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Resolved

Resolved in: ACFML 1.3

Overview of the issue

The 5.8 version of the Advanced Custom Fields plugin introduced a convenient interface to create Gutenberg Blocks.

It uses server-side rendered blocks, where all data is held in block attributes. This includes any text strings used in the block.

WordPress’ Gutenberg hasn’t yet added the ability to filter those attributes and replace them if needed. It means it is not possible to translate text strings kept as block attributes.

We proposed a Gutenberg patch resolving this problem and it is targeted to be included in WordPress 5.0.1 release.

This means that currently, you should either not use WordPress 5.0 yet, or should expect that blocks created with ACF 5.8 will not be translatable.

Update (May 6th, 2019): The required changes are in WordPress now and we are going to release the new version of ACFML with support for ACF Gutenberg Blocks in the beiginning of the May. The target version is ACFML 1.3.

Workaround

20 Responses to “Gutenberg blocks created using ACF 5.8 are not translatable”

  1. Hello,
    Sice WP 5.0.1 is already released and I didn’t see the changes in the changelog of WordPress – is there a workaround for translating custom ACF blocks?

    Greetings, Adam

    • Hi Konrad here, the author of ACFML

      Yes, WP 5.1with required changes is ready and we are intensely working with ACF author to make ACF blocks translatable. When ACF 5.8 is not beta, ACFML will be ready too. We can’t make it compatible while it is still beta as the ACF author is changing now some parts of its logic.

  2. wait a minute, I’m getting a bit confused now about the role played by ACFML: does it have to work in parallel with “WPML translation management”?

    At the moment I can insert ACF created Gutenberg blocks (“by myself”… as an admin I mean) in translated pages as well, even ones created using ACF repeatable fields.

    Is it correct to say that if someone doesn’t need a translation service things can work without ACFML and “WPML translation management”?

    Maybe this is a silly question, but I never liked to use “WPML translation management” so I never install it unless I’ve to work with WooCommerce multilingual, and in that case, unfortunately, I’m forced to use it 🙁

    TNX!

    • well, I think you are right. You can manually create a translation of the post and manually fill ACF fields / blocks in translated post.

      What I am working on with ACF author is to make ACF Blocks translatable with Translation Editor from WPML TM.

      As per question if you can disable WPML TM plugin at all, I don’t really know. This scenario was never deeply tested, but if I am not mistaken, I am not using any function coming from WPMl TM so it should work.

  3. I see that the core issue has now been fixed. Any status on when this will be fixad as a stable or beta release?

  4. @jonathan, I am polishing the code now and we will release ACFML soon with support Blocks in a similar time when the ACF is released as non beta 🙂

    The code is in early stage so it is not ready to share but I have confirmation this is doable to translate strings from ACF Gutenberg Blocks

  5. @konrad, thank you for the hard work you put into that plugin. I see this topic is open quite long. Is there any chance to get a beta of that acfml plugin? We need to start translating our pages by end of the month and I would need a decent way to translate the pages.

    I didn’t get the “manually create translation” point, maybe someone could write the steps required to translate a page?

    Thanks alot, Markus

  6. Hey Markus,

    I just had a quick chat with Konrad. He’s on holidays but fortunately he managed to give me a quick update for you. Konrad is still working with Elliot to make ACF Gutenberg Blocks compatible with WPML. The beta version is not ready yet for public, but we got your email and we’ll inform you as soon as it’s ready.

    The other ACF fields are working well, we even have a detailed documentation, I hope it helps: https://wpml.org/documentation/related-projects/translate-sites-built-with-acf/

    And a last thing, he released a version of ACFML 2 days ago including several fixes as you can see here: https://wpml.org/version/acfml-1-2/

    Have a nice weekend!

  7. Hi,
    We have ACF on our site – and I am currently having issues translating these – how far off is this fix?

    I would be happy to replicate the English site and then add in the language translation that is relevant in the back end of wordpress rather than via using the translation editor – but currently when I try and do that – I loose all my ACF why is this?

    I am not sure it has been implemented correctly as it seems that it is possible to translate ACF using WPML?

    In addition – is there the ability to copy over media – but then change it in the version it has been copied to – e.g. using a different logo on a language version site which is different to that used on the original site?

    thanks

    • Hello

      I talked with ACF author and he said blocks would be released as stable in two weeks. Then we (WPML) should be ready with the official version at a similar time.

      And unfortunately, the first release will support only Translation Editor so when translating post with ACF blocks, please use it.

  8. Thanks Konrad,

    Could you confirm what you mean by the blocks will be released?
    Will it support the advanced translation editor? when is the next release coming out and what is the plan for that? is it to be able to allow WPML to directly translated in the wordpress back end?
    Will there be any limitations when translating the ACF and will you be able to change the media attached to certain custom fields?

    • hello, yes you will be able to translate it with translation editor, but only text strings. It will not be possible to change the media, but only for time being. For sure we will add support for every kind of field.

  9. Hi Konrad,
    Currently it is the lack of being able to translate media and Advanced Custom Fields and edit in the same way as the wordpress back end that is limiting – what is the compatibility with say WYSIWYG?
    when will these updates be released – I am hoping they are something that are being worked on at the moment? and will follow shortly?
    Regarding the media – what is the best approach to this – do you suggest using the translation editor to translate the text strings then unsync the page that has been translated to amend the media in the wordpress backend? Please explain how is best to approach this so that we can fully translate our custom built website.

  10. Hi tgrant. We will release a new ACFML with support for ACF Blocks in a few days, when ACF will release their version officially (it is RC1 now).

    About the question, could you create a ticket in the forum and mention in the ticket to assign to me? I probably need to ask some more questions about this and here is not the most convenient place )

  11. Are there any updates regarding this issue?
    Can you please post a link where you can check ACF update release status?

    Thank you!

  12. Hey Kondra,

    Any updates on when Translation manager will work with ACF?
    Is it possible to provide a link to the release/git page so we can check actively when it should be working?

  13. Hello, I updated errata to inform about the status 🙂 ACF with blocks will officially be released this Wednesday and ACFML will be released not later than one day after it 🙂 Maybe even earlier, we are just closing this release (it will be ACFML 1.3)