[Closed] WPML functionality

Hello there,

Thank you for contacting our support.

To accomplish the scenario you described you can use the URL method: 'A different domain per language':

https://wpml.org/documentation/getting-started-guide/language-setup/language-url-options/how-to-use-wpml-with-different-domains-per-language/

In summary you can use different domains per language. For example, you go ahead and register ABC.de as a parked domain or alias of ABC.nl.

The best way of knowing if this is properly set up, is when before you enable 'A different domain per language' in WPML -> Language, you access ABC.de and it redirects you to ABC.nl.

When this happens, your domains are ready to be configured under WPML -> Language -> Language URL format.

Finally, since you don't want a language switcher, you can delete them in the same WPML -> Language. By doing it, it is going to be necessary to enter the secondary language domain directly in the browser ABC.de, in order for you to access in the front end the content that you translated within ABC.nl.

Thank you,
Mateus

Hello Marc,

That would work but there are two things to consider in this workflow.

First one, is that this set up would require a separate WPML installation in the ABC.de site.

Secondly, going forward with the site maintenance, it would also mean some duplication of efforts for you, for example, when you update the ABC.nl site, you won't have this update available in the ABC.de for you to translate from, you'd have to manually mirror the update/edit that was done in the ABC.nl site.

But ultimately, the process you described would work as intended.

Thank you,
Mateus

I'm assuming you already have the Dutch site duplicated into ABC.de.

From this point the first thing you need to do is to translate your content. You set WPML up having Dutch as the main language and German as the translation.

Once you have ABC.de set up as a Dutch site translating content into German, you can either translate your content manually or use the automatic translation for it.

If you're translating your content manually using the Advanced Translation Editor, you can either start the translation from the pages/posts/CPT listing screen by click on the '+' icon at the language column, or you can send content for translation from a single screen using the translation management, add yourself as a translator and assign the content for you to translate, whatever method you prefer.

Template parts such as header and footers are translated the same way. Please check this tutorial.

For other texts like widgets, texts coming from plugins and strings you can go to WPML -> String Translation and translate them there.

For media you can use WPML Media Translation.

I've added documentation links to each step, but please make sure to check the getting started to help you identifying how each part of the site is translated.

From the point your site is translated, given your very specific setup, you need to make the switch from Dutch to German as the main language. Below are the steps to change the default language.

1. Go to WPML > Language > Site Languages
2. Click on "Change Default Language" button and switch to German
3. Go to WP > Settings > Permalinks > Resave Permalinks.

Once this is complete, I'd recommend not fully deleting the Dutch language but hiding it from your viewers in WPML -> Languages. Please check how to do it here.

To hide the language switcher, you need to go to WPML -> Languages and make sure that no switcher is configured here.

Hello Marc,

Can you please go to WPML -> Settings -> Post Type Translation and make sure that pages, posts, template parts and other needful post types of your site are set as 'Translatable'?

Also, please go to WPML -> Translation Management and check if the Automatic Translation is not paused and if there's no warning in this screen.

Regarding the menu, once all pages are translated you'll be able to sync it going to WPML → WP Menus Sync. Or you can go to wp-admin > Appearances > Menu and switch to the secondary language of the site and make sure that the translated menu has all the pages added to it.

Thank you, please let me know if you still have issues and I'll enable private fields for you to share access to the site so I can debug it closely.

Mateus

Hello,

I would like to request temporary access (wp-admin and FTP) to your site to take better look at the issue. You will find the needed fields for this below the comment area when you log in to leave your next reply. The information you will enter is private which means only you and I can see and have access to it.

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