spectre-cli-localization

name	spectre-cli-localization
description	Procedure for localizing Spectre.Console.Cli command and option descriptions in DaxStudio.CommandLine. Use when internationalizing the dscmd command-line tool.

Spectre.Console.Cli Localization for dscmd

Overview

The DaxStudio.CommandLine project uses Spectre.Console.Cli with [Description] attributes for help text. There are ~28 [Description] attributes across settings classes and ~9 .WithDescription() calls in Program.cs.

Step 1: Migrate [Description] Attributes

Replace System.ComponentModel.DescriptionAttribute with LocalizedDescriptionAttribute:

// BEFORE
[CommandOption("-s|--server <server>")]
[Description("The name of the tabular server to connect to")]
public string Server { get; set; }

// AFTER
[CommandOption("-s|--server <server>")]
[LocalizedDescription("Option_Server_Description")]
public string Server { get; set; }

LocalizedDescriptionAttribute extends DescriptionAttribute and overrides Description to return CommandStrings.ResourceManager.GetString(key). Spectre.Console.Cli reads DescriptionAttribute.Description transparently.

Step 2: Migrate .WithDescription() Calls

In Program.cs, these are method calls that accept a string — use the resource directly:

// BEFORE
export.AddCommand<ExportCsvCommand>("csv")
    .WithDescription("Exports specified tables to csv files in a folder");

// AFTER
export.AddCommand<ExportCsvCommand>("csv")
    .WithDescription(CommandStrings.Command_ExportCsv_Description);

Step 3: Update DirectLakeModeDescriptionAttribute

// BEFORE
public override string Description => "Sets the Direct Lake mode. Valid values are: "
    + string.Join(", ", Enum.GetNames(typeof(DirectLakeExtractionMode)));

// AFTER
public override string Description => string.Format(
    CommandStrings.Option_DirectLakeMode_DescriptionFormat,
    string.Join(", ", Enum.GetNames(typeof(DirectLakeExtractionMode))));

CommandStrings.resx: Option_DirectLakeMode_DescriptionFormat = Sets the Direct Lake mode. Valid values are: {0}

Step 4: Update CustomHelpProvider

Localize the hardcoded text in GetHeader():

new Markup("[dim]DAX Studio command line utility[/]")
// → new Markup($"[dim]{CommandStrings.Help_ToolDescription}[/]")

Resource Key Naming

Context	Pattern	Example
Command	Command_{Name}_Description	Command_ExportCsv_Description
Option	Option_{Name}_Description	Option_Server_Description
Argument	Argument_{Name}_Description	Argument_OutputFolder_Description
Help text	Help_{Purpose}	Help_ToolDescription

Do NOT Localize

• [CommandOption("-s|--server <server>")] — CLI flags are part of the API contract
• Command verb names: csv, file, xlsx, vpax, export, accesstoken
• [CommandArgument(0, "<OutputFolder>")] placeholder syntax
• .WithExample(...) arrays — these are CLI usage examples showing exact syntax

Files to Process (in order)

1. Commands\CommandSettingsRawBase.cs — shared connection options (5 descriptions)
2. Commands\CommandSettingsFolderBase.cs — output folder argument (1 description)
3. Commands\ExportSqlCommand.cs — SQL export options (3 descriptions)
4. Commands\ExportCsvCommand.cs — CSV export options (2 descriptions)
5. Commands\ExportParquetCommand.cs — Parquet export options (2 descriptions)
6. Commands\FileCommand.cs — file output options (3 descriptions)
7. Commands\VpaxCommand.cs — VPAX options (6 descriptions)
8. Commands\XlsxCommand.cs — XLSX options (2 descriptions)
9. Commands\AccessTokenCommand.cs — token options
10. Commands\CustomTraceCommand.cs — trace options (2 descriptions)
11. Commands\CaptureDiagnosticsCommand.cs — diagnostics options (2 descriptions)
12. Program.cs — command registrations (9 .WithDescription() calls)
13. Help\CustomHelpProvider.cs — help header text
14. Attributes\DirectLakeModeDescriptionAttribute.cs — dynamic description