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This topic contains 22 replies, has 1 voice.

Last updated by Lauren 1 week ago.

Assisted by: Lauren.

Author Posts
April 23, 2025 at 2:09 pm #16960410

Lauren
WPML Supporter since 10/2015

Languages: English (English )

Timezone: America/New_York (GMT-04:00)

My apologies if I wasn't clear in my previous reply, let me try to clarify what I've been asking you to test. Changing the site language has nothing to do with changing domains, it's an option when you edit the General WordPress settings (I have attached a screenshot). My suggestion was for you to test this on the staging site that I originally set up for you at hidden link. Changing the site language there is the easiest, quickest way to test the issue. You can change the site language to french by going to General Settings and setting Site Language to French. I also offered to set up a staging platform where we could test different domains, which will be useful if we are able to determine that WPML is causing the issue. Then, we can set up the new staging site with different domains per language. Testing it here will not affect your live or your staging site, which is why I offered to set that up.

I have never seen a site operate with different domains per language with domains that don't actually exist, so I would have to defer you to your domain management on that. Our documentation explains that domains should be created and set up as an alias (aka parked). Here's a link to that documentation if it helps: https://wpml.org/documentation/getting-started-guide/language-setup/language-url-options/how-to-use-wpml-with-different-domains-per-language/

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April 23, 2025 at 2:54 pm #16960784

ronaldT-5

Sorry if I understood you. You and I were on a different wavelength. I have never changed the site language on my side. That's why I thought you were discussing switching to the French domain.

>My suggestion was for you to test this on the staging site that I originally set up for you at hidden link. <

That link does not bring me to a staging site, as far as I'm concerned.

>Changing the site language there is the easiest, quickest way to test the issue. You can change the site language to french by going to General Settings and setting Site Language to French.<

The site language on my local setup is English... always has been. See the snapshot below. And it is dimmed.

>I also offered to set up a staging platform where we could test different domains, which will be useful if we are able to determine that WPML is causing the issue. <

I thought you were referring to staging on my own host. Weren't you?

>Then, we can set up the new staging site with different domains per language.<

I'd really like to see that. I'm starting to think by staging, you do not mean the same as I do. Normally, staging sites start with "staging#" in the URL.

>I have never seen a site operate with different domains per language with domains that don't actually exist,<

Welcome to my world. I have discussed it it Marcel at WPML's, and he told one the only way to have a French staging domain is to create a fake one. If you don't have access to My Support Tickets, I could possibly give you a link of the conversation I had with him.

>Our documentation explains that domains should be created and set up as an alias (aka parked). Here's a link to that documentation if it helps:<

I have see that documentation many times before, but it absolutely does not talk about staging environment.

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April 23, 2025 at 3:07 pm #16960928

Lauren
WPML Supporter since 10/2015

Languages: English (English )

Timezone: America/New_York (GMT-04:00)

Okay for now, let's please forget about the different domains per language. What we need to determine is, does the issue happen when your site language is French and WPML is NOT active. Please use the site link I shared - (staging site = test site - it doesn't mean it has to start with "staging"). This is the test site that I set up where the language is set to French and both WPML and Elementor are active. hidden link

The point of this test is to determine:
Does the issue happen in Elementor when the language of the site is French? If so, then it looks like the issue is not WPML related.

If NOT, then we will activate WPML on this test site and change the default language to English, and translate the page to French and see if the issue happens then.

April 23, 2025 at 3:34 pm #16961170

ronaldT-5

Oh my God. As far as I'm concerned a test site and a staging site are two totally different beasts. Staging is BUILDING (not testing) a site BEFORE deployment. When I create a staging site on the host, it automatically adds the prefix "Staging." to the domain.

is a test site the same as a staging website?
AI Overview answer:
No, a test site and a staging site are not the same, though they both involve testing. A test site is a dedicated environment for experimenting with new features or changes without impacting the live site, while a staging site is a near-identical copy of the live site used for final quality assurance and testing before deploying to production.

>This is the test site that I set up where the language is set to French and both WPML and Elementor are active. hidden link;

WPML is NOT active. I'm sure it is just a typo on your part.

April 23, 2025 at 3:40 pm #16961190

Lauren
WPML Supporter since 10/2015

Languages: English (English )

Timezone: America/New_York (GMT-04:00)

To avoid confusion, please let's only proceed with the sandbox site that I set up for testing. We don't need to test anything on your staging site.

WPML and Elementor are both installed on the test site. Please proceed with the tests that I have requested there. If Elementor is not configured how it is on your live site, feel free to change any settings in Elementor that you need to try and reproduce the issue with French as the site language. To confirm, please continue with the tests I have requested here: hidden link;

April 23, 2025 at 5:57 pm #16961660

ronaldT-5

Okay, but again, the link leads me to Elementor using containers instead of sections. Mine is set as sections only. Are you sure it will have the same results?

April 24, 2025 at 5:02 pm #16965636

Lauren
WPML Supporter since 10/2015

Languages: English (English )

Timezone: America/New_York (GMT-04:00)

no, I'm not sure it will have the same results but you are welcome to change to using sections instead of containers.

To Disable Containers and Use Sections Instead:
Go to your WordPress Dashboard.

1. Navigate to Elementor → Settings.
2. Click on the Features tab (it may also be under the Experiments tab in older versions).
3. Look for the option labeled Flexbox Container.
4. Set it to Inactive.
5. Click Save Changes.

If you want to use both, you can keep Containers Active and just choose not to use them. When editing a page:

Click the "Add New Section" (not "Add Container").

Elementor will still let you build the classic layout manually, though this might not be the default depending on your settings.

April 24, 2025 at 10:29 pm #16966447

ronaldT-5

I can't find any of the options on your list, from #1 to #4.

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April 25, 2025 at 2:14 am #16966567

Lauren
WPML Supporter since 10/2015

Languages: English (English )

Timezone: America/New_York (GMT-04:00)

You need to go to Elementor -> Settings -> Features. I can see the Container setting there. hidden link

April 25, 2025 at 3:09 pm #16969320

ronaldT-5

Oh, from the WordPress dashboard, and not from within the Elementor editor! It should have been step 1. I missed it otherwise.

April 28, 2025 at 2:21 pm #16975358

Lauren
WPML Supporter since 10/2015

Languages: English (English )

Timezone: America/New_York (GMT-04:00)

Yes, the Elementor settings in the WordPress dashboard. I look forward to hearing the results.

April 30, 2025 at 2:56 pm #16984667

ronaldT-5

I will be testing it today... without power at my house... running on battery alone in the cold.

April 30, 2025 at 3:26 pm #16984819

ronaldT-5

Okay, I think I have found the culprit. It is the damn SiteGround Optimizers on my site. If I disable them, I'm only getting 5 lines on the French page, otherwise 6 lines.

I'm seriously thinking of switching to Elementor host. Do you know anyone that has issues on Elementor hosting? Compatible with WPML?

April 30, 2025 at 3:35 pm #16984852

ronaldT-5

I've reactivated the two SiteGround optimizers, and the issue is gone. So, not sure if deactivating the speed optimizer automatically purge its cache. I will ask them.

April 30, 2025 at 5:46 pm #16985088

ronaldT-5

As far as I'm concerned, everything points to WPML since I have no issues on the English pages. No requirement to enable Safe Mode and I get only 5 lines of text.

Since your sandbox doesn't use those SiteGround optimizers, I doubt it can be replicated there.

Here's a reply from SiteGround tech support though:

The most-likely cause here would be one of the Frontend features in the Speed Optimiser, such as combining or minifying CSS files.