As I mentioned earlier, the mix of categories likely occurred because data from previous imports were still present. I removed all data before conducting my test. Everything I did for the import is documented in the video.
After you ran the de.csv import, is it correct that the EN categories were mixed with the DE categories, but the WPML run resolved the issue? If so, would users have seen the mixed categories in the online shop between the de.csv import and the WPML fix?
I didn't had any mixed content, as I removed all data before. However, no users would have seen the mixed categories, as the content was in Draft, as confirmed in my earlier message.
I ran another set of imports and the result is the same. Please take a look at the enclosed pdf. Before starting the imports everything related to this product are deleted.
pdf = hidden link
This issue is mix of categories, and the first issue is seen after the import of translations (de.csv)
Are you 100% sure that it's not possible to import the en.csv without category information in the en.csv file ?
Remember that you have access to our wordpress site.
It seems that in order to see the link, you first need to make a reply....any I got the link and did the following:
1. Import de.csv
2. Import en.csv
Now take a look at the categories. They are mixed, ie. you see en and de mixed in one screen. If you had a 'live' webshop, then you would see this online/immediately.
DE:
Produkte > Möbelstücke > Aufbewahrung
Produkte > Accessories > Spiegel
Marken > Bernhard Pedersen & Søn
EN:
Products > Furniture > Storage
Products > Accessories > Mirrors
Brand > Bernhard Pedersen & Søn
Is it possible to import the en.csv (translated language) with empty information in the 'category' field/column ? Can't the category information be taken from the original language ? Do you know what I mean ?
Languages: English (English )Spanish (Español )German (Deutsch )
Timezone: America/Lima (GMT-05:00)
As I mentioned earlier, on our test site the import created all product categories in site default language.
I have assigned the imported English categories to have the English source language and connected them with the German categories. Further, I made sure that the categories use the same hierarchy in both languages.
I then visited the imported product and realized that they also both were imported into site default language.
It looks like after you imported both files you did not run the WPML Export & Import Option to connect the contents with WPML. See screenshot.
Could it be that you missed this last step when importing the content on your site?
Now, while having the categories set on my test site, I removed the imported products and ran a new import.
After running the import not any of the products is assigned to a category. The products and their attributes were imported correctly, but not even the original products were assigned to the categories.
Even worst, the import created new duplicates for existing categories and reverted the whole hierarchy.
I then disable WPML and our add-ons, removed the products and categories from the site and imported only the German product while using the site default language German in WordPress.
This means at this moment only WooCommerce is active and we try to import only the original product. I did not import the WPML meta fields running this import.
In this case, I can confirm the same issue. The imported products are not assigned to any category, which means it is WooCommerce's import that actually is not considering the categories. It creates them, but it does not link them with the product.
If I run now a second import, it does not create duplicated categories. This might be some issue caused by WPML Export & Import, as the WooCommerce import method is not using the slug to identify each category. But most important at this point is, that even the original products are not assigned to any category even when testing without WPML.
This said, I believe your idea to exclude categories from import might be a good choice. Apart from that I hope my test clarified, that this issue is something that needs to be reported to WooCommerce.
Regarding my own import(s), it's correct - which I also wrote - that I didn't ran the wpml export import. I wanted to show you that the categories were mixed up before I ran a wpml export import (which mixes up the categories even more).
I can see that you have almost started from scratch, running an import on your test site without WPML installed.
You write "The imported products are not assigned to any category, which means it is WooCommerce's import that actually is not considering the categories." This is not correct. When you look at the imported product, you can see that its has been assigned to all three categories. Also the categories are created as expected.
I’m back from vacation and will be taking over this ticket again. Please allow me a little more time to review the test files, and I’ll get back to you.
Thank you for your patience. After conducting further tests, I was able to reproduce the following. Here are the exact steps I followed:
#1 I imported the German version, and currently have the product in Draft mode with 8 categories assigned: Unkategorisiert, Marken, Bernhard Pedersen & Søn, Produkte, Accessories, Spiegel, Möbelstücke, and Aufbewahrung.
#2 I imported the English version, and both products remain in Draft mode. Currently, the EN product is still assigned to the "DE" categories because the WPML Import/Export process hasn't been initiated yet. Now, I see a total of 15 categories in German: Unkategorisiert, Brand, Bernhard Pedersen & Son, Marken, (second because EN) Bernhard Pedersen & Søn, Products, Accessories, Mirrors, Furniture, Storage, Produkte, Accessories, Spiegel, Möbelstücke, and Aufbewahrung.
Now take a look at the categories. They are mixed, ie. you see en and de mixed in one screen. If you had a 'live' webshop, then you would see this online/immediately.
I initiated the WPML Import/Export action, and now we have one product in German and one in English.
#3 I have now 12 categories in German and 4 in English:
DE:
Unkategorisiert, Brand, Marken, Bernhard Pedersen & Søn, Products, Accessories, Furniture, Produkte, Accessories, Spiegel, Möbelstücke, Aufbewahrung
EN:
Although the count shows 4 categories, I can only see "Unkategorisiert" in the category list. However, within the actual EN product, I can see "Bernhard Pedersen & Søn, Mirrors, and Storage.
#4 I removed both products but kept all categories. The result is still 12 categories in German (with mixed entries) and 4 categories in English, though only 1 category is actually visible, as before.
#5 I re-imported the German product, and all categories remained the same. However, the category count for English changed from 8 to 4 (but only Unkategorisiert" is hidden link">viewable:
Additional info:
- Product count is indeed 0 because draft mode
I can confirm that the EN categories were imported into the DE product and remained visible in DE even after the import. The second import didn’t cause the mix-up; it was the EN import that mixed the categories. Can you confirm this until here?
#1 My answer: Correct, the 8 categories are created and when looking at the actual product, its directly assigned to Aufbewahrung, Bernhard Pedersen & Søn and Spiegel
#2 My answer: Correct, a total of 15 categories are seen and when looking at the actual EN product, its directly assigned to Bernhard Pedersen & Søn, Mirrors and Storage
- If shop customer at this point are looking at the product categories then they will se DE categories mixed EN categories.
#3 My answer: Correct, I get the same result.
#4 My answer: Correct, I get the same result. Category count = 16. 12 DE and 4 EN.
Question: When deleting the DE product, shouldn't the system automatically delete the EN version - as it's linked to the DE version ? Or is this standard in WPML that you manually have to delete all translated/wpml linked version(s) of a product ?
#5 My answer: In number 4 you wrote that you had 4 EN categories, so you must have made a typo in number 5 (you wrote "the category count for English changed from 8 to 4"). I had 12 categories in DE and 4 categories in EN (and only Unkategorisiert shown). Category count = 16
you wrote:
I can confirm that the EN categories were imported into the DE product and remained visible in DE even after the import. The second import didn’t cause the mix-up; it was the EN import that mixed the categories. Can you confirm this until here?
To be more precise:
- 1st (de) import was fine
- 2nd (en) import imported EN categories into the DE category list (I believe its because you are in DE mode when importing)
- If shop customer at this point are looking at the product categories then they will se DE categories mixed EN categories.
- the WPML Import/Export action moved the EN product correctly, but categories were moved/mixed incorrectly
- the 3rd (de) import didn't change/cause the mix-up.
