Automatic translation for media (caption, alt text, description)

This thread is resolved. Here is a description of the problem and solution.

Problem:
You are trying to automatically translate media in WPML, but the translations are not being applied correctly, often just copying the same content across different languages.

Solution:
If you're experiencing this issue, we recommend you follow these steps:
1. Ensure that 'Translate media library texts with posts' is activated in WPML -> Settings -> WPML Media.
2. Use WPML -> Translation Management to filter by the content (i.e., pages, posts, or products where these images are used) and select the content to translate. Start with small batches (10 or 20) to test. If successful, increase the batch size (50 or 100). Sending all at once may cause a 504 error due to server resource limits.
3. Translate automatically and send to translation, ensuring to overwrite existing translations if necessary.

For images added directly in the WP Editor, their details should pull into the Advanced Translation Editor and get translated automatically. However, featured images require manual adjustment in WPML -> Media Translation to reflect the correct translations.
Note: Sending only media for auto-translation isn't possible. When you send the content containing this media, it is translated alongside the content. Activate the 'Translate media library texts with posts' option in WPML -> Settings -> WPML Media before sending content for translation.

If you've made manual changes to the content in the Advanced Translation Editor (ATE) after the content had been translated automatically, your changes will not be lost due to the Translation Memory. However, if changes were made directly in the WordPress editor (i.e., switching to another language in WP admin and making direct changes), you will lose these changes if you resend the content for auto-translation.

This solution might be irrelevant if it's outdated or not applicable to your case.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 the issue persists, please open a new support ticket at WPML support forum.

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Tagged: Exception

This topic contains 5 replies, has 0 voices.

Last updated by Waqas Bin Hasan 1 week, 2 days ago.

Assisted by: Waqas Bin Hasan.

Author	Posts
December 9, 2024 at 4:01 pm #16494139
f.r.g.D	Background of the issue: I am trying to automatically translate the media. Link to a page where the issue can be seen: hidden link Symptoms: It does fill the translations but the content itself is not properly translated. Most media just copying the same content over to different languages. Questions: Why is the media content not properly translated? How can I ensure the media translations are correct?
December 10, 2024 at 11:57 am #16498036
Waqas Bin Hasan Supporter Languages: English (English ) Timezone: Asia/Karachi (GMT+05:00)	Hi, Thank you for contacting the support. May I ask for the debug information of your website for an overview of your setup? See https://wpml.org/faq/provide-debug-information-faster-support/ for more information. I've enabled the debug information section for your next reply. Additionally you can also take a look at https://wpml.org/faq/checklist-before-opening-a-ticket-in-wpml-support/ and cross-check for a few initial fixes. See https://wpml.org/purchase/support-policy/privacy-and-security-when-providing-debug-information-for-support/ for details on privacy and security. Regards.
December 17, 2024 at 9:25 am #16520519
f.r.g.D	I seem to use a recommended compatable theme: Hongo And the rest of the settings seem good, PHP, WP.
December 17, 2024 at 12:55 pm #16521830
Waqas Bin Hasan Supporter Languages: English (English ) Timezone: Asia/Karachi (GMT+05:00)	Thank you for the updates. For images not translating automatically, especially featured images, please try the following steps: IMPORTANT: Please take full backup of your website and database beforehand. 1. Ensure 'Translate media library texts with posts' is activated in WPML -> Settings -> WPML Media. 2. Use WPML -> Translation Management to filter by the content (i.e. pages, posts or products where these images are used) and select the content to translate. I'll recommend selecting small batches of content (i.e. 10 or 20 for testing). Once a batch is successful you can select more for a batch (i.e. 50 or 100). Sending all at once may cause a 504 error due to any resource limit on the server. 3. Translate automatically and send to translation, ensuring to overwrite existing translations if necessary. This process should help in translating the media metadata automatically. Additionally, for images added directly in the WP Editor, their details should pull into the Advanced Translation Editor and get translated automatically. However, featured images require manual adjustment in WPML -> Media Translation to reflect the correct translations.
December 20, 2024 at 8:30 am #16532481
f.r.g.D	Thanks for the reply. There is only one problem.. The advanced translation editor breaks stuff on the site. It messes with some content stuff and some page builder blocks content gets translated badly. so i did a lot of manual work besides the automatic translations. Is there now way to automatically fix the media without really touching the pages again? since touching the pages will cause me to do a lot of manual work again to fix those pages.
December 20, 2024 at 12:00 pm #16533826
Waqas Bin Hasan Supporter Languages: English (English ) Timezone: Asia/Karachi (GMT+05:00)	Unfortunately sending only media for auto-translation isn't possible. However, when you send the content, which contains this media, it is (media captions, alt text and description) translated along side the content. But to make this work, there's an option in WPML -> Settings -> WPML Media -> 'Translate media library texts with posts', which is usually not active by default. However, you can turn it on before sending content for translation. In current situation, where you 've made manual changes to the content: A) if these changes were made in ATE (Advanced Translation Editor) after the content had been translated automatically, then your changes 'll not be lost due to the Translation Memory. B) However, if you made the changes by editing the content within WordPress editor (i.e. switching to other language in WP admin and making direct changes), you'll lose these changes if you resend the content for auto-translation. I'll recommend taking a full backup of the site, then check with only one or 2 pages, ONLY if changes were made as mentioned in #A. Otherwise, you'll have to translate the media captions, alt text and descriptions manually.