WPML Not Supported

The category widget uses the standard WordPress function wp_list_categories(). It also sticks to core WP standards for the rest of the widget.

I don’t understand the issue with referencing category IDs. Referencing IDs is the correct method to reference categories. If you reference them via slug or name, you hit problems. Slugs and names can be changed. IDs are permanent.

I’m not sure what else could be done to make it better. Feel free to point out any actual code-related issues or have the WPML plugin author take a look. I’ll happily make any necessary changes that are part of core WP standards.

Justin,

Many thanks for your prompt reply. I think a fundamental challenge is that there are 3 vendors involved: WP, Widgets Reloaded and WPML. I’m not expert enough in WP to know exactly why the following is happening:

MY GOAL
– set up 2 groups of categories, each with their own child categories (this works fine using WP / Widgets Reloaded when I am only using English).

– implement multi-language support (not sure about other vendors, but WPML uses a separate cat id for each instance of a category – lang).

CAT ID’s
Sorry for the confusion. I have been using cat id’s with Widgets Reloaded and that has not been a problem (at least, when there is only 1 lang).

But note that, at least when using WPML, WR (and I assume native WP) needs to have separate hierarchies for English and Chinese, since each parent has its own cat id (see example below).

EXAMPLE
Parent Category A
English Cat ID = 11
Chinese Cat ID = 21

Parent Category B
English Cat ID = 12
Chinese Cat ID = 22

Child categories are not an issue, other than, when i set up the child categories in an alternative language, the translated categories have to be “pointed to” the alt language parent categories (in this case, Cat ID 21 and 22, respectively).

WPML and WR
For some reason, WPML can detect the existence of child categories and display the correct translations. But it cannot correctly detect and display the parent categories. So when a user selects an alternative language (e.g. Chinese) the result is:

– Category Group A (still displays in English)
—- Child Category 1 (correctly displays in Chinese)
—- Child Category 2 (correctly displays in Chinese)

– Category Group B (still displays in English)
—- Child Category 3 (correctly displays in Chinese)
—- Child Category 4 (correctly displays in Chinese)

The problem is not the admin translation – i have successfully translated all parent and child categories. The problem is that WP / WR / WPML cannot detect a parent and display its translation.

STRUCTURAL ISSUE
I’m new to WP, so if this comment is not correct, please disregard.

Most s/w with integrated multi-language implement translations, including primary language, as a child of any entity or attribute. So, categories would have a 1:M relationship with their respective translations. For example:

Category A (Cat ID = 11)
– EN translation (resides in a separate cat / translation entity)
– CH translation (resides in a separate cat / translation entity)

There would not be a separate category for each translation. One category : multiple translations.

It appears multi-language was added after the initial architecture for WP was designed. If I could make a suggestion, I think the WP team would be the most appropriate team to implement multi-language. It seems that all the 3rd party vendors are trying to “work around” the WP architecture, resulting in somewhat inconsistent behavior.

Justin

I just de-activated Widgets Reloaded and WPML now works with translated parent child hierarchies. So, it seems that my only choice is:

1. Use WR / WPML, resulting in a mixed-language display (since apparently WPML is not compatible with WR when using P-C categories).

2. Use WPML without WR, which means losing the multiple parent category feature in WR that simplifies category lookup.

3. Use a different ML plugin.

Re this last option, do you know if there is an ML plugin that:
– works with WR
– works with contact forms (and other plugins that have text embedded in the plugin)

Many thanks…

Honestly, I have no idea about other plugins. I don’t use them myself since my sites are all in one language.

What I do know is that core WP has horrible support for multi-language installs. And, it really sounds to me like the issue is really about structural/architectural issues between WP and WPML.

Feel free to point the WPML team this way though. If they have a solution, I’ll look into it.

Yeah, in order to do ML, you really have to have the native architecture have language nodes for each element that could be translated. The overhead is huge to re-implement this.

But, from a competitive perspective, it’s worth noting that CMS products like Drupal and Sitefinity all have multi-language built in to the core architecture. You can’t leave this function to 3rd parties.

Agreed on the WP WPML handshake. How can they contact you directly?

They can post directly here in this topic. Or, post a ticket here: https://github.com/justintadlock/widgets-reloaded/issues

OK, thanks

Justin

Just a quick FYI.

WPML uses a hybrid approach to translation:

1. create shadow entities, as with categories, where a second category (and cat id) is created for each instance of a language version. This is what i call a table-driven approach.

2. because some plugins hard-code text values in PHP, WPML actually has a search function to identify all hard-coded references in PHP, and then a string translation function.

So, i got it to work, but again, I think WP at some point is going to have to bite the bullet and rewrite the core platform. The net effect of chasing down all the handshakes is quite daunting.

Justin

This should be another topic, but can I ask…

Is there any flag w/i WP or Widgets Reloaded that enables list just titles on the category results page, such that the user can then view all relevant titles and then click on one to see the entire post?

I have to believe this is a setting.

The only workarounds I’ve seen are mods to category.php in the relevant theme directory. But I don’t have that file in mine (Elegant Themes – The Professional).

Thanks!!!