[Resolved] Search in Buddyboss group directory in other languages
This thread is resolved. Here is a description of the problem and solution.
Problem: The client is developing a site using BuddyBoss and WPML and wants to enable search functionality in the Buddyboss groups directory for group names and descriptions in multiple languages. However, the search functionality does not work for languages other than the default language, and editing a group name in a non-default language overwrites the original group name.
Solution: We have identified that groups and their descriptions are not translatable through WPML, which affects the search functionality. The current workaround involves using WPML's String Translation to manage translations of group names and descriptions. However, any changes made in one language will reflect across all languages because groups themselves are not translatable. To address the search functionality: 1. Ensure the BuddyPress Multilingual addon is enabled. 2. Verify that strings for group titles and descriptions are using the correct source language in WPML > String Translation. You can find guidance here: https://wpml.org/documentation/getting-started-guide/string-translation/how-to-change-the-source-language-of-strings/ 3. Always ensure that the admin language is set to the site's default language when editing groups.
If this solution does not resolve your issue or seems outdated, we recommend checking related known issues at https://wpml.org/known-issues/, verifying the version of the permanent fix, and confirming that you have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 further assistance is needed, please open a new support ticket at WPML support forum.
This is the technical support forum for WPML - the multilingual WordPress plugin.
Everyone can read, but only WPML clients can post here. WPML team is replying on the forum 6 days per week, 22 hours per day.
Background of the issue:
I am developing a site using Buddyboss and WPML. I want to use search functionality in the Buddyboss groups directory for group names and descriptions in multiple languages.
Symptoms:
The search functionality in the Buddyboss groups directory does not work for group names and descriptions in languages other than the default language.
Questions:
How can I enable search functionality for group names and descriptions in multiple languages using WPML?
On my current sandbox, I can not confirm that I am able to translate groups or profile types with WPML Translation Management.
Also, it does not look to me as if we actually translate the whole taxonomy. Instead, we only translate the labels and this might be why the search does not work.
I am getting in touch with the compatilbity team about this and will update you shortly.
Until now it is unclear if this can be made possible.
I will need more feedback from the developers about it and the second-tier support asked me to escalate a specific ticket about this problem first.
I ran a test on the following site:
One-Click-Login: hidden link
If I search for the group in the site's default language using the default WordPress Search option, I do not get any results. I get the same result when testing without WPML.
Could you please try to recreate the issue on the test site?
I tested this further on the sandbox as well as on my staging site.
The group types are set to "no translation", and the names are translated using string translation.
Since groups themselves cannot be translated, I previously managed to translate group names and descriptions via string translation using an older version of the BuddyBoss Glue plugin on my staging site.
I attempted the same in the sandbox—translated the name—but it still only appears in English across all languages.
Issue when Editing Group Titles & Descriptions in Different Languages
Now comes the next challenge:
If a group owner has a group in English and switches to German to edit the title and save, the title remains the same as before.
However, if they switch back to English, the title and description now appear in German, reflecting the latest changes.
Conclusion & Workaround
It seems clear that groups are still not translatable (schade!).
Therefore, group names and descriptions should always remain in the same language.
I tested this with the latest WPML plugin versions:
Added the group title and description in German.
Edited them in French.
The German version was updated across all languages → meaning, changes apply globally.
So far, this works as expected.
Current Limitation & Alternative Approach
Since groups are not translatable, if you need a group to have different titles and descriptions in multiple languages, you must create separate groups for each language.
However, all groups will still be visible in all languages, which is not ideal but currently the only workaround.
On the positive side, this method ensures all strings are searchable in every language.
Questions:
Can you confirm if this is the correct description of the current status?
Are there any plans to support fully translatable groups in the future?
Thanks, and looking forward to your response!
My apologies but before we split this ticket into further issues, please respond to my findings from my last comment:
If I search for the group in the site's default language using the default WordPress Search option, I do not get any results. I get the same result when testing without WPML.
Hi,
Now this situation I have in my site:
Search in group directory search of the translated titel and description not working
Editing of a EN Group in German overwrite the EN Group with DE text
Please see the screenshots.
Thanks, kind regards
Eric
On my test site, I have no issue with searching for the German Group Title on the German part of the website:
"Gruppe 1 Deutsch Titel".
Search by description does not seem to work in the second language.
I can offer to escalate this issue unless you have something else to add to it.
---
What else I can confirm:
I am not able to edit the Group Title in German on Frontend. The changes will not be saved. Instead, it will overwrite the titles for the original English Group.
---
Please take note again, that we always handle only one issue per ticket. I will split this issue into a new ticket and then follow up with you from there.
Take note, that I escalated the main issue "Group translation" earlier and insisted that the Groups will be made translatable, but sadly this appears not to be so easy, as the plugin uses various custom tables.
The only solution our compatilbity team was able to implement, was translating the groups with WPML > String Translation and making somehow the same groups available in all languages.
This is why it is somehow expected, that once you edit the Group name on Frontend, it will only change the name of the original group, as there is not any translated group on the site - we would instead need to update the String Translation for the title once the Group name.
We might need to hook into BuddyPress in a second language once the Group name is edited, then get the string translation for the group name, and then update the translation.
On the other hand, the search by group description feature should work in a second language and I will try to find a workaround for this.
I was trying to find workarounds for both issues but had no success yet. I will need to consult the compatilbity team.
---
For the topic of making groups translatable, please take note that our compatibility team already decided not to take this path.
As you can see, the value is trying to send the request to "group-1-english" and it also checks for the Group ID. A translated group would have a different ID and slug.
As we can not translate the groups, there might not be an easy solution for this issue and I was not able to find a workaround.
I am escalating this issue to the compatibility team and will contact you again once I receive feedback.
The reported issue should be solved in the latest version of our addon "BuddyPress Multilingual".
You can find the update at Plugins > Add new plugin on the "Commercial" tab. If you do not see the latest available versions, please click "Check for updates".
