This thread is resolved. Here is a description of the problem and solution.
Problem: The client is experiencing issues with visitors being directed to sub-directory URLs instead of the correct domain URLs after changing the WPML-Language setting for different domains. Additionally, there are problems with a distorted home page and missing background images when switching to French. Solution: After migrating from staging to production please run the WPML troubleshooting options available at WPML > Support > Troubleshooting (Cleanup) > Clear the cache in WPML. This action can help resolve issues inside the Advanced Translation Editor.
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1) I follow the prompts (including copying the migration code from staging) until it gives me an error page. (to avoid the error page, I have to click, on "Cleaning and optimize string tables" prior.
2) I clear WPML cache
3) I switch the language format to different domains.
See the current connected sites after you corrected everything.
Languages: English (English )Spanish (Español )German (Deutsch )
Timezone: America/Lima (GMT-05:00)
Do I understand right, that your workflow includes that translations are made on the staging site and then the staging site is pushed to production on an almost daily basis?
If so, you should set the migration banner option to "Copy" but if you are not going to create translations on the production site, then you can select "No" in the second step of the migration banner dialog.
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Question:
At any moment, when moving from staging to live, are you unregistering WPML and registering it again on wpml.org and inside WordPress?
For wpml.org:
You should have both site URLs registered once. The site key should remain identical. You should always use the same site key for production and the same site key for staging.
Do not delete the sites on wpml.org and do not create new site keys when migrating the site.
At the moment all organisations are connected and are sharing the same memory.
Can you confirm so far that this solved the issue?
I often pushed the staging to production for troubleshooting purposes only. I do not intend to EVER doing this again. Way too many hurdles! Enough to go insane!
I only unregistered inside WordPress when I was stuck or told to do so. This last time, I indeed heeded your warning and skipped the unregistration.
The license keys are NOT the same as we speak and I have not changed it today.
I just changed the title of a page (Lanaudiere ADT Alarm System) in Safari to test it out, and surprise - surprise, most of my translations are GONE. And none of my French links work.
Languages: English (English )Spanish (Español )German (Deutsch )
Timezone: America/Lima (GMT-05:00)
Yes, I will be scalating to Second Tier, but I need more information and seems to me we are handling two diffent issues here.
1) Translation memory
2) Lost translations
On your product site I have duplicated the page "Acknowledgement" and if I open the translation editor the translation is filled to 100%. This means that the translation memory is working now as expected.
On my duplicated page then I edited the title and opened the translation editor.
Result:
Only the title segment is expected to get updated.
So far this works as expected.
If I now do the same test with the page "Lanaudiere Business Alarm System" is it only translated to 7%.
This means, there seems to be an issue with this specific content and the issue does not occur on all pages. Also in this case "Clearing the cache in WPML" appears not longer to solve the issue.
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Possible cause for this issue:
I remeber you were earlier asking me about the "I prefer bigger segment" options. If this option is changed the segments will need to get translated again.
This seems to be the reason for the issue, as once I complete the translation for this page and edit the original title again, the issue does not longer occur.
Following you proclamation that everything worked, I tried to reset many pages, but most of them losing translations in the process. I didn't change any settings at all.
I just noticed this warning on the live production site:
This site is registered on WPML.org as a development site.
When this site goes live, remember to update the site key from "development" to "production" to remove this message. Learn more
Unregistering the license key and re-registering it with the provided one get rid of the development message, but I'm STILL losing my translations past page resets.
