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[Resolved] Follow up to https://wpml.org/forums/topic/translations-not-being-updated-when-original-language-is-...
This thread is resolved. Here is a description of the problem and solution.
Problem:
The client is trying to remove WPML and all related content from their site completely. Despite following the provided instructions and dropping database rows, all WPML translated taxonomies, pages, posts, and Beaver Themer layouts remain.
Solution:
We recommend creating a staging or development site, a clone of the live site, for further debugging without affecting the live environment. Please follow these steps after a full site backup:
1) Go to WPML >> Languages >> Site Languages (of subsite) 2) Click on the Add/Remove Languages button 3) Uncheck the Spanish language and save 4) Refresh the page 5) Delete all the contents of the Spanish language: https://cdn.wpml.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Deleting-all-translations.png 6) Go to the Network Dashboard 7) Open the WPML menu 8) Perform the Reset WPML action for the subsite 9) Deactivate WPML for the subsite
If you encounter issues during Step 5, such as error messages, try refreshing and retrying. It should eventually remove everything. For more details, refer to the following documentation:
If the solution provided does not resolve your issue or seems outdated, we highly recommend checking related known issues at https://wpml.org/known-issues/, verifying the version of the permanent fix, and confirming that you have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.
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Symptoms:
Despite following the instructions and dropping database rows, all WPML translated content remains on the site.
Questions:
How can I completely remove all WPML content from my site?
Why does WPML translated content remain after following the removal instructions?
I am enabling the private option for the next reply. Please share the FTP credentials. So we can access the site files (especially the Debug log information) for further investigation.
Hello Bigul,
The home page of the main production site is currently returning a 404 and the page is not available. This exact thing happened to me recently when I was attempting to remove WPML and I reverted to a backup. Please update me asap on your actions at this point, and your plans. I don't want to overwrite your current work with a backup restored but will need to soon if I don't hear from you. I'd like to coordinate change that might break the site so I know what to expect. Can you get back to me asap on your progress?
I am reverting the site to a saved backup at this time. I can't have the production site be this broken: the homepage is not available and the tags and categories all throw 404 errors as well. I have a copy of the site I'm happy to give you full access to and we can clone and revert that as much as you'd like, but the live site can't be this broken. Let me know when you'd like the credentials for the staging site and I'll supply those. Thanks.
Thank you for the feedback. We have been looking for a workaround in this case. When I performed the Reset action a few hours ago on your site, the issue still existed. So, it would be helpful if you could create a staging or development site, a clone of the live site, for further debugging without affecting the live environment.
Please try the following steps after a full site backup, and let us know your feedback.
1) Go to WPML >> Languages >> Site Languages (of subsite)
2) Click on the Add/Remove Languages button
3) Uncheck the Spanish language and save
4) Refresh the page
5) Delete all the contents of the Spanish language: hidden link
6) Go to the Network Dashboard
7) Open the WPML menu
8) Perform the Reset WPML action for the subsite
9) Deactivate WPML for the subsite
Please note that if you get stuck during Step 5, try refreshing and retrying. It should eventually remove everything. Refer to the following documentation for more details:
Bigul,
Can you please provide me with a private reply so I can share the browser login and SFTP credentials with you for the staging site?
Re the steps you want me to take after the staging site creation: it sounds like you want me to do the same removal process on the staging site that we've both already tried on the live site. Just to be clear, I've already done this on a staging site when I was trying to get WPML removed properly on the live site and found it wasn't working. I can certainly do it again the new staging site but can you confirm what you want me to do after it does not work on staging? Should I revert staging to a backup so WPML is exactly as it is on the live site or should I leave staging in the condition it will be in after the steps above to deactivate WPML on staging?
First, we can confirm that the reset works as expected on the staging site. Once it is verified, we can follow the same steps on the live site.
I can perform these steps on your staging site to ensure everything works properly. Enabling the private option for your next reply. Please check and share the staging site credentials.
Thank you for the updates and for sharing the staging site credentials. After the following steps, I was able to reset WPML successfully. Please check the staging site now: hidden link.
1) Go to WPML >> Languages >> Site Languages (of subsite)
2) Click on the Add/Remove Languages button
3) Uncheck the Spanish language and save
4) Refresh the page
5) Delete all the contents of the Spanish language
6) Go to the Network Dashboard
7) Open the WPML menu
8) Perform the Reset WPML action for the subsite
Please note that, during step 5, I encountered the error message "Error happened! Please try again" four times. However, clicking the Delete translation button each time helped to resolve the issue. Refer to the attached images for more details.
If everything is working as expected on the staging site after performing the WPML reset, please follow the same steps on your live site after taking a full site backup (mandatory), and let us know your feedback afterward.
I'm happy to try this Bigul, but I have followed the procedure on the live site previously and it also did not work. Resetting from the network page resulted in a critical WordPress error and no Spanish content was actually deleted when I clicked to do so. I'll give it a try and report back.
If this does work, what about the database tables for WPML? Will I then manually delete those myself?
Great news Bigul: this latest process worked. I had to go through step 5 seven times but eventually it finished. The site seems to be working properly and the Spanish content seems to be deleted. Thank you so much for your ongoing help with this. I haven't yet looked at the database but if the WPML tables are still present should those be deleted...or can they?
