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startup_tutorial_and_checklist:feature_configuration:multi_language_setup:creating_your_own_translation

Setup and Preparation Guidelines for Multi-Language Sites

This is a current work in progress. Let us know where we can improve it

Important: These instructions are written specifically for customers who are using the default layout of GeoAuctions/GeoClassifieds and are adding a SECOND LANGUAGE to their site.

Existing Install - Adding a second Language to an existing installation. We have used "Spanish" as an example, but the same steps apply to all language imports.

  1. Initial Setup - Creating the new language within the system
    1. Access the LANGUAGES > ADD NEW LANGUAGE admin tool menu
    2. Enter your new Language Name (i.e. Spanish) and click "Save".
    3. This should create your new language within the system. This creates a new "text" set within the admin tool for the "body html" dynamically generated content and then creates the new language as a selection
  2. Language Import (optional)- If you have been supplied with a language translation of the text in the software by Geodesic Solutions or another Geo site you will then need to import the text.csv provided into your system.
    1. That translation comes in the form of at least a text.csv file. You will need to upload that text.csv file into the base of the /admin directory of the Geo Installation.
    2. Now use the LANGUAGES > LANGUAGES HOME > [IMPORT] feature of the newly created language to import that text.csv file into that language.
    3. Once you have successfully imported the 'text.csv' file, delete the 'text.csv' file within the 'admin' folder on your domain. The translated text for your new language should now be in the database.
    4. Note that as we develop the software we occasionally need to add new text to the system. If we have added any new text to the system it will be "added onto the end" of the current text. You may find it necessary to export the language you just imported and check the text.csv file created. Any new text added to the system and not translated yet will be at the end of that text.csv file. Download that text.csv, translate that text locally, re-upload over the text.csv currently in your Geo /admin directory and re-import that back into the system.
    5. IMPORTANT: You may not see any language/text differences on your site for a couple reasons:
      • You need to make the necessary changes to your template set. The text import done in this step does not translate text contained within addons or the page template/sub-template system. Until you make the necessary changes to your templates in the system most of the "design" will still be in the default language.
      • You may not have changed the language cookie attached to your browser. When anyone goes to the Geo installation on your site for the first time the software checks to see if that browser has a "language cookie" set. If it doesn't a language cookie is set at that time. This happens even if you only have one language in your system. Now that you have added the new language to the system you can go to the language choice page in the system and change the language cookie set on your browser to that of the new language. See the language selection tutorial within this section of the support wiki.
  3. Create new Templates for New Language
    1. In addition to the 'database text' you have already uploaded, there is also text located within the html of the software's templates. Since you will be entering HTML into your admin panel in these next steps, we recommend using the source code editor instead of the WYSIWYG editor within the DESIGN > MANAGER admin tool until you are finished with this process.
    2. Next, you may need to change the CHARSET setting that matches your current language within the SITE SETUP > GENERAL SETTINGS admin page. We have set the default character set for the software to utf-8. This the most universal character set and is actually said to contain all others. We see no reason to change this but some clients insist that utf-8 will not work on their sites. We suggest at least starting out with utf-8 to see if it will work for you. But if you do decide you need to use a different character set on your site the using different character sets tutorial will show you all that is needed to change the character set.
    3. At this point you will need to do a little planning. You will need to create "2nd language" copy of your current working template set in the design you are translating:
      • You can create the "2nd language" template set within the DESIGN > TEMPLATE SETS admin tool using the *copy* template set button explained here. For example if you needed to make a Spanish copy of the default design you could copy your current working template set into a template set labelled "Spanish template set" (or something similar). This puts both language template set next to each other in the DESIGN > TEMPLATE SETS admin tool.
    4. You'll now need to translate any text you find in your new language specific template set to the new language. If you are translating the default design the only templates you should need to translate those templates within the /main_page and /external directories. And consequently where you should look when uploading those templates you've received in the translation zip file. These are not the only templates used by the system but they are the only templates with text included within "seen" on the client side. All of the "system/body_html" text is already translated by your text.csv file you have already translated.
    5. The DESIGN > MANAGER tool allows you to create, copy and edit files.
    6. Once you have created your language specific template set you will need to assign that template set to the language you wish to assign it to. You do this within the DESIGN > TEMPLATE SETS admin tool. Next you each template set you will notice a language dropdown selection. Set the language for each template set. Then click the *save settings* button at the bottom of the that page to save your choices.
    7. NOTE: Within the default design the listing_auction.tpl and listing_classified.tpl templates do not need to be translated as their content has already been translated by the text.csv file.
  4. Edit Addon Management Text.
    1. Module Addons have their own text fields. Therefore, it is necessary to edit the text for each Addon Module individually. This can be done through the ADDONS > MANAGE ADDONS admin tool for each module you use. Note that if you disable AND uninstall an addon you will need to re-translate the text for that addon again.
  5. Setup the way you want your clients change language on the client side as described in language choice configuration tutorial
  6. Other Language Specific Items to Review/Edit.
    1. If you have the Attention Getter Addon, add 'attention getter' images for your new language. You may need to translate these images for the new language also. That may entail creating each image from scratch unless those have been provided in the translation your were provided.
      • Create your images and upload (ftp) them into the /addons/attention_getters/images/ folder on your domain or where ever your attention getter images are kept.
      • Enter the paths to the images into the software's admin panel under ADDONS > ATTENTION GETTERS > SETTINGS.
    2. Enter the Currency Type for your new language if applicable under in the LISTING SETUP > CURRENCY TYPES and PAYMENTS > CURRENCY DESIGNATION
      • Note: Certain currency symbols require that you enter their ASCII value. Please refer to the following link for your currency's ASCII designation and enter it into the appropriate field. We found them here: http://www.ascii.cl/htmlcodes.htm For example, the British Pound Sign would be: £
    3. Edit the Listing Durations to reflect your new language if applicable. Each Duration displays the appropriate day/month/year based upon language. Listing durations display in a dropdown box to the user during the listing process within the LISTING SETUP > LISTING DURATIONS
    4. If you have the Signs and Flyers Addon, you may need to edit the template for each to reflect the appropriate text and images for your new language. Each template is stored in the TEMPLATES menu, but applied on the following pages:
      • PAGES MANAGEMENT > USER MANAGEMENT > USERS CURRENT LISTINGS > FLYER PAGE
      • PAGES MANAGEMENT > USER MANAGEMENT > USERS CURRENT LISTINGS > SIGN PAGE
    5. Each category/subcategory name can be translated so that the category name/description displays in the appropriate language:
      • CATEGORIES > CATEGORIES SETUP > [EDIT] FOR EACH CATEGORY
    6. Set the site default language to the language that you want your visitors to see when they first access your site. This is specified through the LANGUAGES menu for each language.
    7. If you are using GeoClassAuctions Enterprise, a 'listing type' column displays throughout the browsing pages of the site. This 'listing type' column by default displays an "icon" for classifieds and another "icon" for auctions. You may want to edit these icons to a generic image and include a "key" on your page that informs the user as to what each icon represents.
startup_tutorial_and_checklist/feature_configuration/multi_language_setup/creating_your_own_translation.txt · Last modified: 2014/09/25 16:55 (external edit)