[Resolved] Some pages are empty on their translations
This thread is resolved. Here is a description of the problem and solution.
Problem: I'm using Theme Chameleon but it's not working with WPML's translation editors
Solution: That theme has ACF embedded so you need to configure it as seen in our documentation. However, this should be done by the theme's author, so please contact them and let them know about it or invite them to our compatibility program: https://wpml.org/documentation/support/go-global-program/
Languages: English (English )Spanish (Español )Italian (Italiano )
Timezone: Europe/Rome (GMT+02:00)
We'll handle the problem of the pages that appear empty in the translations.
The problem is happening because of how those pages are created. it's very likely that you have some options or something like that that need an extra configuration and i'd like to find out what configuration is needed.
We can do this without accessing your site with a test called "clean testing" which consists in uploading your theme into a sandbox site (A temporary site that is used to test issues like this in a faster way).
I'd like you to please:
- Uplooad your theme here: hidden link (don't worry about licensing, we don't need to have it licensed).
- Create a page like the portfolio one. it doesn't need to be exactly the same, it just needs to "look" like it.
Once you do that, let me know how it was created (if it's easier for you you can record yourself while doing so and send me the video) and i'll check it out to understand why is it not translating the content.
Don't worry about WPML, because i will handle that part.
I created a new page,
selected Page builder from Page Attributes
Gave the page a name
selected show cover image then uploaded a new image
Gave alternative title and sub heading
Clicked new section and added Text section
Added some text
Clicked new section and added Gallery
Added new images and selected these
Then saved as draft and finally Publish
Languages: English (English )Spanish (Español )Italian (Italiano )
Timezone: Europe/Rome (GMT+02:00)
Remember that ACF plugin i mentioned? Well it's coming from this "page builder" that you enabled, it's embedded in your theme 🙂
This is a good thing to know actually because in this case the page builder should be compatible by installing ACF Multilingual in Plugins > Add new > Commercial.
Please allow me some time test how we can fix this so i can then explain it to you in detail.
Languages: English (English )Spanish (Español )Italian (Italiano )
Timezone: Europe/Rome (GMT+02:00)
Please watch this video: hidden link
It will teach you how to configure the fields that actually come from a plugin called "ACF" embedded into your theme and that shows itself in the form "page builder" that you are using on your site.
I tmight be a bit challenging, but this means that your theme didn't take this into consideration when making the site compatible with WPML (in case they claim to be compatible with us) so you'll have to do it yourself.
Give it a try and let me know how it goes so we can then tackle the issue of the 404 when String Translation is enabled.
Languages: English (English )Spanish (Español )Italian (Italiano )
Timezone: Europe/Rome (GMT+02:00)
Hello!
I found out what was missing from my last instructions to you and you can see the results here: hidden link
as you can see the pages are now showing. the only thing that was missing was that on top of configuring the custom fields as i asked in my last ticket, you'd also need to have to do the same with the "system fields" which are like the main custom fields (they have the same name) but they start with an underscore ( _ ).
Once they were configured as the main fields, you'd be able to translate the pages as you did before (WPML > Translation management) and the pages would appear.
I'd suggest that you talk to their support and tell them that if they want to become fully compatible with us, they just have to contact us here: https://wpml.org/documentation/support/go-global-program/ and we'll gladly help them out (plus, it's a free service!)
Thank you very much. That's wonderful. Unfortunately the Prints page some of the categories and most of the print images are missing.
Also I need to make sure that the name of the website and my name are never translated - can you tell me which part I need to change to copy instead of translate.
The only other things is that my Logo (top left) disappears and changes to the Theme name on a translation page
Can you tell me how to fix these please.
I will pass on the message to Theme Poetry support. Many thanks again
Languages: English (English )Spanish (Español )Italian (Italiano )
Timezone: Europe/Rome (GMT+02:00)
If there are things like names and others, you can actually use the glossary to avoid this in future translations (they'd have to be modified manually on the already translated pages).
About the prints page, can you please send me the link of the page so i can make sure i'm watching the correct one, and also please point out one category or image that is not working as expected, please so i can use that as a referecen and communicate better with you 🙂
Thank you I'll add Cotswolds Photographer to the Glossary.
Here is the Prints page hidden link - it hasn't been translated.
going direct to that page there is no problem but for example if you go to Portfolio and translate to Spanish then click IMPRIME you'll see the problem hidden link
I think there are only 2 categories displayed because I've only translated 2 prints so far. I'm sure the rest will appear as I translate more prints. The problem remains that there is no image showing on the categories groups when translated.
Can you also tell me how to make sure that my website logo is still displayed on translated pages. At the moment the logo disappears and the Chameleon theme name is shown (see uploads)
I've forwarded your message to Chameleon Theme support I hope they contact you.
Languages: English (English )Spanish (Español )Italian (Italiano )
Timezone: Europe/Rome (GMT+02:00)
Ah i see what you mean. it seems this part was also done with ACF but i don't know how the author registered the fields for the settings because they do not appear under WPML > Settings > Custom fields translation (and they should).
This means that you'd have to go the theme settings and then switch to each language and configure it manually 🙁
it's a repetitive task but thankfully it's done only once. this happens only because of the way the author registered those elements in that page, they seem to be loaded after WPML, so WPML doesn't see them, it doesn't know they exist.
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By the way, i also found out why you get the 404 sometimes. it happens because your site basically fails to load something from the theme. string translation has nothing to do with it, but any extra plugin you add to your site will use resources and the more resources you use, the more likely it will be for this error to appear.
The reason why it appeared without string translation, was because less plugins, less usage and in this case string translation was using more resources than usual because of this ACF thing (because it was trying to read the content coming from it).
Here's a video showing you what i mean: hidden link
Thank you very much Alejandro
I've done that - when I first did it the content disappeared but I realised there was a conflict with the code in header section so I removed that and all is now displaying OK
Sorry to say there is another 404 error happening
On translations page - i choose a translation to review, once I get the success message i get a 404 then have to go back to the translation list to bring it up and accept translation.
here’s a Loom video hidden link
and here's a link to the debuglog hidden link
Thank you
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