This thread is resolved. Here is a description of the problem and solution.
Problem: The client is unable to duplicate a page in WordPress because the translation already exists. They are also unsure how to reconnect the FAQ to the Advanced Translation Editor (ATE) after it has been disconnected. Solution: If you're experiencing issues with duplicating a page that already has a translation and reconnecting it to the ATE, we recommend the following steps: 1. Understand that the WPML Translation Editor and the WordPress Editor are separate features. Switching between these requires you to recreate the translation, although some parts might be saved in the Translation Memory when using ATE. 2. To switch between the 'WP Editor' and 'WPML Translation Editor', open the WordPress page for the post and toggle between these options in the language box located in the right column. It's important to note that WPML uses Translation Memory, and segments are only charged for automatic translation the first time they are translated.
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I tried to follow the instructions in the link. The catch with that is that the translation is already on the page, and the WordPress editor doesn't allow me to duplicate the page when the translation is already there. It seems to do that when the page has no translation in it.
Now the FAQ is disconnected from the ATE, and I also don't know how to reconnect it to the ATE to sort of start over.
I tried cloning the page and seeing what I can do to delete the translation on the duplicate page, but this is not yielding the intended results.
I'm very much at a loss, and I find it difficult to waste so much time on an issue that shouldn't have been there in the first place.
Can you please provide more details about the FAQ issue? Please tell me what's happening, and what you wish to be happening instead. Also, please add relevant screenshots, if there's any.
Because I didn't delete the translation in time, before switching to WP Editor, I tried to clone the FAQ page to achieve the result of starting from an English text without translations and see if I could switch to this new draft after reinstating translations from the translation memory.
I started deleting block by block, rather tediously and certainly inefficient and not quite right. I ran out of steam, because, being in Europe, I'm at the end of my day.
The reason I'm trying to disconnect this page is that the French translation uses italics on a frequently repeated word where English doesn't.
Moreover, the FAQ has a caption. Another supporter in the past told me to use string translations to have the caption to the block quote remain translated. The new ATE wasn't accepting some translations, suggesting that the formatting of the translation didn't match the source language. Yet, the tag was applied and there wasn't anyway to get it to say 100%. When reporting the issue, it suggested updating the eAdvanced Custom Fields Multilingual. I tried that, but no update would come up. I figured out how to update it eventually. Before doing so, though, I deleted the plugin and reinstated it. This, I think, nullified whatever the supporter did to fix the translation of the caption, and I wasn't entirely aware of how to replicate that.
I kept having these issues with the new ATE. When it offered to revert to the previous version of the ATE, it didn't complain about the formatting anymore. So, I left it at that.
We had finalized this FAQ page a few months ago. I'm finding myself working on the same issues again at least 4 times. It's very tedious and disheartening and it created sufficient fear that WPML is going to revert translations to past faulty versions no matter what. This page, the FAQ, is the longest and most complicated page. It's very unfortunate to have to redo it so many times.
Thanks for giving all the details. Nonetheless, I think my question is still unanswered. You said that "Now the FAQ is disconnected from the ATE, and I also don't know how to reconnect it to the ATE to sort of start over."
What is your desired result with the FAQ page?
By "disconnecting" do you mean using the WP Editor? What do you mean by "reconnecting it to ATE"?
If you wish to use ATE to translate a page that was translated using the WP Editor, you must first delete the translation and remove it from the trash (you can do that by switching languages in the top bar, in your pages or posts list, and sending the translated version of the page to the trash, then removing it from the trash completely). Once that's done, you can revert to the default language, access the editing page of the original page, switch to the WPML Editor and recreate the translation.
I'm trying to find a sustainable solution. We may add questions to the FAQ page. When the page was still connected to the ATE, adding any text, all languages would automatically lose the translation of the caption, even though that part hadn't changed.
French would lose all italics on the page.
By using the ATE, I wouldn't need to reformat the page in each language. Yet, by undoing past translations it becomes really difficult.
For now, I would prefer the page to be disconnected from the ATE.
But I would like to be able to reconnect it, if there are additional questions to translate.
I hope this answers your question.
My additional concern is that all these things that WPML does is also using translation credits, even though we already had the translations in place.
I'm assuming that by "connecting" and "disconnecting" from ATE, you mean using ATE, or using the WP Editor, respectively.
They are separate features, so that means that if you switch between them, you must recreate the translation - some parts of it might be saved in the Translation Memory when using ATE. To switch between them, you can open the editing WP page for the post and switch between "WP Editor" and "WPML Translation Editor" in the language box, in the right column. Check the image attached.
About WPML using credits for already translated content, that shouldn't be the case. As I said previously, WPML uses Translation Memory and the segments are only charged for automatic translation the first time they are translated.
