App rejected over mixed localizations

Has anyone else encountered this issue, and if so, how did you overcome it?

Basically the reviewer is using some form of Arabic script on their Mac, and they keep rejecting my application because the Apple added menuitems are in their native language and the rest is in English.

I’ve tried to talk to them, but I’ve not gotten any response just yet and don’t really know what to do at this point. It’s so demoralizing, I’m trying to ship a 64-Bit update to one of my applications, and so far it’s taken longer to get this far in the App Review process than it took to update to 64-Bit.

This is the example that the reviewer is providing.

I am unable to find anything that indicates I am doing something wrong, and/or how to resolve it. The reviewer is being very stubborn, I even tried to get out and simply resubmit an update, but it seems like the same reviewer picked up it and continued to reject it.

I am hoping that it’s a genuine mistake on the reviewers behalf, however I am concerned that this is a valid reason, with which we can do nothing about or that it’s a reviewer who’s simply acting in an intolerant way because our product is in English only.

I am really struggling to keep my cool over this matter.

Looks like the app is allowing the localized language to take over. Is that intended? Aren’t you able to force the app to display in English only? I’ve seen stuff like this before: "defaults write com.apple.TextEdit AppleLanguages ‘(“en-US”)’ "

The items that are in the local language are the Apple automatically added items, I don’t know how to tell the OS to display those in English, there are zero translations in the app, it’s hard coded English and the default language is set to “en”.

I think after re-reading some docs, I may have found the issue. “For Mac apps, the main menu items from an Xcode template appear translated except occurrences of the app name.” https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/MacOSX/Conceptual/BPInternational/MaintaingYourOwnStringsFiles/MaintaingYourOwnStringsFiles.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/10000171i-CH19-SW22

Because we use Xojo and the “About My Application” is not automatically provided for us (with an automatic OS translation), the reviewer is insisting that we’re doing something wrong, and refusing to hear otherwise. I’ll wait until tomorrow morning, to see if they respond to my latest message, it looks like I’m going to have to appeal and complain.

Shouldn’t this problem then happen for ALL Xojo made apps? And so far nobody from Apple has complained about this problem?

Technically no-one should get rejected for this, I think it’s down to my reviewer either being too new to this (not understanding) or worse is they know and understand, they’re just being difficult.

WHY is “About” not translated / provided automatically?

Sounds more like a Xojo bug in combination with a very diligent reviewer to me.

What about creating (for a menu / menuitem) one english (en) constant localized also for english (UK) and see if things get automatically right?

Is there any way through the appeal process to escalate the issue to his supervisor ? If the app is not even in Arabic, this is preposterous.

It’s weird how everyone assumes the reviewer to be wrong. Why?

About is not a provided menuItem
it should be a specific menuItemType to add in the menubar just like the one for pref.

The same if for Help (that’s recognized by the system but not localized even if there is the string in the Localizable.strings) or pref.

The same problem if for the edit menu where only undo is automatically localized

Said that Michel is right, if there is no Arabic localization (ar.lproj) then you should not have Service, Hide, Show and Quit stuff localized and so mixed (but you will still have arabic undo, services submenu and find in help)

You can have the same menu that the reviewer posted if you set the default language to Arabic

From my understanding of the situation the “About ” is an automatic function of one (or more) templates within Xcode. “Hide ” & “Hide other apps” is dynamically added by the OS at runtime.

I wouldn’t really call it a bug if it’s something that Apple adds at project creation time (using said Xcode templates) and it’s not added if you use a different template, no template at all or a third party development tool.

The quote from Beatrix about sums it up; in that no-one who uses any other tool than Xcode should be allowed to ship an update on the Mac App Store, yet people do, just as I did recently. Which indicates that the reviewer is being meticulous or mischievous.

Also point 2.1 doesn’t cover mixed localization, let alone mixed localization when testing on a system that is not for the intended audience.

If the reviewer doesn’t approve it by tomorrow morning my time after sending them the evidence, then that is my next step. I will appeal and lodge a complaint against the reviewer for being so stubborn and forcing me to waste valuable time or an issue that’s out of my control.

That’s not up to me, that’s up to Apple what they do with their dynamically added menu, I’ve told the OS that this application only comes in English.

Actually, preventing the addition to Edit is fairly simple : just rename Edit to anything else.

But that stupid reviewer from Hell (or Kuwait city) is testing the app under a non-standard system and should not expect an app conceived for a Roman system to behave like an Arabic native app.

Forgive me for not being politically correct, but I am growing sick and tired of those representatives from non occidental countries who are completely insensitive to OUR culture. I have to contend with Asian stupid reps at Amazon just alike, so much so now I fill reports around noon EST to avoid dealing with them altogether.

[quote=391254:@Sam Rowlands]From my understanding of the situation the “About ” is an automatic function of one (or more) templates within Xcode. “Hide ” & “Hide other apps” is dynamically added by the OS at runtime.

I wouldn’t really call it a bug if it’s something that Apple adds at project creation time (using said Xcode templates) and it’s not added if you use a different template, no template at all or a third party development tool.[/quote]

The way I read it is that Apple requires you to adhere to the localisation template, that this now includes the “About”, and Xojo is not doing that. Maybe that is a recent change, maybe they are clamping down on things as they said at WWDC (bug fixes and cleaning up), but it might fall under “we are looking closer at the details again instead of letting things slide” category.

And that’s where we disagree. It’s up to Xojo to make sure the correct template is being used and the proper files created from your code base. As you say yourself:

It’s not “politically incorrect”, it’s racist.

And that’s why you should file a complaint.

For my mySalesAgent App i had to “fight” with “them” approx. 4 Weeks. We exchanged Mails every day but finally they understud my complaints and let my App pass the review.

With some of my Updates i have to “fight” again with them. But at the end, they always agree and let it through… Don’t give up. :slight_smile:

All the rest of the words in the app are in English.
If an end user has a problem because the word About is in English, they really shouldn’t buy the app.
I wouldn’t buy one that was in Arabic, even if they spelled About properly on my English locale machine.
Freedom of choice, innit? . :wink:

I would argue that only Xcode uses Xcode templates and that Xojo, FileMaker & LiveCode do not, are there any other x-plat languages that have their own IDE and compiler? It’s also possible to create an application in Xcode without using a template, and that baby is my silver bullet. Once an application has been created without a template, it’s unreasonable to request the developer to start again using a Template (I know you can copy and paste, but still).

I won’t deny, this did cross my mind, was my app rejected because the reviewer was displeased that it didn’t come with any translation in their native language, and therefore this rejection is to teach me a lesson. I try to steer my mind away from these thoughts, as they’re non productive. I did also explain that this application is aimed at an English speaking audience, and on an English system it behaves as it’s designed. Still they responded by emphasizing that it exhibits this bug and cannot be approved.

If I am forced to appeal, I will.

I am sorry to hear this mate.

Lol! Not according to this reviewer, it shows up as ‘incorrect’ on their Arabic system, so no-one should be subjected to, even English speaking people. Hmm… I gotta calm down.

Back on point. I believe that the reviewer is the problem, I’ve given them evidence to suggest that I am doing no wrong and have given them till tomorrow morning. After that I’ll appeal and complain.

If this turns out to be a valid reason for rejecting applications, it means that potentially we could all be scuppered for not using an Xcode template. If I get approved and others run afoul of this reviewer, then hopefully the information in this thread will save other developers some stress and hassle.