[Resolved] outdated translation replacing new WP content - correct procedure?
This thread is resolved. Here is a description of the problem and solution.
Problem: The client manually replaced content on different language versions of a page and noticed that the live page got replaced by old outdated content after clicking the translation editor. The client also experienced issues with HTML formatting in the translation editor and had concerns about the workflow for updating translations and translating widgets.
Solution: 1) If you're experiencing issues with your manual content being overwritten after using the WPML Translation Editor, we recommend that you consistently use one method for translations. If you've started with the WordPress editor, continue using it to avoid losing your translations.
2) To switch to the WordPress Editor: - Go to the Language section in the sidebar. - Click to switch to the WordPress Editor. - In the pop-up dialog, select 'This page' and click 'Apply'. For more details, please check: Using Different Translation Editors for Different Pages.
3) If you decide to use the WPML Translation Editor and need to update HTML formatting, you can do so directly within the editor. For guidance on managing HTML in the Translation Editor, please refer to: HTML Markers in Advanced Translation Editor.
4) To disconnect a translator from a task: - Go to WPML > Translation Management. - Find the job under the 'Jobs' tab. - Cancel the job if it's still assigned to a translator. For more information, please visit: How to Cancel Translation Jobs.
5) For translating widgets, you can either use 'WPML > String Translation' or create a widget for each language. For a step-by-step guide, please see: Translating Widgets.
Please note that the solution provided might be irrelevant due to being outdated or not applicable to your case. If the issue persists, we highly recommend checking related known issues at WPML Known Issues, verifying the version of the permanent fix, and confirming that you have installed the latest versions of themes and plugins. If you need further assistance, please open a new support ticket: WPML Support Forum.
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Tell us what you are trying to do?
I manually replaced the content on 3 different language versions of one English page. There were a bunch of changes and I needed to do a lot of html formatting. I manually adjusted the other 3 languages because the language edits were minimal. I clicked the translation editor for one and saw that all the information was old, so I backed out. But the live page got replaced by the old outdated content. There are many times that I want to over ride text and code in the translation editor and I want it to become permanent and not be overwritten with old information. Many edits I need to do can not be done in the translation editor because of formatting changes. What went wrong? How do I need to accomplish this?
Is there any documentation that you are following?
I couldn't find an answer to my specific problem.
Is there a similar example that we can see?
Yes, I can show you the 4 language versions (links) of this page and you will see how the Spanish page content is old and replaced what should match what is on the other pages. I still have more edits to make and I don't want my work to be replaced after I have edited in wordpress. Please tell me the correct process.
What is the link to your site?
English page: hidden link
Itallian (I want to edit and make a few changes manually in wordpress: hidden link
French: hidden link
Spanish (this page looked like the others, but then when I clicked edit translation - all the content was replaced by a much older version. I don't want this to keep happening. Help.: hidden link
Thank you for contacting WPML support. While you are waiting for one of my colleagues to take this ticket and work on it, let me provide you with the first debugging steps and try to help with the issue quickly.
It is expected for your manual content to be overwriten if you combine WPML translation editor and manual translation via Wordpess editor, you can not mix both. If you wish to use WordPress editor you need to select that for that page or all and then continue like that.
- Go to the Language section in the sidebar and click to switch to the WordPress Editor.
- Switching to the WordPress Editor in the sidebar
- In the pop-up dialog that appears, select This page and click Apply.
Thank you. I still need help understanding the proper work flow so that I don't have to keep fixing content that gets overwritten.
In the meantime, I need to fix that page because it is live so I have copied the English version back into the Spanish page and am fixing it manually in WordPress. So when your colleague sees it, it will not be the broken old version that I mentioned. However, I took a screen capture first so that they can see it.
I hope you're doing well. I have taken over this ticket and would be happy to clarify the workflow.
As my colleague Drazen previously mentioned, using the mix-translation mode lead to issues where both the layout and content are overridden. Consequently, this results in incorrect displays of both the layout and translations in other languages. Please check the link below for more details about the potential issues that may happen due to using the mix-translation mode.
- Choose and consistently use one method for translations. If you've initially added translations using the WordPress editor, please always update the translation through the same editor. Switching to the WPML Translation Editor after making changes in the WordPress editor will result in the removal of those translations.
- If you decide to use the WPML Translation Editor, you can also update any HTML formatting directly within this editor. Text that requires HTML formatting will be highlighted, allowing you to apply the same formatting easily. For a detailed understanding of how to manage HTML in the Translation Editor, please refer to this guide: https://wpml.org/documentation/translating-your-contents/advanced-translation-editor/#html-markers
I hope you can understand. If you have any more questions or need further clarification, please don't hesitate to ask. I'm here to help!
I have a post right now that was originally translated and adjusted and then changed to a wordpress editor type. Now my client had me replace all the text in the English version and I need to replace all text in the other languages. Will this be ok to switch the English post to WPML Translation Editor and then send it through for translations to the translators? Do I need to switch the editor first? Or should I only ask them to send them to me and add manually in wordpress?
Also, I have found it difficult to add the html elements in the translation window. I can't really see exactly what it is doing and often have to switch back to the wp editor in order to see and correct all the code after a job has been translated. My translators also mess up the code.
Lastly, even after I have switched a page or post to the wordpress editor, if I make a change and save I often get a message warning me that a translator is still working on it. If they aren't, how do I disconnect from the previously started translation?
One more thing. I just went to my english widget and then up at the top of the page switched to Spanish. I replaced the text in the primary sidebar widget. Then discovered that now all the text in that widget area is Spanish for all four languages. This site is using classic wp and not guttenberg or a builder. I went to the translation manager and found the widget areas choice and there is nothing that loads when I select that. Help.
Hi There,
I hope you're doing well. Sorry for the delay in responding due to the weekend.
Thank you for the updates. I understand your concerns and let’s tackle them one by one:
1) Switching Translation Editor: If you need to update translations for other languages using the WPML Translation Editor, first add the updated content to the page. Then switch to the WPML Translation Editor and update the page. Once these steps are complete, you can send the page to your translators for translation. The translators can update the page contents using WPML Translation Editor.
However, if you prefer a manual approach to translation, you can continue using the WordPress Editor. When it's time to translate, the WordPress Editor will be available for you to add the translations with the desired formatting according to your needs.
2) Disconnecting a Translator from a Task: If you receive a warning about a translator still working on a post or page, and you know they are not, you can disconnect them:
- Go to WPML > Translation Management.
- Look for the job or item in question under the "Jobs" tab.
- You can cancel the job there if it’s still assigned to a translator who is no longer active.
But, please note that if a job is already assigned to a translator and in progress, you may not be able to cancel. The assigned translator must first resign from the job by navigating to "WPML > Translations." Once they have done so, you will then be able to cancel the translation job.
3) Issue with Widget Translations Affecting All Languages: You can translate a widget by going to "WPML > String Translation" or by creating a widget for each language. To understand the process of translating widgets, please check this guide: https://wpml.org/documentation/getting-started-guide/translating-widgets/
I hope I'm able to clarify things for you. But, if you need assistance or further clarification, feel free to let me know. I will be happy to help.
I still need assistance with this widget. When I look at the WordPress Widget admin page in English, I see that the Widget I'm trying to translate is in the default WordPress "Primary" widget area. In that widget is a title "Categories" with "Display on language: All Languages" selected. Under it is a "Custom HTML" widget. Inside there is my text wrapped in html for formatting. It also has "Display on language: All Languages" selected. Then when I go to String Translation in WPML > Widgets - I can see the string "Categories" (which was not translated, so I added the other languages). I can now see that the title Categories is translated when switching to the different languages. However, the custom html body in that Primary sidebar widget is not available in the list to translate. I read through your documentation but I don't understand which directions apply to my situation. There is also an item under "Available Widgets" called "Language Switcher". Do I need to add that above my custom html body widget? or above the title widget in the primary sidebar widget?
Hi There,
Thank you for the update. I will be more than happy to clarify things for you.
Since you've added a custom HTML widget, please note that we are aware of a similar issue to the one you've reported. Could you please try the workaround mentioned in the Errata below and see if it resolves the problem?
Alternatively, you have the option to manually translate the widget. Simply duplicate the Custom HTML widget and insert the language-specific content into the duplicates. Then, specify the language in which the widget should appear and save your changes. Detailed instructions for this process can be found here: https://wpml.org/documentation/getting-started-guide/translating-widgets/#using-different-widgets-for-different-languages (Instead of creating a new widget, just duplicate the existing one and follow the remaining steps as described.)
Let me know if the information above helps or if you need further assistance. I will be happy to help.
Thank you so much. I selected the second option and that worked great. I don't think the first suggestion would have worked for me since I am not using blocks and have the classic editor plugin installed.
