Why Doesn\'t PHP\'s `setlocale()` Change Month Names to German?

PHP setlocale() Has No Effect: Tips for Displaying Month Names in German

The setlocale() function is often used to set the language for handling date and time representations. However, sometimes it may not seem to have the desired effect, such as when trying to output month names in German.

Setting the German Locale

In PHP, you can set the locale for all data types using LC_ALL:

setlocale(LC_ALL, 'de_DE.utf8');

Here, 'de_DE.utf8' specifies the German locale with UTF-8 encoding. However, you may need to try various locale settings, such as 'de_DE', 'de', or 'ge', to find the one that works on your server.

Checking Installed Locales

If setlocale() still doesn't set the German locale, it may indicate that German locale is not installed on the server. You can check installed locales using the 'locale -a' command if you have shell access.

Alternative Approaches

If shell access is unavailable and installed locales lack the desired language, consider alternative approaches:

• Custom Translation Array: Create an array of month names and access it directly.

$month_names = [
    1 => 'Januar',
    2 => 'Februar',
    3 => 'März'
];

echo $month_names[date('m')];

• External Library: Use an external library that supports locale handling and ensures locale availability on different servers.

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