Supported formats reference
Supported localization formats and workflows.
Lingobit Localizer translates the files your product ships, starting with the build itself: Win32, Delphi, and .NET binaries, resource files, Java, Qt, PO, Apple, XML, HTML, help, and databases. One project can hold them all; each group below lists the extensions, the edition, and the guide.
Find your format.
| Group | Standard | Professional adds | Enterprise adds |
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| Binaries and Windows resources |
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| .NET and WPF |
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| Java, Qt, Python, Apple |
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| XML and structured |
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| HTML and templates |
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| Help |
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| Exchange formats |
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| Database and SQL |
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| Source code |
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| Legacy |
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| Custom parsers |
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Each format sits under the first edition that reads it; higher editions read it too. The group name leads to its table with the guide and notes.
Find the right route before choosing a file format.
A file extension alone does not always describe the workflow: Qt .ui files are usually extracted into .ts files, WPF XAML is handled through compiled BAML, and database content is better handled through a database workflow than through SQL scripts.
Start with the application stack
For Win32, .NET, Delphi, Java, Qt, Python, Apple resources, or database-driven content, start from the platform guide.
Check the file format
Use the format groups below to confirm which inputs Lingobit works with, which edition reads them, and which workflow they belong to.
Follow guides for complex formats
XML / XPath, HTML templates, CHM help, and XLIFF / TMX exchange need more setup than a table row can show.
Application binaries and desktop resources.
This is the strongest Lingobit workflow: localization from application binaries and related Windows resources.
| Format group | Inputs | From edition | Guide | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win32 / MFC binaries | .exe, .dll, .ocx, .mui, .cpl | Standard | Win32 / MFC | Core Windows desktop localization workflow. |
| Mixed .NET and MFC binaries | .exe, .dll | Standard | Win32 / MFC | One file with both Win32 resources and .NET resources. |
| Windows resource scripts | .rc, .rc2 | Professional | Win32 / MFC | Read as source text: the string literals are translated. For a released application, translate the binary. |
| MFC Ribbon | .mfcribbon-ms | Professional | Win32 / MFC | Part of Win32 / MFC resource coverage. For XML-style ribbon value selection, see the XML localization guide. |
| Delphi / C++Builder binaries | .exe, .dll, .bpl | Standard | Delphi / C++Builder | Recommended production route for many Delphi / C++Builder applications. |
| Delphi forms | .dfm, .nfm, .rtm | Standard | Delphi / C++Builder | Workflow details are in the Delphi / C++Builder guide; binary localization is usually the better path. |
.NET and WPF-related formats.
Choose the .NET guide by the resource model: WinForms UI, compiled WPF / BAML, or RESX and compiled resources.
| Format group | Inputs | From edition | Guide | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| .NET assemblies | .exe, .dll | Standard | .NET guides | Use the relevant .NET guide depending on application type. Localizer 10 supports .NET Framework 4.8 and .NET 5–10; for applications on .NET 1.x–3.5, use Localizer 9. |
| RESX resources | .resx | Standard | .NET Resources | Standard .NET resource-file workflow. |
| Compiled .NET resources | .resources | Standard | .NET Resources | Useful for existing or compiled resource workflows. |
| RESW | .resw | Standard | .NET Resources | Resource-file workflow, like RESX. |
| WPF / BAML | BAML inside .exe or .dll | Standard | WPF / BAML | Recommended WPF workflow when visual preview and compiled UI resources matter. |
| Standalone XAML | .xaml | Professional | WPF / BAML | Not the recommended path: for real WPF applications, use the BAML workflow. Configured XAML-style files can be localized as XML (XML localization guide). |
| Silverlight | .xap | Standard | Legacy formats | Legacy support. |
Java, Qt, Python, and Apple formats.
These formats belong to real platform workflows, so the platform page is usually the best starting point.
| Format group | Inputs | From edition | Guide | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Java properties | .properties | Standard | Java | Main Java resource workflow. |
| JAR resource workflow | .jar | Standard | Java | Resources inside JAR files; compiled Java code is not translated. |
| Java source | .java | Professional | Java | The string literals are translated in a copy of the file. To move them into .properties instead, use Lingobit Extractor. |
| Qt TS | .ts | Professional | Qt TS | Main Qt translation handoff. |
| Qt UI | .ui | Professional | Qt TS | Source-side input handled by lupdate; translators should normally work with .ts. |
| Python gettext PO | .po | Professional | Python / gettext | Main Python gettext translation handoff: the English PO file, whose msgstr entries hold the text. |
| POT templates | .pot | — | Python / gettext | Template written by extraction tools; make the English PO file from it with msgen. Its empty msgstr entries have nothing to translate. |
| Apple XIB, storyboards, String Catalogs | .xliff, .xib, .storyboard | Professional | Apple XIB / Xcode | Recommended Apple path: translate the XLIFF from Export Localizations and import it back in Xcode. .xib and .storyboard files are also translated directly, into de.lproj. Compiled .nib and .xcstrings files are not read. |
| Apple strings and property lists | .strings, .plist | Standard | Apple XIB / Xcode | .strings in UTF-8 or UTF-16, written as UTF-8 into de.lproj; .plist in XML, binary, or text format. |
| Android values XML | .xml | Professional | XML localization | Strings, string arrays, and plurals; items marked translatable="false" are skipped, and translations are written to values-<language> folders. |
XML-based and structured formats.
Use this section when file structure, keys, attributes, or filtering rules define the localization workflow.
XML-based projects often need stable element selection, protected non-translatable structure, and careful handling of attributes or generated fields.
| Format group | Inputs | From edition | Guide | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XML | .xml | Professional | XML localization | Use stable selection rules to identify localizable values and protect structure; see the XPath example. |
| XSL | .xsl | Professional | XML localization | Useful when transform files contain localizable text. |
| XML Schema | .xsd | Professional | XML localization | Usually specialized; localize only when schema files contain user-facing text. |
| Reporting Services RDL | .rdl | Professional | XML localization | XML-based report definition format; specialized support. |
| INI | .ini | Professional | — | Translate values while keeping keys and structure protected. |
| Plain text | .txt | Professional | — | Useful for simple resource lists, messages, or custom content. |
| Custom parser | configured inputs | Professional | Custom parsers | Use when a project stores localizable text in proprietary or non-standard files. |
| Folder parser | folder input | Enterprise | Custom parsers | Use when related files need to be scanned and localized together. |
| SQL scripts and files | .sql | Professional | Database and SQL | Available as file localization, but not the preferred workflow for database content. Prefer Database localization for table-based content. |
HTML and web/template files.
Use this section when localizable text appears inside markup, templates, or mixed markup/code files.
HTML and template localization is a file and resource workflow. It is not a replacement for modern web framework internationalization.
| Format group | Inputs | From edition | Guide | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HTML | .html, .htm, .xhtml, .shtml, .shtm | Professional | HTML / web templates | Good candidate when markup, attributes, and formatting tags need structured handling. |
| ASP / ASPX | .asp, .aspx | Professional | HTML / web templates | HTML-like template localization; not a replacement for framework internationalization. |
| PHP | .php, .php3, .php4 | Professional | HTML / web templates | Legacy or mixed web content; not a replacement for framework internationalization. |
| ERB / eRuby | .erb | Professional | HTML / web templates | Template-file workflow. |
| jQuery templates | template inputs | Professional | HTML / web templates | Only for configured template workflows. .js files are read as source code. |
| Dreamweaver and includes | .dwt, .lbi | Professional | HTML / web templates | Legacy or mixed-content web and documentation workflow. |
Help and documentation formats.
Use this section when the application ships help files or documentation that must stay synchronized with the localized product.
| Format group | Inputs | From edition | Guide | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HTML Help / CHM | .chm | Enterprise | Help documentation | Help that ships with Windows desktop products, localized with the application. |
| HTML Help contents and index | .hhc, .hhk | Professional | Help documentation | Contents and index often need localization together with CHM content; on their own they are read as text files, and the CHM itself needs Enterprise. |
| HTML Help glossary and browse files | .glo, .brs | Professional | Help documentation | Specialized CHM-related files. |
| Help & Manual HMXP | .hmxp | Professional | Help documentation | Help-authoring workflow support. For XML-based node selection and protected content, see the XML localization guide. |
| RoboHelp or HAT-generated HTML Help | project or output files | Enterprise | Help documentation | Workflow compatibility through the HTML Help they generate, not a separate parser. |
Translation exchange formats.
These formats are mainly about interoperability, translator handoff, reuse, and migration.
| Format group | Inputs | From edition | Guide | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XLIFF | .xlf, .xliff | Standard as a translation task; Professional as a source file | Exchange paths | XLIFF 1.2. Use for vendor or CAT-tool handoff, import/export, or migration, and as the source file from Xcode's Export Localizations. XLIFF 2.0 is not supported. |
| TMX | .tmx | Professional | Exchange paths | Translation memory exchange and reuse format. |
| PO / gettext | .po | Professional | Python / gettext | Primary format for Python gettext; translated PO files can be imported in migration workflows. |
Database and SQL-related workflows.
Prefer table-based localization when user-facing text lives in database content rather than in standalone scripts.
| Format group | Inputs | From edition | Guide | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Database content | ODBC-accessible tables or database copies | Enterprise | Database localization | Recommended path for user-facing text stored in tables. |
| SQL files and scripts | .sql | Professional | — | Use only when text is deliberately stored in SQL files and the team controls deployment. |
| Database exports | text, XML, CSV, SQL, or custom export files | Professional | Database or structured formats | Choose the workflow based on whether the project localizes live tables, staging copies, or exported files. |
Source code.
Localizer translates the string literals in source files and writes a localized copy of each file. To move hard-coded strings into resources instead, so that the build is what you translate, use Lingobit Extractor for C++, C#, Visual Basic .NET, Delphi, and Java.
| Format group | Inputs | From edition | Guide | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C / C++ / C# | .c, .cpp, .h, .hpp, .cs | Professional | Extractor | For an application, Extractor and the built binary are usually the better route. |
| Pascal | .pas | Professional | Extractor | Delphi units; Extractor moves their strings into resource strings. |
| Visual Basic and VBScript | .vb, .vbs, .bas, .cls | Professional | — | Extractor reads Visual Basic .NET. |
| JavaScript | .js | Professional | — | String literals in script files. |
| Perl | .pl | Professional | — | String literals in script files. |
Legacy and specialized formats.
These formats stay public because they can matter for maintenance, migration, or long-lived product support.
| Format group | Inputs | From edition | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Symbian resources | .loc, .rls | Professional | Legacy platform support. Not recommended for new development. |
| TsiLang | .sil, .sib | Professional | Work with .sil files. If the project only has .sib, export to .sil with TsiLang tools before translation. |
| BlackBerry resources | .rrc | Professional | Legacy support. |
| Silverlight | .xap | Standard | Legacy .NET-era support. |
Custom and parser-based formats.
The key question is not only the extension, but whether localizable values can be identified reliably and non-translatable structure can be protected.
Rules tell Localizer what to translate: XPath for any XML file, regular expressions for a text format it does not know. Project > Add Folder brings a whole folder into the project; Scan for Changes adds new files and removes deleted ones, and the localized folder keeps the same structure.
XML rules and custom formats: Professional and higher. Folders: Enterprise.
XML: XPath rules
Without rules, every text node and attribute of an XML file is offered. Select nodes to translate picks the text; Key expression gives each string a key, so Scan for Changes keeps its translation even when the order of the nodes changes.
Text: regular expressions
One regular expression finds the keys and the values, another removes comments, so a commented-out line is not offered. Up to three custom formats, on the Regular expression page of the properties.
Good candidates
- Stable key/value files
- Structured text files
- XML-like files with predictable paths
- Folders of related resource files
- Export files from internal tools
Needs caution
- Files that mix source code and user-facing text
- SQL scripts used as deployment logic
- Generated files that will be overwritten
- Formats without stable keys
- Text assembled from many runtime fragments
Not sure which route fits your files?
Start from the guide when the application stack is clear, and from the format groups when the file structure drives the workflow. For mixed, legacy, or custom formats, test representative files and check translation, validation, update, and output.