair<string, string> kvpExceptionMessage in dictExceptionMessage)
{
XmlNode xmlnodeMsg = xmldoc.CreateElement(kvpExceptionMessage.Key);
xmlnodeMsg.InnerText = kvpExceptionMessage.Value;
xmlnodeMessages.AppendChild(xmlnodeMsg);
}
xmlwriter = XmlWriter.Create(sXmlPathFilename, writerSettings);
xmldoc.WriteTo(xmlwriter);
}
catch (Exception e)
{ return; }
finally
{ if (xmlwriter != null) xmlwriter.Close(); }
}
}
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
// CreateMessagesInThread
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
private static void CreateMessagesInThread()
{
Thread.CurrentThread.Name = "CException.CreateMessagesInThread";
Dictionary<string, string> dictExceptionMessage = new Dictionary<string, string>(0x1000);
GetExceptionMessages(dictExceptionMessage);
GetExceptionMessagesWin32(dictExceptionMessage);
ms_dictCultureExceptionMessages.Add(Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentUICulture, dictExceptionMessage);
}
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
// GetExceptionTypes
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
private static List<Type> GetExceptionTypes()
{
Assembly[] aoAssembly = AppDomain.CurrentDomain.GetAssemblies();
List<Type> listoExceptionType = new List<Type>();
Type oExceptionType = typeof(Exception);
for (int ixAssm = 0; ixAssm < aoAssembly.Length; ixAssm++)
{
if (!aoAssembly[ixAssm].GlobalAssemblyCache) continue;
Type[] aoType = aoAssembly[ixAssm].GetTypes();
for (int ixType = 0; ixType < aoType.Length; ixType++)
{
if (aoType[ixType].IsSubclassOf(oExceptionType))
listoExceptionType.Add(aoType[ixType]);
}
}
return listoExceptionType;
}
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
// GetExceptionMessages
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
private static void GetExceptionMessages(Dictionary<string, string> i_dictExceptionMessage)
{
List<Type> listoExceptionType = GetExceptionTypes();
for (int ixException = 0; ixException < listoExceptionType.Count; ixException++)
{
Type oExceptionType = listoExceptionType[ixException];
string sExceptionName = MakeXMLCompliant(oExceptionType.FullName);
try
{
if (i_dictExceptionMessage.ContainsKey(sExceptionName))
continue;
Exception e = (Exception)(Activator.CreateInstance(oExceptionType));
i_dictExceptionMessage.Add(sExceptionName, e.Message);
}
catch (Exception)
{ i_dictExceptionMessage.Add(sExceptionName, null); }
}
}
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
// GetExceptionMessagesWin32
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
private static void GetExceptionMessagesWin32(Dictionary<string, string> i_dictExceptionMessage)
{
string sTypeName = MakeXMLCompliant(typeof(Win32Exception).FullName) + "_";
for (int iError = 0; iError < 0x4000; iError++) // Win32 errors may range from 0 to 0xFFFF
{
Exception e = new Win32Exception(iError);
if (!e.Message.StartsWith("Unknown error (", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
i_dictExceptionMessage.Add(sTypeName + iError, e.Message);
}
}
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
// CreateMessage
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
private static string CreateMessage(Exception i_oException, CultureInfo i_oCultureInfo)
{
CException oEx = new CException(i_oException, i_oCultureInfo);
Thread oTH = new Thread(new ParameterizedThreadStart(CreateMessageInThread));
oTH.Start(oEx);
while (oTH.IsAlive)
{ Thread.Sleep(10); }
return oEx.m_sMessage;
}
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
// CreateMessageInThread
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
private static void CreateMessageInThread(Object i_oData)
{
if (i_oData == null) return;
CException oEx = (CException)i_oData;
if (oEx.m_oException == null) return;
Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentUICulture = oEx.m_oCultureInfo == null ? CultureInfo.InvariantCulture : oEx.m_oCultureInfo;
// create new exception in desired culture
Exception e = null;
Win32Exception oWin32Exception = (Win32Exception)(oEx.m_oException);
if (oWin32Exception != null)
e = new Win32Exception(oWin32Exception.NativeErrorCode);
else
{
try
{
e = (Exception)(Activator.CreateInstance(oEx.m_oException.GetType()));
}
catch { }
}
if (e != null)
oEx.m_sMessage = e.Message;
}
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
// MakeXMLCompliant
// from https://www.w3.org/TR/xml/
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
private static string MakeXMLCompliant(string i_sName)
{
if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(i_sName))
return "_";
System.Text.StringBuilder oSB = new System.Text.StringBuilder();
for (int ixChar = 0; ixChar < (i_sName == null ? 0 : i_sName.Length); ixChar++)
{
char character = i_sName[ixChar];
if (IsXmlNodeNameCharacterValid(ixChar, character))
oSB.Append(character);
}
if (oSB.Length <= 0)
oSB.Append("_");
return oSB.ToString();
}
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
private static bool IsXmlNodeNameCharacterValid(int i_ixPos, char i_character)
{
if (i_character == ':') return true;
if (i_character == '_') return true;
if (i_character >= 'A' && i_character <= 'Z') return true;
if (i_character >= 'a' && i_character <= 'z') return true;
if (i_character >= 0x00C0 && i_character <= 0x00D6) return true;
if (i_character >= 0x00D8 && i_character <= 0x00F6) return true;
if (i_character >= 0x00F8 && i_character <= 0x02FF) return true;
if (i_character >= 0x0370 && i_character <= 0x037D) return true;
if (i_character >= 0x037F && i_character <= 0x1FFF) return true;
if (i_character >= 0x200C && i_character <= 0x200D) return true;
if (i_character >= 0x2070 && i_character <= 0x218F) return true;
if (i_character >= 0x2C00 && i_character <= 0x2FEF) return true;
if (i_character >= 0x3001 && i_character <= 0xD7FF) return true;
if (i_character >= 0xF900 && i_character <= 0xFDCF) return true;
if (i_character >= 0xFDF0 && i_character <= 0xFFFD) return true;
// if (i_character >= 0x10000 && i_character <= 0xEFFFF) return true;
if (i_ixPos > 0)
{
if (i_character == '-') return true;
if (i_character == '.') return true;
if (i_character >= '0' && i_character <= '9') return true;
if (i_character == 0xB7) return true;
if (i_character >= 0x0300 && i_character <= 0x036F) return true;
if (i_character >= 0x203F && i_character <= 0x2040) return true;
}
return false;
}
private static string msc_sBaseFilename = "exception_messages";
private static string msc_sXmlGroup_Root = "exception_messages";
private static string msc_sXmlGroup_Info = "info";
private static string msc_sXmlGroup_Messages = "messages";
private static string msc_sXmlData_Culture = "culture";
private Exception m_oException;
private CultureInfo m_oCultureInfo;
private string m_sMessage;
static Dictionary<CultureInfo, Dictionary<string, string>> ms_dictCultureExceptionMessages = new Dictionary<CultureInfo, Dictionary<string, string>>();
}
internal class Program
{
public static void Main()
{
CException.CreateMessages(null);
CException.SaveMessagesToXML(@"d:\temp\", "emsg");
CException.LoadMessagesFromXML(@"d:\temp\", "emsg");
}
}