[Resolved] TRanslation Description not showing on product page
This thread is resolved. Here is a description of the problem and solution.
Problem: The client reported that a translated product text on their WPML site was briefly visible upon page load but then disappeared. The issue was suspected to be related to copied text containing hidden or special characters. Additionally, the client was informed for the first time that their site did not meet WPML's minimum requirements due to the REST API not being enabled. Solution: We advised the client to manually type in the text instead of copying and pasting to avoid hidden formatting issues that might not be handled well by WPML. This approach resolved the display issue. For the REST API, we clarified that enabling it is a requirement for WPML, as outlined in our minimum requirements and further explained in our REST API dependencies guide. Enabling the REST API enhances compatibility and functionality, particularly for multilingual and multicurrency features.
If this solution does not resolve your issue or seems irrelevant due to being outdated or not applicable to your case, we recommend opening a new support ticket. We also highly suggest checking related known issues at https://wpml.org/known-issues/, verifying the version of the permanent fix, and confirming that you have installed the latest versions of themes and plugins. For further assistance, please visit our support forum at WPML support forum.
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Background of the issue:
I added a translation to a product page in the WPML classic translator that is not showing on the product page. The issue can be seen at: hidden link
Symptoms:
I can glimpse the product text when the page loads and then it quickly disappears. All the other translations are showing no problem.
Questions:
Why is the product text not showing and how can i get it to show?
My developer said the source code showed nothing so he was surprised that i could glimpse the text before it disappeared. Attaching a screen shot of the text before it disappeared.
Hello There,
Thanks for contacting WPML Support. Sorry for the delay in responding due to the weekend.
I understand the issue you're facing. After reviewing the specific product you shared, I found that the description is loading without any problems. Although you mentioned that the description quickly disappeared, I did not notice this issue. Please take a look at this screenshot: hidden link.
Since everything seems to be working fine now, the issue you encountered may have been temporary, possibly due to caching or another reason. Could you please clear the caches from both your site and browser and check again?
If the problem persists with a specific product, please share the link to that product, and I'll be happy to assist you further.
Thanks for your reply. I talked to my developer who is a wpml expert and he told me to try typing in the text. He said that there may have been an issue in copy paste. I tested that and typed in the first part of the text, which then showed up in the front end after that I copied in the rest ( who wants to type anymore) and the copied text showed up as well. my developer said it could have been a rouge accent or something in the french that casued the situation. What do you know about this issue? I have never encountered it before and have been using wpml for many years. In the original I had copied over the text from another product on the site.
I had cleared all the cache in the with the first text and it still wasnt showing.
Another question for you, - When I opened the support ticket it said( for the very first time) that my site did not meet wpmls minimum requirements and that rest api must be enabled for wpml to function properly. We have never had rest api enabled with wpml , but we do have quite a few bugs in multilingual and multicurrency. Is this a new feature? When did it come out that rest api must be enabled? And is this something I now should enable?
thanks for your help,
best
Victoria
I’m glad to hear that typing in the text manually helped display the content! Based on your description, it sounds like the original copied text may have included an unseen or special character, like a non-breaking space or an accented character, which can sometimes cause unexpected display issues on the front end. WPML doesn’t always handle these hidden characters well, especially if they’re pasted from external sources. Manually typing can help clear this up, as you discovered. I’d also recommend pasting text as plain text to avoid bringing over any hidden formatting from the source.
Regarding your question about the REST API: Please note that enabling the REST API is one of WPML's additional requirements. Several WPML features rely on the REST API, which you can review in detail in this guide.
While WPML has worked without the REST API in the past, enabling it can enhance compatibility, especially for multilingual and multicurrency features. This is likely why you’re seeing the prompt, as it helps ensure WPML has the necessary resources to function smoothly. I’d recommend enabling the REST API, as this could reduce some of the bugs you've experienced and improve WPML's reliability on your site.
Let me know if you need any assistance with this or if there’s anything else I can help you with!
