Locale

* detatch from User and Util and move to its own enum class * added definitions for all locales the 12340 client could in theory have * this is incompatble with the Intl extension * version bump and php requirement bump
2025-11-29 15:58:16 +08:00 · 2025-01-27 07:47:19 +01:00
parent 40c2c63d1b
commit 398b93e9a7
72 changed files with 1007 additions and 924 deletions
--- a/includes/ajaxHandler/account.class.php
+++ b/includes/ajaxHandler/account.class.php
@@ -20,17 +20,11 @@ class AjaxAccount extends AjaxHandler
        'remove'     => ['filter' => FILTER_SANITIZE_NUMBER_INT],
     // 'sessionKey' => ['filter' => FILTER_SANITIZE_NUMBER_INT]
    );
-    protected $_get        = array(
-        'locale' => ['filter' => FILTER_CALLBACK, 'options' => 'AjaxHandler::checkLocale']
-    );

    public function __construct(array $params)
    {
        parent::__construct($params);

-        if (is_numeric($this->_get['locale']))
-            User::useLocale($this->_get['locale']);
-
        if (!$this->params || !User::$id)
            return;

@@ -60,12 +54,12 @@ class AjaxAccount extends AjaxHandler
            // we don't get signaled whether an id should be added to or removed from either includes or excludes
            // so we throw everything into one table and toggle the mode if its already in here

-            $includes = DB::Aowow()->selectCol('SELECT typeId FROM ?_profiler_excludes WHERE type = ?d AND typeId IN (?a)', $type, $ids);
+            $includes = DB::Aowow()->selectCol('SELECT `typeId` FROM ?_profiler_excludes WHERE `type` = ?d AND `typeId` IN (?a)', $type, $ids);

            foreach ($ids as $typeId)
-                DB::Aowow()->query('INSERT INTO ?_account_excludes (`userId`, `type`, `typeId`, `mode`) VALUES (?a) ON DUPLICATE KEY UPDATE mode = (mode ^ 0x3)', array(
-                    User::$id, $type, $typeId, in_array($typeId, $includes) ? 2 : 1
-                ));
+                DB::Aowow()->query('INSERT INTO ?_account_excludes (`userId`, `type`, `typeId`, `mode`) VALUES (?a) ON DUPLICATE KEY UPDATE `mode` = (`mode` ^ 0x3)',
+                    [User::$id, $type, $typeId, in_array($typeId, $includes) ? 2 : 1]
+                );

            return;
        }
--- a/includes/ajaxHandler/comment.class.php
+++ b/includes/ajaxHandler/comment.class.php
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ class AjaxComment extends AjaxHandler
        if ($this->_get['rating'] < 0)
            $val *= -1;

-        if (User::getCurDailyVotes() <= 0)
+        if (User::getCurrentDailyVotes() <= 0)
            return Util::toJSON(['error' => 1, 'message' => Lang::main('tooManyVotes')]);
        else if (!$target || $val != $this->_get['rating'])
            return Util::toJSON(['error' => 1, 'message' => Lang::main('genericError')]);
--- a/includes/ajaxHandler/data.class.php
+++ b/includes/ajaxHandler/data.class.php
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ if (!defined('AOWOW_REVISION'))
 class AjaxData extends AjaxHandler
 {
    protected $_get = array(
-        'locale'    => ['filter' => FILTER_CALLBACK,           'options' => 'AjaxHandler::checkLocale'  ],
+        'locale'    => ['filter' => FILTER_CALLBACK,           'options' => 'Locale::tryFrom'           ],
        't'         => ['filter' => FILTER_CALLBACK,           'options' => 'AjaxHandler::checkTextLine'],
        'catg'      => ['filter' => FILTER_SANITIZE_NUMBER_INT                                          ],
        'skill'     => ['filter' => FILTER_CALLBACK,           'options' => 'AjaxData::checkSkill'      ],
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ class AjaxData extends AjaxHandler
    {
        parent::__construct($params);

-        if (is_numeric($this->_get['locale']))
-            User::useLocale($this->_get['locale']);
+        if ($this->_get['locale']?->validate())
+            Lang::load($this->_get['locale']);

        // always this one
        $this->handler = 'handleData';
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ class AjaxData extends AjaxHandler
                case 'pets':
                case 'zones':
                    if (!Util::loadStaticFile($set, $result, true) && Cfg::get('DEBUG'))
-                        $result .= "alert('could not fetch static data: ".$set." for locale: ".User::$localeString."');";
+                        $result .= "alert('could not fetch static data: ".$set." for locale: ".Lang::getLocale()->json()."');";

                    $result .= "\n\n";
                    break;
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ class AjaxData extends AjaxHandler

    protected static function checkSkill(string $val) : array
    {
-        return array_intersect([171, 164, 333, 202, 182, 773, 755, 165, 186, 393, 197, 185, 129, 356], explode(',', $val));
+        return array_intersect(array_merge(SKILLS_TRADE_PRIMARY, [SKILL_FIRST_AID, SKILL_COOKING, SKILL_FISHING]), explode(',', $val));
    }

    protected static function checkCallback(string $val) : bool
--- a/includes/ajaxHandler/locale.class.php
+++ b/includes/ajaxHandler/locale.class.php
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ if (!defined('AOWOW_REVISION'))
 class AjaxLocale extends AjaxHandler
 {
    protected $_get = array(
-        'locale' => ['filter' => FILTER_CALLBACK, 'options' => 'AjaxHandler::checkLocale']
+        'locale' => ['filter' => FILTER_CALLBACK, 'options' => 'Locale::tryFrom']
    );

    public function __construct(array $params)
@@ -23,8 +23,11 @@ class AjaxLocale extends AjaxHandler
    */
    protected function handleLocale() : string
    {
-        User::setLocale($this->_get['locale']);
-        User::save();
+        if ($this->_get['locale']?->validate())
+        {
+            User::$preferedLoc = $this->_get['locale'];
+            User::save(true);
+        }

        return isset($_SERVER['HTTP_REFERER']) ? $_SERVER['HTTP_REFERER'] : '.';
    }
--- a/includes/ajaxHandler/profile.class.php
+++ b/includes/ajaxHandler/profile.class.php
@@ -654,10 +654,10 @@ class AjaxProfile extends AjaxHandler
                        {
                            // get and apply inventory
                            $gItems[$iId] = array(
-                                'name_'.User::$localeString => $phItems->getField('name', true),
-                                'quality'                   => $phItems->getField('quality'),
-                                'icon'                      => $phItems->getField('iconString'),
-                                'jsonequip'                 => $data[$iId]
+                                'name_'.Lang::getLocale()->json() => $phItems->getField('name', true),
+                                'quality'                         => $phItems->getField('quality'),
+                                'icon'                            => $phItems->getField('iconString'),
+                                'jsonequip'                       => $data[$iId]
                            );
                            $profile['inventory'][$slot] = [$iId, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0];

@@ -682,10 +682,10 @@ class AjaxProfile extends AjaxHandler
                    {
                        // get and apply inventory
                        $gItems[$i['item']] = array(
-                            'name_'.User::$localeString => $itemz->getField('name', true),
-                            'quality'                   => $itemz->getField('quality'),
-                            'icon'                      => $itemz->getField('iconString'),
-                            'jsonequip'                 => $data[$i['item']]
+                            'name_'.Lang::getLocale()->json() => $itemz->getField('name', true),
+                            'quality'                         => $itemz->getField('quality'),
+                            'icon'                            => $itemz->getField('iconString'),
+                            'jsonequip'                       => $data[$i['item']]
                        );
                        $profile['inventory'][$i['slot']] = [$i['item'], $i['subItem'], $i['permEnchant'], $i['tempEnchant'], $i['gem1'], $i['gem2'], $i['gem3'], $i['gem4']];
                    }
@@ -719,7 +719,7 @@ class AjaxProfile extends AjaxHandler
                    // }
                // }

-                // $buff .= 'g_spells.add('.$id.", {id:".$id.", name:'".Util::jsEscape(mb_substr($data['name'], 1))."', icon:'".$data['icon']."', modifier:".Util::toJSON($mods)."});\n";
+                // $buff .= 'g_spells.add('.$id.", {id:".$id.", name:'".Util::jsEscape(mb_substr($data['name'], 1))."', icon:'".$data['icon']."', callback:".Util::toJSON($mods)."});\n";
            // }
            // $buff .= "\n";
        // }
--- a/includes/basetype.class.php
+++ b/includes/basetype.class.php
@@ -1479,7 +1479,7 @@ abstract class Filter
    private function genericString($field, $value, $strFlags)
    {
        if ($strFlags & STR_LOCALIZED)
-            $field .= '_loc'.User::$localeId;
+            $field .= '_loc'.Lang::getLocale()->value;

        return $this->modularizeString([$field], (string)$value, $strFlags & STR_MATCH_EXACT, $strFlags & STR_ALLOW_SHORT);
    }
--- a/includes/defines.php
+++ b/includes/defines.php
@@ -139,21 +139,6 @@ define('U_GROUP_MODERATOR',                 (U_GROUP_ADMIN|U_GROUP_MOD|U_GROUP_B
 define('U_GROUP_COMMENTS_MODERATOR',        (U_GROUP_MODERATOR|U_GROUP_LOCALIZER));
 define('U_GROUP_PREMIUM_PERMISSIONS',       (U_GROUP_PREMIUM|U_GROUP_STAFF|U_GROUP_VIP));

-// Locales
-define('LOCALE_EN',                         0);             // enGB, enUS
-define('LOCALE_KR',                         1);             // koKR         [aowwo unused]
-define('LOCALE_FR',                         2);             // frFR
-define('LOCALE_DE',                         3);             // deDE
-define('LOCALE_CN',                         4);             // zhCN, enCN
-define('LOCALE_TW',                         5);             // zhTW, enTW   [aowow unused]
-define('LOCALE_ES',                         6);             // esES
-define('LOCALE_MX',                         7);             // esMX         [aowow unused]
-define('LOCALE_RU',                         8);             // ruRU
-define('LOCALE_JP',                         9);             // jaJP         [aowow & 335 unused]
-define('LOCALE_PT',                        10);             // ptPT, ptBR   [aowow unused]
-define('LOCALE_IT',                        11);             // itIT         [aowow & 335 unused]
-define('LOCALE_MASK_ALL',      0b000101011101);
-
 // red buttons on the top of the page
 define('BUTTON_WOWHEAD',                    0);
 define('BUTTON_UPGRADE',                    1);
@@ -330,7 +315,6 @@ define('GUIDE_CU_NO_RATING',                0x200);

 define('MAX_LEVEL',                         80);
 define('MAX_SKILL',                         450);
-define('MAX_LOCALES',                       16);            // technical limitation, 6 in use here
 define('WOW_BUILD',                         12340);

 // Loot handles
--- a/includes/game.php
+++ b/includes/game.php
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ class Game
        $pages = [];
        while ($ptId)
        {
-            if ($row = DB::World()->selectRow('SELECT ptl.Text AS Text_loc?d, pt.* FROM page_text pt LEFT JOIN page_text_locale ptl ON pt.ID = ptl.ID AND locale = ? WHERE pt.ID = ?d', User::$localeId, User::$localeString, $ptId))
+            if ($row = DB::World()->selectRow('SELECT ptl.Text AS Text_loc?d, pt.* FROM page_text pt LEFT JOIN page_text_locale ptl ON pt.ID = ptl.ID AND locale = ? WHERE pt.ID = ?d', Lang::getLocale()->value, Lang::getLocale()->json(), $ptId))
            {
                $ptId = $row['NextPageID'];
                $pages[] = Util::parseHtmlText(Util::localizedString($row, 'Text'));
@@ -392,28 +392,20 @@ class Game
        $quotes   = [];
        $soundIds = [];

-        $quoteSrc = DB::World()->select('
-            SELECT
-                ct.GroupID AS ARRAY_KEY, ct.ID as ARRAY_KEY2,
-                ct.`Type` AS `talkType`,
-                ct.TextRange AS `range`,
-                IFNULL(bct.`LanguageID`, ct.`Language`) AS lang,
-                IFNULL(NULLIF(bct.Text, ""), IFNULL(NULLIF(bct.Text1, ""), IFNULL(ct.`Text`, ""))) AS text_loc0,
-               {IFNULL(NULLIF(bctl.Text, ""), IFNULL(NULLIF(bctl.Text1, ""), IFNULL(ctl.Text, ""))) AS text_loc?d,}
-                IF(bct.SoundEntriesID > 0, bct.SoundEntriesID, ct.Sound) AS soundId
-            FROM
-                creature_text ct
-           {LEFT JOIN
-                creature_text_locale ctl ON ct.CreatureID = ctl.CreatureID AND ct.GroupID = ctl.GroupID AND ct.ID = ctl.ID AND ctl.Locale = ?}
-            LEFT JOIN
-                broadcast_text bct ON ct.BroadcastTextId = bct.ID
-           {LEFT JOIN
-                broadcast_text_locale bctl ON ct.BroadcastTextId = bctl.ID AND bctl.locale = ?}
-            WHERE
-                ct.CreatureID = ?d',
-            User::$localeId ?: DBSIMPLE_SKIP,
-            User::$localeId ? Util::$localeStrings[User::$localeId] : DBSIMPLE_SKIP,
-            User::$localeId ? Util::$localeStrings[User::$localeId] : DBSIMPLE_SKIP,
+        $quoteSrc = DB::World()->select(
+           'SELECT    ct.`GroupID` AS ARRAY_KEY, ct.`ID` AS ARRAY_KEY2, ct.`Type` AS "talkType", ct.TextRange AS "range",
+                      IFNULL(bct.`LanguageID`, ct.`Language`) AS "lang",
+                      IFNULL(NULLIF(bct.`Text`, ""),  IFNULL(NULLIF(bct.`Text1`, ""),  IFNULL(ct.`Text`, "")))  AS "text_loc0",
+                    { IFNULL(NULLIF(bctl.`Text`, ""), IFNULL(NULLIF(bctl.`Text1`, ""), IFNULL(ctl.`Text`, ""))) AS text_loc?d, }
+                      IF(bct.`SoundEntriesID` > 0, bct.`SoundEntriesID`, ct.`Sound`) AS "soundId"
+            FROM      creature_text ct
+          { LEFT JOIN creature_text_locale ctl   ON ct.`CreatureID`      = ctl.`CreatureID` AND ct.`GroupID` = ctl.`GroupID` AND ct.`ID` = ctl.`ID` AND ctl.`Locale` = ? }
+            LEFT JOIN broadcast_text bct         ON ct.`BroadcastTextId` = bct.`ID`
+          { LEFT JOIN broadcast_text_locale bctl ON ct.`BroadcastTextId` = bctl.`ID` AND bctl.`locale` = ? }
+            WHERE     ct.`CreatureID` = ?d',
+            Lang::getLocale()->value ?: DBSIMPLE_SKIP,
+            Lang::getLocale()->value ? Lang::getLocale()->json() : DBSIMPLE_SKIP,
+            Lang::getLocale()->value ? Lang::getLocale()->json() : DBSIMPLE_SKIP,
            $creatureId
        );

--- a/includes/kernel.php
+++ b/includes/kernel.php
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 mb_internal_encoding('UTF-8');
 mysqli_report(MYSQLI_REPORT_ERROR);

-define('AOWOW_REVISION', 39);
+define('AOWOW_REVISION', 40);
 define('OS_WIN', substr(PHP_OS, 0, 3) == 'WIN');            // OS_WIN as per compile info of php
 define('CLI', PHP_SAPI === 'cli');
 define('CLI_HAS_E', CLI &&                                  // WIN10 and later usually support ANSI escape sequences
@@ -11,25 +11,30 @@ define('CLI_HAS_E', CLI &&                                  // WIN10 and later u


 $reqExt = ['SimpleXML', 'gd', 'mysqli', 'mbstring', 'fileinfo'/*, 'gmp'*/];
+$badExt = ['Intl'];                                          // Intl contains its own class Locale. What? Namespaces? Never heard of those!
 $error  = '';
-if ($ext = array_filter($reqExt, function($x) { return !extension_loaded($x); }))
+if ($ext = array_filter($reqExt, fn($x) => !extension_loaded($x)))
    $error .= 'Required Extension <b>'.implode(', ', $ext)."</b> was not found. Please check if it should exist, using \"<i>php -m</i>\"\n\n";

-if (version_compare(PHP_VERSION, '8.0.0') < 0)
-    $error .= 'PHP Version <b>8.0</b> or higher required! Your version is <b>'.PHP_VERSION."</b>.\nCore functions are unavailable!\n";
+if ($ext = array_filter($badExt, fn($x) => extension_loaded($x)))
+    $error .= 'Loaded Extension <b>'.implode(', ', $ext)."</b> is incompatible and must be disabled.\n\n";
+
+if (version_compare(PHP_VERSION, '8.2.0') < 0)
+    $error .= 'PHP Version <b>8.2</b> or higher required! Your version is <b>'.PHP_VERSION."</b>.\nCore functions are unavailable!\n";

 if ($error)
    die(CLI ? strip_tags($error) : $error);


 require_once 'includes/defines.php';
+require_once 'includes/locale.class.php';
 require_once 'includes/stats.class.php';                    // Game entity statistics conversion
 require_once 'includes/libs/DbSimple/Generic.php';          // Libraray: http://en.dklab.ru/lib/DbSimple (using variant: https://github.com/ivan1986/DbSimple/tree/master)
 require_once 'includes/utilities.php';                      // helper functions
 require_once 'includes/config.class.php';                   // Config holder
 require_once 'includes/game.php';                           // game related data & functions
-require_once 'includes/profiler.class.php';
-require_once 'includes/user.class.php';
+require_once 'includes/profiler.class.php';                 // Profiler feature
+require_once 'includes/user.class.php';                     // Session handling
 require_once 'includes/markup.class.php';                   // manipulate markup text
 require_once 'includes/database.class.php';                 // wrap DBSimple
 require_once 'includes/community.class.php';                // handle comments, screenshots and videos
@@ -213,6 +218,12 @@ if (!CLI)
    if (User::init())
        User::save();                                       // save user-variables in session

+    // hard override locale for this call (should this be here..?)
+    if (isset($_GET['locale']) && ($loc = Locale::tryFrom($_GET['locale'])))
+        Lang::load($loc);
+    else
+        Lang::load(User::$preferedLoc);
+
    // set up some logging (~10 queries will execute before we init the user and load the config)
    if (Cfg::get('DEBUG') >= CLI::LOG_INFO && User::isInGroup(U_GROUP_DEV | U_GROUP_ADMIN))
    {
@@ -227,17 +238,6 @@ if (!CLI)
                    DB::Characters($idx)->setLogger(['DB', 'profiler']);
    }

-    // hard-override locale for this call (should this be here..?)
-    // all strings attached..
-    if (isset($_GET['locale']))
-    {
-        $loc = intVal($_GET['locale']);
-        if ($loc <= MAX_LOCALES && $loc >= 0 && (Cfg::get('LOCALES') & (1 << $loc)))
-            User::useLocale($loc);
-    }
-
-    Lang::load(User::$localeId);
-
    // parse page-parameters .. sanitize before use!
    $str = explode('&', $_SERVER['QUERY_STRING'] ?? '', 2)[0];
    $_   = explode('=', $str, 2);
@@ -245,6 +245,6 @@ if (!CLI)
    $pageParam = $_[1] ?? '';
 }
 else if (DB::isConnected(DB_AOWOW))
-    Lang::load(LOCALE_EN);
+    Lang::load(Locale::EN);

 ?>
--- a/includes/locale.class.php
+++ b/includes/locale.class.php
@@ -0,0 +1,209 @@
+<?php
+
+if (!defined('AOWOW_REVISION'))
+    die('illegal access');
+
+
+enum Locale : int
+{                                                           // unused by    TC WoW self
+    case EN =  0;                                           // enGB, enUS
+    case KR =  1;                                           // koKR                 ?
+    case FR =  2;                                           // frFR
+    case DE =  3;                                           // deDE
+    case CN =  4;                                           // zhCN, enCN
+    case TW =  5;                                           // zhTW, enTW           x
+    case ES =  6;                                           // esES
+    case MX =  7;                                           // esMX                 x
+    case RU =  8;                                           // ruRU
+    case JP =  9;                                           // jaJP         x   x   x
+    case PT = 10;                                           // ptPT, ptBR   x       ?
+    case IT = 11;                                           // itIT         x   x   x
+
+    private const MASK_ALL = 0b000101011101;                // technically supported locales
+
+    public function domain() : string                       // our subdomain / locale in web context
+    {
+        return match ($this)
+        {
+            self::EN => 'en',
+            self::KR => 'kt',
+            self::FR => 'fr',
+            self::DE => 'de',
+            self::CN => 'cn',
+            self::TW => 'tw',
+            self::ES => 'es',
+            self::MX => 'mx',
+            self::RU => 'ru',
+            self::JP => 'jp',
+            self::PT => 'pt',
+            self::IT => 'it'
+        };
+    }
+
+    public function json() : string                         // internal usage / json string
+    {
+        return match ($this)
+        {
+            self::EN => 'enus',
+            self::KR => 'kokr',
+            self::FR => 'frfr',
+            self::DE => 'dede',
+            self::CN => 'zhcn',
+            self::TW => 'zhtw',
+            self::ES => 'eses',
+            self::MX => 'esmx',
+            self::RU => 'ruru',
+            self::JP => 'jajp',
+            self::PT => 'ptpt',
+            self::IT => 'itit'
+        };
+    }
+
+    public function title() : string                        // localized language name
+    {
+        return match ($this)
+        {
+            self::EN => 'English',
+            self::KR => '한국어',
+            self::FR => 'Français',
+            self::DE => 'Deutsch',
+            self::CN => '简体中文',
+            self::TW => '繁體中文',
+            self::ES => 'Español',
+            self::MX => 'Mexicano',
+            self::RU => 'Русский',
+            self::JP => '日本語',
+            self::PT => 'Português',
+            self::IT => 'Italiano'
+        };
+    }
+
+    public function gameDirs() : array                      // setup data source / wow client locale code
+    {
+        return match ($this)
+        {
+            self::EN => ['enGB', 'enUS', ''],
+            self::KR => ['koKR'],
+            self::FR => ['frFR'],
+            self::DE => ['deDE'],
+            self::CN => ['zhCN', 'enCN'],
+            self::TW => ['zhTW', 'enTW'],
+            self::ES => ['esES'],
+            self::MX => ['esMX'],
+            self::RU => ['ruRU'],
+            self::JP => ['jaJP'],
+            self::PT => ['ptPT', 'ptBR'],
+            self::IT => ['itIT']
+        };
+    }
+
+    public function httpCode() : array                      // HTTP_ACCEPT_LANGUAGE
+    {
+        return match ($this)
+        {
+            self::EN => ['en', 'en-au', 'en-bz', 'en-ca', 'en-ie', 'en-jm', 'en-nz', 'en-ph', 'en-za', 'en-tt', 'en-gb', 'en-us', 'en-zw'],
+            self::KR => ['ko', 'ko-kp', 'ko-kr'],
+            self::FR => ['fr', 'fr-be', 'fr-ca', 'fr-fr', 'fr-lu', 'fr-mc', 'fr-ch'],
+            self::DE => ['de', 'de-at', 'de-de', 'de-li', 'de-lu', 'de-ch'],
+            self::CN => ['zh', 'zh-hk', 'zh-cn', 'zh-sg'],
+            self::TW => ['tw', 'zh-tw'],
+            self::ES => ['es', 'es-ar', 'es-bo', 'es-cl', 'es-co', 'es-cr', 'es-do', 'es-ec', 'es-sv', 'es-gt', 'es-hn', 'es-ni', 'es-pa', 'es-py', 'es-pe', 'es-pr', 'es-es', 'es-uy', 'es-ve'],
+            self::MX => ['mx', 'es-mx'],
+            self::RU => ['ru', 'ru-mo'],
+            self::JP => ['ja'],
+            self::PT => ['pt', 'pt-br'],
+            self::IT => ['it', 'it-ch']
+        };
+    }
+
+    public function isLogographic() : bool
+    {
+        return $this == Locale::CN || $this == Locale::TW || $this == Locale::KR;
+    }
+
+    public function validate() : ?self
+    {
+        return ($this->maskBit() & self::MASK_ALL & (Cfg::get('LOCALES') ?: 0xFFFF)) ? $this : null;
+    }
+
+    public function maskBit() : int
+    {
+        return (1 << $this->value);
+    }
+
+    public static function tryFromDomain(string $str) : ?self
+    {
+        foreach (self::cases() as $l)
+            if ($l->validate() && $str == $l->domain())
+                return $l;
+
+        return null;
+    }
+
+    public static function tryFromHttpAcceptLanguage(string $httpAccept) : ?self
+    {
+        if (!$httpAccept)
+            return null;
+
+        $available = [];
+
+        // e.g.: de,de-DE;q=0.9,en;q=0.8,en-GB;q=0.7,en-US;q=0.6
+        foreach (explode(',', $_SERVER['HTTP_ACCEPT_LANGUAGE']) as $loc)
+            if (preg_match('/([a-z\-]+)(?:\s*;\s*q\s*=\s*([\.\d]+))?/ui', $loc, $m, PREG_UNMATCHED_AS_NULL))
+                $available[Util::lower($m[1])] = floatVal($m[2] ?? 1); // no quality set: assume 100%
+
+        arsort($available, SORT_NUMERIC);                   // highest quality on top
+
+        foreach ($available as $code => $_)
+            foreach (self::cases() as $l)
+                if ($l->validate() && in_array($code, $l->httpCode()))
+                    return $l;
+
+        return null;
+    }
+
+    public static function getFallback() : self
+    {
+        foreach (Locale::cases() as $l)
+            if ($l->validate())
+                return $l;
+
+        // wow, you really fucked up your config mate!
+        trigger_error('Locale::getFallback - there are no valid locales', E_USER_ERROR);
+        return self::EN;
+    }
+}
+
+
+/* The shape of things to come */
+class LocString
+{
+    private WeakMap $store;
+
+    public function __construct(array $data, string $key = 'name', ?callable $callback = null)
+    {
+        $this->store = new WeakMap();
+
+        $callback ??= fn($x) => $x;
+
+        if (!array_filter($data, fn($v, $k) => $v && strstr($k, $key.'_loc'), ARRAY_FILTER_USE_BOTH))
+            trigger_error('LocString - is entrirely empty', E_USER_WARNING);
+
+        foreach (Locale::cases() as $l)
+            $this->store[$l] = (string)$callback($data[$key.'_loc'.$l->value] ?? '');
+    }
+
+    public function __toString() : string
+    {
+        if ($str = $this->store[Lang::getLocale()])
+            return $str;
+
+        foreach (Locale::cases() as $l)                // desired loc not set, use any other
+            if ($str = $this->store[$l])
+                return Cfg::get('DEBUG') ? '['.$str.']' : $str;
+
+        return Cfg::get('DEBUG') ? '[LOCSTRING]' : '';
+    }
+}
+
+?>
--- a/includes/smartAI.class.php
+++ b/includes/smartAI.class.php
@@ -918,16 +918,18 @@ class SmartAI
                    $this->jsGlobals[Type::NPC][] = $e['param'][1];
                break;
            case SAI_EVENT_LINK:                            // 61  -  Used to link together multiple events as a chain of events.
-                $e['param'][10] = LANG::concat(DB::World()->selectCol('SELECT CONCAT("#[b]", id, "[/b]") FROM smart_scripts WHERE link = ?d AND entryorguid = ?d AND source_type = ?d', $this->itr['id'], $this->entry, $this->srcType), false);
+                if ($links = DB::World()->selectCol('SELECT `id` FROM smart_scripts WHERE `link` = ?d AND `entryorguid` = ?d AND `source_type` = ?d', $this->itr['id'], $this->entry, $this->srcType))
+                    $e['param'][10] = LANG::concat($links, false, fn($x) => "#[b]".$x."[/b]");
                break;
            case SAI_EVENT_GOSSIP_SELECT:                   // 62  -  On gossip clicked (gossip_menu_option335).
-                $gmo = DB::World()->selectRow('SELECT gmo.OptionText AS text_loc0 {, gmol.OptionText AS text_loc?d}
-                    FROM gossip_menu_option gmo LEFT JOIN gossip_menu_option_locale gmol ON gmo.MenuID = gmol.MenuID AND gmo.OptionID = gmol.OptionID AND gmol.Locale = ?d
-                    WHERE gmo.MenuId = ?d AND gmo.OptionID = ?d',
-                    User::$localeId ? Util::$localeStrings[User::$localeId] : DBSIMPLE_SKIP,
-                    User::$localeId,
-                    $e['param'][0],
-                    $e['param'][1]
+                $gmo = DB::World()->selectRow(
+                   'SELECT    gmo.`OptionText` AS "text_loc0" {, gmol.`OptionText` AS text_loc?d }
+                    FROM      gossip_menu_option gmo
+                    LEFT JOIN gossip_menu_option_locale gmol ON gmo.`MenuID` = gmol.`MenuID` AND gmo.`OptionID` = gmol.`OptionID` AND gmol.`Locale` = ?d
+                    WHERE     gmo.`MenuId` = ?d AND gmo.`OptionID` = ?d',
+                    Lang::getLocale() != Locale::EN ? Lang::getLocale()->json() : DBSIMPLE_SKIP,
+                    Lang::getLocale()->value,
+                    $e['param'][0], $e['param'][1]
                );

                if ($gmo)
@@ -941,11 +943,11 @@ class SmartAI
                break;
            case SAI_EVENT_DISTANCE_CREATURE:               // 75  -  On creature guid OR any instance of creature entry is within distance.
                if ($e['param'][0])
-                    $e['param'][10] = DB::World()->selectCell('SELECT id FROM creature WHERE guid = ?d', $e['param'][0]);
+                    $e['param'][10] = DB::World()->selectCell('SELECT `id` FROM creature WHERE `guid` = ?d', $e['param'][0]);
                // do not break;
            case SAI_EVENT_DISTANCE_GAMEOBJECT:             // 76  -  On gameobject guid OR any instance of gameobject entry is within distance.
                if ($e['param'][0] && !$e['param'][10])
-                    $e['param'][10] = DB::World()->selectCell('SELECT id FROM gameobject WHERE guid = ?d', $e['param'][0]);
+                    $e['param'][10] = DB::World()->selectCell('SELECT `id` FROM gameobject WHERE `guid` = ?d', $e['param'][0]);
                else if ($e['param'][1])
                    $e['param'][10] = $e['param'][1];
                else if (!$e['param'][10])
@@ -1244,7 +1246,7 @@ class SmartAI
                    JOIN ?_taxinodes tn1 ON tp.startNodeId = tn1.id
                    JOIN ?_taxinodes tn2 ON tp.endNodeId = tn2.id
                    WHERE tp.id = ?d',
-                    User::$localeId, User::$localeId, User::$localeId, User::$localeId, $a['param'][0]
+                    Lang::getLocale()->value, Lang::getLocale()->value, Lang::getLocale()->value, Lang::getLocale()->value, $a['param'][0]
                    );
                $a['param'][6] = Util::localizedString($nodes, 'start');
                $a['param'][7] = Util::localizedString($nodes, 'end');
--- a/includes/types/achievement.class.php
+++ b/includes/types/achievement.class.php
@@ -343,9 +343,9 @@ class AchievementListFilter extends Filter
        {
            $_ = [];
            if (isset($_v['ex']) && $_v['ex'] == 'on')
-                $_ = $this->modularizeString(['name_loc'.User::$localeId, 'reward_loc'.User::$localeId, 'description_loc'.User::$localeId]);
+                $_ = $this->modularizeString(['name_loc'.Lang::getLocale()->value, 'reward_loc'.Lang::getLocale()->value, 'description_loc'.Lang::getLocale()->value]);
            else
-                $_ = $this->modularizeString(['name_loc'.User::$localeId]);
+                $_ = $this->modularizeString(['name_loc'.Lang::getLocale()->value]);

            if ($_)
                $parts[] = $_;
--- a/includes/types/creature.class.php
+++ b/includes/types/creature.class.php
@@ -353,9 +353,9 @@ class CreatureListFilter extends Filter
        {
            $_ = [];
            if (isset($_v['ex']) && $_v['ex'] == 'on')
-                $_ = $this->modularizeString(['name_loc'.User::$localeId, 'subname_loc'.User::$localeId]);
+                $_ = $this->modularizeString(['name_loc'.Lang::getLocale()->value, 'subname_loc'.Lang::getLocale()->value]);
            else
-                $_ = $this->modularizeString(['name_loc'.User::$localeId]);
+                $_ = $this->modularizeString(['name_loc'.Lang::getLocale()->value]);

            if ($_)
                $parts[] = $_;
--- a/includes/types/enchantment.class.php
+++ b/includes/types/enchantment.class.php
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ class EnchantmentList extends BaseType
    public static   $dataTable  = '?_itemenchantment';

    private         $jsonStats  = [];
-    private         $relSpells  = [];
+    private SpellList $relSpells;
    private         $triggerIds = [];

    protected       $queryBase  = 'SELECT ie.*, ie.id AS ARRAY_KEY FROM ?_itemenchantment ie';
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ class EnchantmentList extends BaseType
    {
        parent::__construct($conditions, $miscData);

+        $relSpells = [];
+
        // post processing
        foreach ($this->iterate() as &$curTpl)
        {
@@ -40,15 +42,15 @@ class EnchantmentList extends BaseType
                    case ENCHANTMENT_TYPE_COMBAT_SPELL:
                        $proc = -$this->getField('ppmRate') ?: ($this->getField('procChance') ?: $this->getField('amount'.$i));
                        $curTpl['spells'][$i] = [$curTpl['object'.$i], SPELL_TRIGGER_HIT, $curTpl['charges'], $proc];
-                        $this->relSpells[]    =  $curTpl['object'.$i];
+                        $relSpells[]          =  $curTpl['object'.$i];
                        break;
                    case ENCHANTMENT_TYPE_EQUIP_SPELL:
                        $curTpl['spells'][$i] = [$curTpl['object'.$i], SPELL_TRIGGER_EQUIP, $curTpl['charges'], 0];
-                        $this->relSpells[]    =  $curTpl['object'.$i];
+                        $relSpells[]          =  $curTpl['object'.$i];
                        break;
                    case ENCHANTMENT_TYPE_USE_SPELL:
                        $curTpl['spells'][$i] = [$curTpl['object'.$i], SPELL_TRIGGER_USE, $curTpl['charges'], 0];
-                        $this->relSpells[]    =  $curTpl['object'.$i];
+                        $relSpells[]          =  $curTpl['object'.$i];
                        break;
                }
            }
@@ -56,8 +58,8 @@ class EnchantmentList extends BaseType
            $this->jsonStats[$this->id] = (new StatsContainer)->fromJson($curTpl, true);
        }

-        if ($this->relSpells)
-            $this->relSpells = new SpellList(array(['id', $this->relSpells]));
+        if ($relSpells)
+            $this->relSpells = new SpellList(array(['id', $relSpells]));
    }

    // use if you JUST need the name
@@ -241,7 +243,7 @@ class EnchantmentListFilter extends Filter

        //string
        if (isset($_v['na']))
-            if ($_ = $this->modularizeString(['name_loc'.User::$localeId]))
+            if ($_ = $this->modularizeString(['name_loc'.Lang::getLocale()->value]))
                $parts[] = $_;

        // type
--- a/includes/types/gameobject.class.php
+++ b/includes/types/gameobject.class.php
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ class GameObjectListFilter extends Filter

        // name
        if (isset($_v['na']))
-            if ($_ = $this->modularizeString(['name_loc'.User::$localeId]))
+            if ($_ = $this->modularizeString(['name_loc'.Lang::getLocale()->value]))
                $parts[] = $_;

        return $parts;
--- a/includes/types/item.class.php
+++ b/includes/types/item.class.php
@@ -1935,7 +1935,7 @@ class ItemListFilter extends Filter
        104 => [FILTER_CR_STRING,    'description',            STR_LOCALIZED                          ], // flavortext
        105 => [FILTER_CR_CALLBACK,  'cbDropsInInstance',      SRC_FLAG_DUNGEON_DROP,   1             ], // dropsinnormal [heroicdungeon-any]
        106 => [FILTER_CR_CALLBACK,  'cbDropsInInstance',      SRC_FLAG_DUNGEON_DROP,   2             ], // dropsinheroic [heroicdungeon-any]
-        107 => [FILTER_CR_NYI_PH,    null,                     1,                                     ], // effecttext [str]                 not yet parsed              ['effectsParsed_loc'.User::$localeId, $cr[2]]
+        107 => [FILTER_CR_NYI_PH,    null,                     1,                                     ], // effecttext [str]                 not yet parsed              ['effectsParsed_loc'.Lang::getLocale()->value, $cr[2]]
        109 => [FILTER_CR_CALLBACK,  'cbArmorBonus',           null,                    null          ], // armorbonus [op] [int]
        111 => [FILTER_CR_NUMERIC,   'requiredSkillRank',      NUM_CAST_INT,            true          ], // reqskillrank
        113 => [FILTER_CR_FLAG,      'cuFlags',                CUSTOM_HAS_SCREENSHOT                  ], // hasscreenshots
@@ -2122,7 +2122,7 @@ class ItemListFilter extends Filter

        // name
        if (isset($_v['na']))
-            if ($_ = $this->modularizeString(['name_loc'.User::$localeId]))
+            if ($_ = $this->modularizeString(['name_loc'.Lang::getLocale()->value]))
                $parts[] = $_;

        // usable-by (not excluded by requiredClass && armor or weapons match mask from ?_classes)
@@ -2277,7 +2277,7 @@ class ItemListFilter extends Filter
        $n = preg_replace(Filter::PATTERN_NAME, '', $cr[2]);
        $n = $this->transformString($n, false);

-        $randIds = DB::Aowow()->select('SELECT `id` AS ARRAY_KEY, ABS(`id`) AS `id`, name_loc?d, `name_loc0` FROM ?_itemrandomenchant WHERE name_loc?d LIKE ?', User::$localeId, User::$localeId, $n);
+        $randIds = DB::Aowow()->select('SELECT `id` AS ARRAY_KEY, ABS(`id`) AS `id`, name_loc?d, `name_loc0` FROM ?_itemrandomenchant WHERE name_loc?d LIKE ?', Lang::getLocale()->value, Lang::getLocale()->value, $n);
        $tplIds  = $randIds ? DB::World()->select('SELECT `entry`, `ench` FROM item_enchantment_template WHERE `ench` IN (?a)', array_column($randIds, 'id')) : [];
        foreach ($tplIds as &$set)
        {
--- a/includes/types/itemset.class.php
+++ b/includes/types/itemset.class.php
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ class ItemsetListFilter extends Filter

        // name [str]
        if (isset($_v['na']))
-            if ($_ = $this->modularizeString(['name_loc'.User::$localeId]))
+            if ($_ = $this->modularizeString(['name_loc'.Lang::getLocale()->value]))
                $parts[] = $_;

        // quality [enum]
--- a/includes/types/quest.class.php
+++ b/includes/types/quest.class.php
@@ -498,9 +498,9 @@ class QuestListFilter extends Filter
        {
            $_ = [];
            if (isset($_v['ex']) && $_v['ex'] == 'on')
-                $_ = $this->modularizeString(['name_loc'.User::$localeId, 'objectives_loc'.User::$localeId, 'details_loc'.User::$localeId]);
+                $_ = $this->modularizeString(['name_loc'.Lang::getLocale()->value, 'objectives_loc'.Lang::getLocale()->value, 'details_loc'.Lang::getLocale()->value]);
            else
-                $_ = $this->modularizeString(['name_loc'.User::$localeId]);
+                $_ = $this->modularizeString(['name_loc'.Lang::getLocale()->value]);

            if ($_)
                $parts[] = $_;
--- a/includes/types/spell.class.php
+++ b/includes/types/spell.class.php
@@ -1436,8 +1436,8 @@ class SpellList extends BaseType
        $this->charLevel   = $level;

    // step -1: already handled?
-        if (isset($this->parsedText[$this->id][$type][User::$localeId][$this->charLevel][(int)$this->interactive]))
-            return $this->parsedText[$this->id][$type][User::$localeId][$this->charLevel][(int)$this->interactive];
+        if (isset($this->parsedText[$this->id][$type][Lang::getLocale()->value][$this->charLevel][(int)$this->interactive]))
+            return $this->parsedText[$this->id][$type][Lang::getLocale()->value][$this->charLevel][(int)$this->interactive];

    // step 0: get text
        $data = $this->getField($type, true);
@@ -1543,7 +1543,7 @@ class SpellList extends BaseType
        $data = strtr($data, ["\r" => '', "\n" => '<br />']);

        // cache result
-        $this->parsedText[$this->id][$type][User::$localeId][$this->charLevel][(int)$this->interactive] = [$data, $relSpells, $this->scaling[$this->id]];
+        $this->parsedText[$this->id][$type][Lang::getLocale()->value][$this->charLevel][(int)$this->interactive] = [$data, $relSpells, $this->scaling[$this->id]];

        return [$data, $relSpells, $this->scaling[$this->id]];
    }
@@ -2451,9 +2451,9 @@ class SpellListFilter extends Filter
        {
            $_ = [];
            if (isset($_v['ex']) && $_v['ex'] == 'on')
-                $_ = $this->modularizeString(['name_loc'.User::$localeId, 'buff_loc'.User::$localeId, 'description_loc'.User::$localeId]);
+                $_ = $this->modularizeString(['name_loc'.Lang::getLocale()->value, 'buff_loc'.Lang::getLocale()->value, 'description_loc'.Lang::getLocale()->value]);
            else
-                $_ = $this->modularizeString(['name_loc'.User::$localeId]);
+                $_ = $this->modularizeString(['name_loc'.Lang::getLocale()->value]);

            if ($_)
                $parts[] = $_;
--- a/includes/types/title.class.php
+++ b/includes/types/title.class.php
@@ -45,9 +45,13 @@ class TitleList extends BaseType
            unset($_curTpl['src3']);

            // shorthand for more generic access
-            foreach (Util::$localeStrings as $i => $str)
-                if ($str)
-                    $_curTpl['name_loc'.$i] = trim(str_replace('%s', '', $_curTpl['male_loc'.$i]));
+            // i don't see it being used anywhere..?
+        /*
+            foreach (Locale::cases() as $loc)
+                if ($loc->validate())
+                    $_curTpl['name'] = new LocString($_curTpl, 'male', fn($x) => trim(str_replace('%s', '', $x)));
+                //  $_curTpl['name_loc'.$loc->value] = trim(str_replace('%s', '', $_curTpl['male_loc'.$loc->value]));
+        */
        }
    }

--- a/includes/user.class.php
+++ b/includes/user.class.php
@@ -6,28 +6,34 @@ if (!defined('AOWOW_REVISION'))

 class User
 {
-    public static $id           = 0;
-    public static $displayName  = '';
-    public static $banStatus    = 0x0;                      // see ACC_BAN_* defines
-    public static $groups       = 0x0;
-    public static $perms        = 0;
-    public static $localeId     = 0;
-    public static $localeString = 'enus';
-    public static $avatar       = 'inv_misc_questionmark';
-    public static $dailyVotes   = 0;
+    public static int    $id           = 0;
+    public static string $displayName  = '';
+    public static int    $banStatus    = 0x0;               // see ACC_BAN_* defines
+    public static int    $groups       = 0x0;
+    public static int    $perms        = 0;
+    public static string $avatar       = 'inv_misc_questionmark';
+    public static int    $dailyVotes   = 0;
    public static $ip           = null;

-    private static $reputation    = 0;
-    private static $dataKey       = '';
-    private static $expires       = false;
-    private static $passHash      = '';
-    private static $excludeGroups = 1;
-    private static $profiles      = null;
+    private static int    $reputation    = 0;
+    private static string $dataKey       = '';
+    private static bool   $expires       = false;
+    private static string $passHash      = '';
+    private static int    $excludeGroups = 1;
+
+    public  static Locale $preferedLoc;
+    private static LocalProfileList $profiles;

    public static function init()
    {
        self::setIP();
-        self::setLocale();
+
+        if (isset($_SESSION['locale']) && $_SESSION['locale'] instanceof Locale)
+            self::$preferedLoc = $_SESSION['locale']->validate() ?? Locale::getFallback();
+        else if (!empty($_SERVER["HTTP_ACCEPT_LANGUAGE"]) && ($loc = Locale::tryFromHttpAcceptLanguage($_SERVER["HTTP_ACCEPT_LANGUAGE"])))
+            self::$preferedLoc = $loc;
+        else
+            self::$preferedLoc = Locale::getFallback();

        // session have a dataKey to access the JScripts (yes, also the anons)
        if (empty($_SESSION['dataKey']))
@@ -39,12 +45,12 @@ class User
            return false;

        // check IP bans
-        if ($ipBan = DB::Aowow()->selectRow('SELECT count, unbanDate FROM ?_account_bannedips WHERE ip = ? AND type = 0', self::$ip))
+        if ($ipBan = DB::Aowow()->selectRow('SELECT `count`, `unbanDate` FROM ?_account_bannedips WHERE `ip` = ? AND `type` = 0', self::$ip))
        {
            if ($ipBan['count'] > Cfg::get('ACC_FAILED_AUTH_COUNT') && $ipBan['unbanDate'] > time())
                return false;
            else if ($ipBan['unbanDate'] <= time())
-                DB::Aowow()->query('DELETE FROM ?_account_bannedips WHERE ip = ?', self::$ip);
+                DB::Aowow()->query('DELETE FROM ?_account_bannedips WHERE `ip` = ?', self::$ip);
        }

        // try to restore session
@@ -55,36 +61,39 @@ class User
        if (!empty($_SESSION['timeout']) && $_SESSION['timeout'] <= time())
            return false;

-        $query = DB::Aowow()->SelectRow('
-            SELECT    a.id, a.passHash, a.displayName, a.locale, a.userGroups, a.userPerms, a.allowExpire, BIT_OR(ab.typeMask) AS bans, IFNULL(SUM(r.amount), 0) as reputation, a.avatar, a.dailyVotes, a.excludeGroups
+        $uData = DB::Aowow()->SelectRow(
+           'SELECT    a.`id`, a.`passHash`, a.`displayName`, a.`locale`, a.`userGroups`, a.`userPerms`, a.`allowExpire`, BIT_OR(ab.`typeMask`) AS "bans", IFNULL(SUM(r.`amount`), 0) AS "reputation", a.`avatar`, a.`dailyVotes`, a.`excludeGroups`
            FROM      ?_account a
-            LEFT JOIN ?_account_banned ab ON a.id = ab.userId AND ab.end > UNIX_TIMESTAMP()
-            LEFT JOIN ?_account_reputation r ON a.id = r.userId
-            WHERE     a.id = ?d
-            GROUP     BY a.id',
+            LEFT JOIN ?_account_banned ab ON a.`id` = ab.`userId` AND ab.`end` > UNIX_TIMESTAMP()
+            LEFT JOIN ?_account_reputation r ON a.`id` = r.`userId`
+            WHERE     a.`id` = ?d
+            GROUP BY  a.`id`',
            $_SESSION['user']
        );

-        if (!$query)
+        if (!$uData)
            return false;

+        if ($loc = Locale::tryFrom($uData['locale']))
+            self::$preferedLoc = $loc;
+
        // password changed, terminate session
-        if (AUTH_MODE_SELF && $query['passHash'] != $_SESSION['hash'])
+        if (AUTH_MODE_SELF && $uData['passHash'] != $_SESSION['hash'])
        {
            self::destroy();
            return false;
        }

-        self::$id            = intval($query['id']);
-        self::$displayName   = $query['displayName'];
-        self::$passHash      = $query['passHash'];
-        self::$expires       = (bool)$query['allowExpire'];
-        self::$reputation    = $query['reputation'];
-        self::$banStatus     = $query['bans'];
-        self::$groups        = $query['bans'] & (ACC_BAN_TEMP | ACC_BAN_PERM) ? 0 : intval($query['userGroups']);
-        self::$perms         = $query['bans'] & (ACC_BAN_TEMP | ACC_BAN_PERM) ? 0 : intval($query['userPerms']);
-        self::$dailyVotes    = $query['dailyVotes'];
-        self::$excludeGroups = $query['excludeGroups'];
+        self::$id            = intVal($uData['id']);
+        self::$displayName   = $uData['displayName'];
+        self::$passHash      = $uData['passHash'];
+        self::$expires       = (bool)$uData['allowExpire'];
+        self::$reputation    = $uData['reputation'];
+        self::$banStatus     = $uData['bans'];
+        self::$groups        = $uData['bans'] & (ACC_BAN_TEMP | ACC_BAN_PERM) ? 0 : intval($uData['userGroups']);
+        self::$perms         = $uData['bans'] & (ACC_BAN_TEMP | ACC_BAN_PERM) ? 0 : intval($uData['userPerms']);
+        self::$dailyVotes    = $uData['dailyVotes'];
+        self::$excludeGroups = $uData['excludeGroups'];

        $conditions = array(
            [['cuFlags', PROFILER_CU_DELETED, '&'], 0],
@@ -96,11 +105,8 @@ class User

        self::$profiles = (new LocalProfileList($conditions));

-        if ($query['avatar'])
-            self::$avatar = $query['avatar'];
-
-        if (self::$localeId != $query['locale'])            // reset, if changed
-            self::setLocale(intVal($query['locale']));
+        if ($uData['avatar'])
+            self::$avatar = $uData['avatar'];

        // stuff, that updates on a daily basis goes here (if you keep you session alive indefinitly, the signin-handler doesn't do very much)
        // - conscutive visits
@@ -115,10 +121,10 @@ class User
                // daily votes (we need to reset this one)
                self::$dailyVotes = self::getMaxDailyVotes();

-                DB::Aowow()->query('
-                    UPDATE  ?_account
-                    SET     dailyVotes = ?d, prevLogin = curLogin, curLogin = UNIX_TIMESTAMP(), prevIP = curIP, curIP = ?
-                    WHERE   id = ?d',
+                DB::Aowow()->query(
+                   'UPDATE  ?_account
+                    SET     `dailyVotes` = ?d, `prevLogin` = `curLogin`, `curLogin` = UNIX_TIMESTAMP(), `prevIP` = `curIP`, `curIP` = ?
+                    WHERE   `id` = ?d',
                    self::$dailyVotes,
                    self::$ip,
                    self::$id
@@ -131,16 +137,16 @@ class User
                // increment consecutive visits (next day or first of new month and not more than 48h)
                // i bet my ass i forgott a corner case
                if ((date('j', $lastLogin) + 1 == date('j') || (date('j') == 1 && date('n', $lastLogin) != date('n'))) && (time() - $lastLogin) < 2 * DAY)
-                    DB::Aowow()->query('UPDATE ?_account SET consecutiveVisits = consecutiveVisits + 1 WHERE id = ?d', self::$id);
+                    DB::Aowow()->query('UPDATE ?_account SET `consecutiveVisits` = `consecutiveVisits` + 1 WHERE `id` = ?d', self::$id);
                else
-                    DB::Aowow()->query('UPDATE ?_account SET consecutiveVisits = 0 WHERE id = ?d', self::$id);
+                    DB::Aowow()->query('UPDATE ?_account SET `consecutiveVisits` = 0 WHERE `id` = ?d', self::$id);
            }
        }

        return true;
    }

-    private static function setIP()
+    private static function setIP() : void
    {
        $ipAddr = '';
        $method = ['HTTP_CLIENT_IP', 'HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR', 'HTTP_X_FORWARDED', 'HTTP_FORWARDED_FOR', 'HTTP_FORWARDED', 'REMOTE_ADDR'];
@@ -165,68 +171,32 @@ class User
        self::$ip = $ipAddr ?: null;
    }

-    /****************/
-    /* set language */
-    /****************/
-
-    // set and save
-    public static function setLocale($set = -1)
+    public static function save(bool $toDB = false)
    {
-        $loc = LOCALE_EN;
+        $_SESSION['user']    = self::$id;
+        $_SESSION['hash']    = self::$passHash;
+        $_SESSION['locale']  = self::$preferedLoc;
+        $_SESSION['timeout'] = self::$expires ? time() + Cfg::get('SESSION_TIMEOUT_DELAY') : 0;
+        // $_SESSION['dataKey'] does not depend on user login status and is set in User::init()

-        // get
-        if ($set != -1 && isset(Util::$localeStrings[$set]))
-            $loc = $set;
-        else if (isset($_SESSION['locale']) && isset(Util::$localeStrings[$_SESSION['locale']]))
-            $loc = $_SESSION['locale'];
-        else if (!empty($_SERVER["HTTP_ACCEPT_LANGUAGE"]))
-        {
-            $loc = strtolower(substr($_SERVER["HTTP_ACCEPT_LANGUAGE"], 0, 2));
-            switch ($loc) {
-                case 'fr': $loc = LOCALE_FR; break;
-                case 'de': $loc = LOCALE_DE; break;
-                case 'zh': $loc = LOCALE_CN; break;         // may cause issues in future with zh-tw
-                case 'es': $loc = LOCALE_ES; break;
-                case 'ru': $loc = LOCALE_RU; break;
-                default:   $loc = LOCALE_EN;
-            }
-        }
-
-        // check; pick first viable if failed
-        $allowedLoc = Cfg::get('LOCALES');
-        if ($allowedLoc && !($allowedLoc & (1 << $loc)))
-        {
-            foreach (Util::$localeStrings as $idx => $__)
-            {
-                if ($allowedLoc & (1 << $idx))
-                {
-                    $loc = $idx;
-                    break;
-                }
-            }
-        }
-
-        // set
-        if (self::$id)
-            DB::Aowow()->query('UPDATE ?_account SET locale = ? WHERE id = ?', $loc, self::$id);
-
-        self::useLocale($loc);
+        if (self::$id && $toDB)
+            DB::Aowow()->query('UPDATE ?_account SET `locale` = ? WHERE `id` = ?', self::$preferedLoc->value, self::$id);
    }

-    // only use once
-    public static function useLocale($use)
+    public static function destroy()
    {
-        self::$localeId     = isset(Util::$localeStrings[$use]) ? $use : LOCALE_EN;
-        self::$localeString = self::localeString(self::$localeId);
+        session_regenerate_id(true);                        // session itself is not destroyed; status changed => regenerate id
+        session_unset();
+
+        $_SESSION['locale']  = self::$preferedLoc;          // keep locale
+        $_SESSION['dataKey'] = self::$dataKey;              // keep dataKey
+
+        self::$id           = 0;
+        self::$displayName  = '';
+        self::$perms        = 0;
+        self::$groups       = U_GROUP_NONE;
    }

-    private static function localeString($loc = -1)
-    {
-        if (!isset(Util::$localeStrings[$loc]))
-            $loc = 0;
-
-        return Util::$localeStrings[$loc];
-    }

    /*******************/
    /* auth mechanisms */
@@ -245,21 +215,21 @@ class User
                    return AUTH_INTERNAL_ERR;

                // handle login try limitation
-                $ip = DB::Aowow()->selectRow('SELECT ip, count, unbanDate FROM ?_account_bannedips WHERE type = 0 AND ip = ?', self::$ip);
+                $ip = DB::Aowow()->selectRow('SELECT `ip`, `count`, `unbanDate` FROM ?_account_bannedips WHERE `type` = 0 AND `ip` = ?', self::$ip);
                if (!$ip || $ip['unbanDate'] < time())      // no entry exists or time expired; set count to 1
-                    DB::Aowow()->query('REPLACE INTO ?_account_bannedips (ip, type, count, unbanDate) VALUES (?, 0, 1, UNIX_TIMESTAMP() + ?d)', self::$ip, Cfg::get('ACC_FAILED_AUTH_BLOCK'));
+                    DB::Aowow()->query('REPLACE INTO ?_account_bannedips (`ip`, `type`, `count`, `unbanDate`) VALUES (?, 0, 1, UNIX_TIMESTAMP() + ?d)', self::$ip, Cfg::get('ACC_FAILED_AUTH_BLOCK'));
                else                                        // entry already exists; increment count
-                    DB::Aowow()->query('UPDATE ?_account_bannedips SET count = count + 1, unbanDate = UNIX_TIMESTAMP() + ?d WHERE ip = ?', Cfg::get('ACC_FAILED_AUTH_BLOCK'), self::$ip);
+                    DB::Aowow()->query('UPDATE ?_account_bannedips SET `count` = `count` + 1, `unbanDate` = UNIX_TIMESTAMP() + ?d WHERE `ip` = ?', Cfg::get('ACC_FAILED_AUTH_BLOCK'), self::$ip);

                if ($ip && $ip['count'] >= Cfg::get('ACC_FAILED_AUTH_COUNT') && $ip['unbanDate'] >= time())
                    return AUTH_IPBANNED;

-                $query = DB::Aowow()->SelectRow('
-                    SELECT    a.id, a.passHash, BIT_OR(ab.typeMask) AS bans, a.status
+                $query = DB::Aowow()->SelectRow(
+                   'SELECT    a.`id`, a.`passHash`, BIT_OR(ab.`typeMask`) AS "bans", a.`status`
                    FROM      ?_account a
-                    LEFT JOIN ?_account_banned ab ON a.id = ab.userId AND ab.end > UNIX_TIMESTAMP()
-                    WHERE     a.user = ?
-                    GROUP     BY a.id',
+                    LEFT JOIN ?_account_banned ab ON a.`id` = ab.`userId` AND ab.`end` > UNIX_TIMESTAMP()
+                    WHERE     a.`user` = ?
+                    GROUP BY  a.`id`',
                    $name
                );
                if (!$query)
@@ -270,7 +240,7 @@ class User
                    return AUTH_WRONGPASS;

                // successfull auth; clear bans for this IP
-                DB::Aowow()->query('DELETE FROM ?_account_bannedips WHERE type = 0 AND ip = ?', self::$ip);
+                DB::Aowow()->query('DELETE FROM ?_account_bannedips WHERE `type` = 0 AND `ip` = ?', self::$ip);

                if ($query['bans'] & (ACC_BAN_PERM | ACC_BAN_TEMP))
                    return AUTH_BANNED;
@@ -304,10 +274,19 @@ class User
            case AUTH_MODE_EXTERNAL:
            {
                if (!file_exists('config/extAuth.php'))
+                {
+                    trigger_error('config/extAuth.php not found');
                    return AUTH_INTERNAL_ERR;
+                }

                require 'config/extAuth.php';

+                if (!function_exists('extAuth'))
+                {
+                    trigger_error('external auth function extAuth() not defined in config/extAuth.php');
+                    return AUTH_INTERNAL_ERR;
+                }
+
                $extGroup = -1;
                $result   = extAuth($name, $pass, $extId, $extGroup);

@@ -335,27 +314,22 @@ class User
        return AUTH_OK;
    }

-    // create a linked account for our settings if nessecary
-    private static function checkOrCreateInDB($extId, $name, $userGroup = -1)
+    // create a linked account for our settings if necessary
+    private static function checkOrCreateInDB(int $extId, string $name, int $userGroup = -1) : int
    {
-        if (!intVal($extId))
-            return 0;
-
-        $userGroup = intVal($userGroup);
-
-        if ($_ = DB::Aowow()->selectCell('SELECT id FROM ?_account WHERE extId = ?d', $extId))
+        if ($_ = DB::Aowow()->selectCell('SELECT `id` FROM ?_account WHERE `extId` = ?d', $extId))
        {
            if ($userGroup >= U_GROUP_NONE)
-                DB::Aowow()->query('UPDATE ?_account SET userGroups = ?d WHERE extId = ?d', $userGroup, $extId);
+                DB::Aowow()->query('UPDATE ?_account SET `userGroups` = ?d WHERE `extId` = ?d', $userGroup, $extId);
            return $_;
        }

-        $newId = DB::Aowow()->query('INSERT IGNORE INTO ?_account (extId, user, displayName, joinDate, prevIP, prevLogin, locale, status, userGroups) VALUES (?d, ?, ?, UNIX_TIMESTAMP(), ?, UNIX_TIMESTAMP(), ?d, ?d, ?d)',
+        $newId = DB::Aowow()->query('INSERT IGNORE INTO ?_account (`extId`, `user`, `displayName`, `joinDate`, `prevIP`, `prevLogin`, `locale`, `status`, `userGroups`) VALUES (?d, ?, ?, UNIX_TIMESTAMP(), ?, UNIX_TIMESTAMP(), ?d, ?d, ?d)',
            $extId,
            $name,
            Util::ucFirst($name),
-            isset($_SERVER["REMOTE_ADDR"]) ? $_SERVER["REMOTE_ADDR"] : '',
-            User::$localeId,
+            $_SERVER["REMOTE_ADDR"] ?? '',
+            self::$preferedLoc->value,
            ACC_STATUS_OK,
            $userGroup >= U_GROUP_NONE ? $userGroup : U_GROUP_NONE
        );
@@ -439,39 +413,17 @@ class User
        return $errCode == 0;
    }

-    public static function save()
-    {
-        $_SESSION['user']    = self::$id;
-        $_SESSION['hash']    = self::$passHash;
-        $_SESSION['locale']  = self::$localeId;
-        $_SESSION['timeout'] = self::$expires ? time() + Cfg::get('SESSION_TIMEOUT_DELAY') : 0;
-        // $_SESSION['dataKey'] does not depend on user login status and is set in User::init()
-    }
-
-    public static function destroy()
-    {
-        session_regenerate_id(true);                        // session itself is not destroyed; status changed => regenerate id
-        session_unset();
-
-        $_SESSION['locale']  = self::$localeId;             // keep locale
-        $_SESSION['dataKey'] = self::$dataKey;              // keep dataKey
-
-        self::$id           = 0;
-        self::$displayName  = '';
-        self::$perms        = 0;
-        self::$groups       = U_GROUP_NONE;
-    }

    /*********************/
    /* access management */
    /*********************/

-    public static function isInGroup($group)
+    public static function isInGroup($group) : bool
    {
        return (self::$groups & $group) != 0;
    }

-    public static function canComment()
+    public static function canComment() : bool
    {
        if (!self::$id || self::$banStatus & (ACC_BAN_COMMENT | ACC_BAN_PERM | ACC_BAN_TEMP))
            return false;
@@ -479,7 +431,7 @@ class User
        return self::$perms || self::$reputation >= Cfg::get('REP_REQ_COMMENT');
    }

-    public static function canReply()
+    public static function canReply() : bool
    {
        if (!self::$id || self::$banStatus & (ACC_BAN_COMMENT | ACC_BAN_PERM | ACC_BAN_TEMP))
            return false;
@@ -487,7 +439,7 @@ class User
        return self::$perms || self::$reputation >= Cfg::get('REP_REQ_REPLY');
    }

-    public static function canUpvote()
+    public static function canUpvote() : bool
    {
        if (!self::$id || self::$banStatus & (ACC_BAN_COMMENT | ACC_BAN_PERM | ACC_BAN_TEMP))
            return false;
@@ -495,7 +447,7 @@ class User
        return self::$perms || (self::$reputation >= Cfg::get('REP_REQ_UPVOTE') && self::$dailyVotes > 0);
    }

-    public static function canDownvote()
+    public static function canDownvote() : bool
    {
        if (!self::$id || self::$banStatus & (ACC_BAN_RATE | ACC_BAN_PERM | ACC_BAN_TEMP))
            return false;
@@ -503,7 +455,7 @@ class User
        return self::$perms || (self::$reputation >= Cfg::get('REP_REQ_DOWNVOTE') && self::$dailyVotes > 0);
    }

-    public static function canSupervote()
+    public static function canSupervote() : bool
    {
        if (!self::$id || self::$banStatus & (ACC_BAN_RATE | ACC_BAN_PERM | ACC_BAN_TEMP))
            return false;
@@ -511,7 +463,7 @@ class User
        return self::$reputation >= Cfg::get('REP_REQ_SUPERVOTE');
    }

-    public static function canUploadScreenshot()
+    public static function canUploadScreenshot() : bool
    {
        if (!self::$id || self::$banStatus & (ACC_BAN_SCREENSHOT | ACC_BAN_PERM | ACC_BAN_TEMP))
            return false;
@@ -519,7 +471,7 @@ class User
        return true;
    }

-    public static function canWriteGuide()
+    public static function canWriteGuide() : bool
    {
        if (!self::$id || self::$banStatus & (ACC_BAN_GUIDE | ACC_BAN_PERM | ACC_BAN_TEMP))
            return false;
@@ -527,7 +479,7 @@ class User
        return true;
    }

-    public static function canSuggestVideo()
+    public static function canSuggestVideo() : bool
    {
        if (!self::$id || self::$banStatus & (ACC_BAN_VIDEO | ACC_BAN_PERM | ACC_BAN_TEMP))
            return false;
@@ -535,27 +487,28 @@ class User
        return true;
    }

-    public static function isPremium()
+    public static function isPremium() : bool
    {
        return self::isInGroup(U_GROUP_PREMIUM) || self::$reputation >= Cfg::get('REP_REQ_PREMIUM');
    }

+
    /**************/
    /* js-related */
    /**************/

-    public static function decrementDailyVotes()
+    public static function decrementDailyVotes() : void
    {
        self::$dailyVotes--;
-        DB::Aowow()->query('UPDATE ?_account SET dailyVotes = ?d WHERE id = ?d', self::$dailyVotes, self::$id);
+        DB::Aowow()->query('UPDATE ?_account SET `dailyVotes` = ?d WHERE `id` = ?d', self::$dailyVotes, self::$id);
    }

-    public static function getCurDailyVotes()
+    public static function getCurrentDailyVotes() : int
    {
        return self::$dailyVotes;
    }

-    public static function getMaxDailyVotes()
+    public static function getMaxDailyVotes() : int
    {
        if (!self::$id || self::$banStatus & (ACC_BAN_PERM | ACC_BAN_TEMP))
            return 0;
@@ -563,12 +516,12 @@ class User
        return Cfg::get('USER_MAX_VOTES') + (self::$reputation >= Cfg::get('REP_REQ_VOTEMORE_BASE') ? 1 + intVal((self::$reputation - Cfg::get('REP_REQ_VOTEMORE_BASE')) / Cfg::get('REP_REQ_VOTEMORE_ADD')) : 0);
    }

-    public static function getReputation()
+    public static function getReputation() : int
    {
        return self::$reputation;
    }

-    public static function getUserGlobals()
+    public static function getUserGlobals() : array
    {
        $gUser = array(
            'id'          => self::$id,
@@ -613,34 +566,34 @@ class User
        return $gUser;
    }

-    public static function getWeightScales()
+    public static function getWeightScales() : array
    {
        $result = [];

-        $res = DB::Aowow()->selectCol('SELECT id AS ARRAY_KEY, name FROM ?_account_weightscales WHERE userId = ?d', self::$id);
+        $res = DB::Aowow()->selectCol('SELECT `id` AS ARRAY_KEY, `name` FROM ?_account_weightscales WHERE `userId` = ?d', self::$id);
        if (!$res)
            return $result;

-        $weights = DB::Aowow()->selectCol('SELECT id AS ARRAY_KEY, `field` AS ARRAY_KEY2, val FROM ?_account_weightscale_data WHERE id IN (?a)', array_keys($res));
+        $weights = DB::Aowow()->selectCol('SELECT `id` AS ARRAY_KEY, `field` AS ARRAY_KEY2, `val` FROM ?_account_weightscale_data WHERE `id` IN (?a)', array_keys($res));
        foreach ($weights as $id => $data)
            $result[] = array_merge(['name' => $res[$id], 'id' => $id], $data);

        return $result;
    }

-    public static function getProfilerExclusions()
+    public static function getProfilerExclusions() : array
    {
        $result = [];
        $modes  = [1 => 'excludes', 2 => 'includes'];
        foreach ($modes as $mode => $field)
-            if ($ex = DB::Aowow()->selectCol('SELECT `type` AS ARRAY_KEY, typeId AS ARRAY_KEY2, typeId FROM ?_account_excludes WHERE mode = ?d AND userId = ?d', $mode, self::$id))
+            if ($ex = DB::Aowow()->selectCol('SELECT `type` AS ARRAY_KEY, `typeId` AS ARRAY_KEY2, `typeId` FROM ?_account_excludes WHERE `mode` = ?d AND `userId` = ?d', $mode, self::$id))
                foreach ($ex as $type => $ids)
                    $result[$field][$type] = array_values($ids);

        return $result;
    }

-    public static function getCharacters()
+    public static function getCharacters() : array
    {
        if (!self::$profiles)
            return [];
@@ -648,7 +601,7 @@ class User
        return self::$profiles->getJSGlobals(PROFILEINFO_CHARACTER);
    }

-    public static function getProfiles()
+    public static function getProfiles() : array
    {
        if (!self::$profiles)
            return [];
@@ -675,7 +628,7 @@ class User
        return [];
    }

-    public static function getGuides()
+    public static function getGuides() : array
    {
        $result = [];

@@ -689,17 +642,17 @@ class User
        return $result;
    }

-    public static function getCookies()
+    public static function getCookies() : array
    {
        $data = [];

        if (self::$id)
-            $data = DB::Aowow()->selectCol('SELECT name AS ARRAY_KEY, data FROM ?_account_cookies WHERE userId = ?d', self::$id);
+            $data = DB::Aowow()->selectCol('SELECT `name` AS ARRAY_KEY, `data` FROM ?_account_cookies WHERE `userId` = ?d', self::$id);

        return $data;
    }

-    public static function getFavorites()
+    public static function getFavorites() : array
    {
        if (!self::$id)
            return [];
--- a/includes/utilities.php
+++ b/includes/utilities.php
@@ -77,22 +77,6 @@ trait TrRequestData
        return 0;
    }

-    private static function checkLocale(string $val) : int
-    {
-        if (preg_match('/^'.implode('|', array_keys(array_filter(Util::$localeStrings))).'$/', $val))
-            return intVal($val);
-
-        return -1;
-    }
-
-    private static function checkDomain(string $val) : string
-    {
-        if (preg_match('/^'.implode('|', array_filter(Util::$subDomains)).'$/i', $val))
-            return strtolower($val);
-
-        return '';
-    }
-
    private static function checkIdList(string $val) : array
    {
        if (preg_match('/^-?\d+(,-?\d+)*$/', $val))
@@ -538,14 +522,6 @@ abstract class Util

    private static $perfectGems             = null;

-    public static $localeStrings            = array(        // zero-indexed
-        'enus',         null,           'frfr',         'dede',         'zhcn',         null,           'eses',         null,           'ruru'
-    );
-
-    public static $subDomains               = array(
-        'en',           null,           'fr',           'de',           'cn',           null,           'es',           null,           'ru'
-    );
-
    public static $regions                   = array(
        'us',           'eu',           'kr',           'tw',           'cn',           'dev'
    );
@@ -919,19 +895,19 @@ abstract class Util
            $silent = true;

        // default case: selected locale available
-        if (!empty($data[$field.'_loc'.User::$localeId]))
-            return $data[$field.'_loc'.User::$localeId];
+        if (!empty($data[$field.'_loc'.Lang::getLocale()->value]))
+            return $data[$field.'_loc'.Lang::getLocale()->value];

        // locale not enUS; aowow-type localization available; add brackets if not silent
-        else if (User::$localeId != LOCALE_EN && !empty($data[$field.'_loc0']))
+        else if (Lang::getLocale() != Locale::EN && !empty($data[$field.'_loc0']))
            return $silent ? $data[$field.'_loc0'] : '['.$data[$field.'_loc0'].']';

        // locale not enUS; TC localization; add brackets if not silent
-        else if (User::$localeId != LOCALE_EN && !empty($data[$field]))
+        else if (Lang::getLocale() != Locale::EN && !empty($data[$field]))
            return $silent ? $data[$field] : '['.$data[$field].']';

        // locale enUS; TC localization; return normal
-        else if (User::$localeId == LOCALE_EN && !empty($data[$field]))
+        else if (Lang::getLocale() == Locale::EN && !empty($data[$field]))
            return $data[$field];

        // nothing to find; be empty
@@ -969,22 +945,6 @@ abstract class Util
        return Lang::item('ratingString', [$statId, $result, $level]);
    }

-    public static function powerUseLocale(string $domain = 'en') : void
-    {
-        foreach (Util::$subDomains as $k => $v)
-        {
-            if ($domain != $v)
-                continue;
-
-            User::useLocale($k);
-            Lang::load($k);
-            return;
-        }
-
-        User::useLocale(LOCALE_EN);
-        Lang::load(LOCALE_EN);
-    }
-
    // default ucFirst doesn't convert UTF-8 chars
    public static function ucFirst($str)
    {
@@ -1097,8 +1057,8 @@ abstract class Util
        $success = true;
        if ($localized)
        {
-            if (file_exists('datasets/'.User::$localeString.'/'.$file))
-                $result .= file_get_contents('datasets/'.User::$localeString.'/'.$file);
+            if (file_exists('datasets/'.Lang::getLocale()->json().'/'.$file))
+                $result .= file_get_contents('datasets/'.Lang::getLocale()->json().'/'.$file);
            else if (file_exists('datasets/enus/'.$file))
                $result .= file_get_contents('datasets/enus/'.$file);
            else