Cordova - Globalization

This plugin is used for getting information about users’ locale language, date and time zone, currency, etc.

Step 1 - Installing Globalization Plugin

Open command prompt and install the plugin by typing the following code

C:\Users\username\Desktop\CordovaProject>cordova plugin add cordova-plugin-globalization

Step 2 - Add Buttons

We will add several buttons to index.html to be able to call different methods that we will create later.

<button id = "getLanguage">LANGUAGE</button>
<button id = "getLocaleName">LOCALE NAME</button>
<button id = "getDate">DATE</button>
<button id = "getCurrency">CURRENCY</button>

Step 3 - Add Event Listeners

Event listeners will be added inside getDeviceReady function in index.js file to ensure that our app and Cordova are loaded before we start using it.

document.getElementById("getLanguage").addEventListener("click", getLanguage);
document.getElementById("getLocaleName").addEventListener("click", getLocaleName);
document.getElementById("getDate").addEventListener("click", getDate);
document.getElementById("getCurrency").addEventListener("click", getCurrency);

Step 4A - Language Function

The first function that we are using returns BCP 47 language tag of the client's device. We will use getPreferredLanguage method. The function has two parameters onSuccess and onError. We are adding this function in index.js.

function getLanguage() {
   navigator.globalization.getPreferredLanguage(onSuccess, onError);

   function onSuccess(language) {
      alert('language: ' + language.value + '\n');
   }

   function onError(){
      alert('Error getting language');
   }
}

Once we press the LANGUAGE button, the alert will be shown on screen.

Step 4B - Locale Function

This function returns BCP 47 tag for the client's local settings. This function is similar as the one we created before. The only difference is that we are using getLocaleName method this time.

function getLocaleName() {
   navigator.globalization.getLocaleName(onSuccess, onError);

   function onSuccess(locale) {
      alert('locale: ' + locale.value);
   }

   function onError(){
      alert('Error getting locale');
   }
}

When we click the LOCALE button, the alert will show our locale tag.

Step 4C - Date Function

This function is used for returning date according to client's locale and timezone setting. date parameter is the current date and options parameter is optional.

function getDate() {
   var date = new Date();

   var options = {
      formatLength:'short',
      selector:'date and time'
   }
   navigator.globalization.dateToString(date, onSuccess, onError, options);

   function onSuccess(date) {
      alert('date: ' + date.value);
   }

   function onError(){
      alert('Error getting dateString');
   }
}

We can now run the app and press DATE button to see the current date.

The last function that we will show is returning currency values according to client's device settings and ISO 4217 currency code. You can see that the concept is the same.

function getCurrency() {
   var currencyCode = 'EUR';
   navigator.globalization.getCurrencyPattern(currencyCode, onSuccess, onError);

   function onSuccess(pattern) {
      alert('pattern: '  + pattern.pattern  + '\n' +
         'code: '     + pattern.code     + '\n' +
         'fraction: ' + pattern.fraction + '\n' +
         'rounding: ' + pattern.rounding + '\n' +
         'decimal: '  + pattern.decimal  + '\n' +
         'grouping: ' + pattern.grouping);
   }

   function onError(){
      alert('Error getting pattern');
   }
}

The CURRENCY button will trigger alert that will show users currency pattern.

This plugin offers other methods. You can see all of it in the table below.

method	parameters	details
getPreferredLanguage	onSuccess, onError	Returns client's current language.
getLocaleName	onSuccess, onError	Returns client's current locale settings.
dateToString	date, onSuccess, onError, options	Returns date according to client's locale and timezone.
stringToDate	dateString, onSuccess, onError, options	Parses a date according to client's settings.
getCurrencyPattern	currencyCode, onSuccess, onError	Returns client's currency pattern.
getDatePattern	onSuccess, onError, options	Returns client's date pattern.
getDateNames	onSuccess, onError, options	Returns an array of names of the months, weeks or days according to client's settings.
isDayLightSavingsTime	date, successCallback, errorCallback	Used to determine if the daylight saving time is active according to client's time zone and calendar.
getFirstDayOfWeek	onSuccess, onError	Returns the first day of the week according to client settings.
numberToString	number, onSuccess, onError, options	Returns number according to client's settings.
stringToNumber	string, onSuccess, onError, options	Parses a number according to client's settings.
getNumberPattern	onSuccess, onError, options	Returns the number pattern according to client's settings.