Problem: The client reported slow performance on their site when WPML String Translation is enabled. They noticed that the site is faster when WPML core or WPML String Translation is disabled. They also mentioned that disabling WP Rocket and WPML sticky links did not improve performance. Solution: We conducted initial tests and observed a significant increase in the number of queries when WPML String Translation is activated, mainly due to the SupportCandy plugin. This plugin was making excessive database queries due to its handling of custom fields. We recommended disabling the SupportCandy plugin temporarily to see if performance improves. Additionally, we advised the client to contact SupportCandy's support for a more permanent solution, as they might be aware of the issue. We also suggested that the client could try deleting duplicate rows in the
wp_psmsc_custom_fields
table to reduce the load.
If this solution does not resolve the issue or seems irrelevant due to updates or different configurations, please check related known issues at https://wpml.org/known-issues/, verify the version of the permanent fix, and confirm that you have installed the latest versions of themes and plugins. If the problem persists, we highly recommend opening a new support ticket at WPML support forum.
Problem: The client was encountering a fatal error when trying to open the WPML/Languages menu item in their WordPress site. The error message indicated a call to an undefined function 'wpml_tm_load_tp_networking()'. Solution: We recommended the client to manually download and reinstall the 'WPML Multilingual CMS' plugin from the WPML account downloads section. Despite reinstallation and cache clearing, the issue persisted. We then accessed the site with the client's permission to investigate further. After troubleshooting, we added a function to recreate any missing WPML tables in the database, which resolved the issue on the live site. We advised the client to apply the same workaround on the staging site and to deactivate and reactivate all plugins to ensure the cache was flushed.
If this solution does not resolve your issue, or if it seems outdated or irrelevant to your case, we highly recommend checking related known issues at https://wpml.org/known-issues/, verifying the version of the permanent fix,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. If problems persist, please open a new support ticket.
Problem: The client is experiencing slow site response times of 10-12 seconds when using the WPML and String Translation plugins. The issue persists even after upgrading the server, enabling caching, and creating a staging site. Deactivating the String Translation plugin resolves the issue, indicating it as the source of the slowdown. Solution: We performed several steps to address the issue: 1. Ran the WPML troubleshooting option to "Cleanup and optimize string tables" at WPML > Support > Troubleshooting, and created the necessary custom language MO files at /wp-content/languages/wpml, which improved site performance. 2. Suggested cleaning up the database by following the steps outlined in this documentation. This includes installing a recommended plugin and running the cleanup process multiple times. 3. Provided a SQL query to delete untranslated strings from the WPML String Translation:
DELETE FROM wp_icl_strings WHERE status = 0;
4. Identified that the custom theme significantly increases load times when enabled. Recommended switching to a default theme like Twenty Twenty-Four, which reduced load times to about 2 seconds. 5. Noted an issue in the custom theme's code and provided the correct usage:
If these solutions do not resolve the issue or if they seem outdated, we highly recommend 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. If the problem persists, please open a new support ticket.
