---
name: "localize"
type: command
status: ok
groups: ["Strings", "Localization"]
arma3_since: "0.50"
locality: {"argument": null, "effect": null, "server_exec": false}
source: https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/localize
revid: 340342
updated: 2023-04-30T12:39:28Z
---

# localize

*Command · Strings, Localization · Arma 3 v0.50 · introduced in Operation Flashpoint v1.00*

## Description

Used to internationalise text messages. The provided translation key is looked up in Stringtable.xml (or Stringtable.csv).

## Syntax

```sqf
localize stringName
```

**Parameters:**

- `stringName`: [String](../topics/String.md) - string which leads to localisation. Casing does not matter. Arma 3 v2.04 A string starting with "$" is supported

**Returns:** [String](../topics/String.md) - text found in corresponding entry in stringtable file. If the key could not be found an empty string `""` is returned and an entry is added to .rpt file, for example `String STR_DN_SNAKE not found`

## Examples

### Example 1

```sqf
hint localize "STR_West";                // returns "BLUFOR"
hint localize "STR_WEST";                // returns "BLUFOR"
hint localize "STR_weSt";                // returns "BLUFOR"
hint localize "STR_NonExistentString";    // returns "" and logs "String STR_NonExistentString not found"
```

### Example 2

```sqf
hint format ["Go %1", localize "STR_Q_NORTH"]; // returns "Go North"
```

### Example 3

```sqf
hint format 
[
    localize "STR_ACTION_DROP_WEAPON",    // "STR_ACTION_DROP_WEAPON" contains "Drop %1"
    localize "STR_SN_RIFLE"                // "STR_SN_RIFLE" contains "Rifle"
]; // returns "Drop Rifle"
```

### Example 4

```sqf
localize "$STR_USRACT_ADJUST"; // returns "Adjust" since Arma 3 v2.04
```

## See also

[isLocalized](../commands/isLocalized.md) · [diag_localized](../commands/diag_localized.md) · [getTextRaw](../commands/getTextRaw.md) · [BIS_fnc_localize](../functions/BIS_fnc_localize.md) · [WFSideText](../commands/WFSideText.md) · [parseText](../commands/parseText.md) · Stringtable.csv · Stringtable.xml

## Community notes

**Killzone_Kid** — 2014-09-12

The command [localize](../commands/localize.md) will strip all HTML tags from your Stringtable.xml entries, however there is a way to trick it by substituting tags with HTML code instead:

```xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Key ID="STR_TEST_KK">
    <Original><![CDATA[<t color='#ff0000'>This doesn't work</t>]]></Original>
</Key>
<Key ID="STR_TEST_KK2">
    <Original><t color='#ff0000'>This works</t></Original>
</Key>
```

```sqf
hint parseText localize "str_test_kk";    // no change of colour
hint parseText localize "str_test_kk2";    // hint content is in red
```

<sub>Source: [BI Community Wiki — localize](https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/localize) (revision 340342).</sub>