Weird Issue when I try to translate pages and posts with WPML

Support
#1

Hi,

I’m creating my new website www.mysardiniaholidays in 2 languages, and this is the first time I use the WPML plugin (which according to both parties is fully compatible with X theme).

So, many things are OK, no problem, but sometimes I have weird issues. I give you one example for now:

I created a mockup of a blog post in English (and then I translated it in Italian with the translation editor) but when I open the translator it didn’t let me translate the main text from English to Italian, it doesn’t even show up as an option for translation.

Now I have changed the feature photo, the same thing happened. I go to the translation editor and It doesn’t give me an option to insert the URL for the Italian duplicate media (not sure there is an Italian duplicate, as for the pages it usually asks me if I want to duplicate the media but in the posts, it doesn’t ask me).

The post in question is this one: https://www.mysardiniaholidays.com/wedding-dream-get-married-sardinia/ and if you switch to the Italian version you can see that the picture is different (because I have no option to change it on the translation editor) and the text is in English for the same reason, no option to translate it on the editor, I can only translate the title, categories and the “subscribe here” text/button. (see below)

I tried to go to the Italian version and click “edit post” so I could edit it manually but I got a warning saying that I was trying to edit it manually when my settings were the translation editor, so in fear of making a mess I went back and didn’t do anything. But if the translation editor doesn’t show me everything there is to be translated… how am iI supposed to do it?

I created this mockup with Visual Composer, but I don’t think that is an issue (at least I hope not as I will be using it for the blog posts while I will use Cornerstone for the pages).

Thanks for your help

#2

Hi @klelietta,

Thanks for reaching out.

Please check this for proper translation. https://www.dropbox.com/s/5oq0a5f7s2fd852/CornerstoneTranslation.mp4?dl=0

If you’re in the builder, you can simply click the flag icon in the right bottom of the preview window for translation. Don’t translate it like in your screenshot, it only works for visible strings. The builder has elements and content that needs to be set up directly.

Thanks!

#3

Thanks Raf but in my case it doesn’t work for a few reasons

  1. I know how to translate a page but when I try to do it the way it says in the video I get a warning saying that I am trying to translate a post outside of the Translation editor and that could mess up my page.
    It gives me the same warning when I use cornerstone or visual composer so I have to go to the translation editor and with cornerstone it gives me all the boxes (including images, widgets, buttons… everything… and I can translate it from there with no issue (so far!)

For this particular post, in the editor it doesn’t show the featured image and the text and If I try to do it the way the video suggests it gives me the warning. That’s why It’s rather confusing as I wish I could translate normally just using the page and clicking in the elements and translating them, but what about the pictures?

There is no way to change them unless I go to edit post but i get the warning! So it’s a never ending circle and it’s getting confusing, it’s like I’m not allowed to use anything other that the translator editor or I get the warning and my pages and posts gets messed up.

I tried to edit it normally, I was able to change the featured picture AND the text in italian but the picture was not a duplicate so I couldn’t change the alt tag in italian and when i tried to update the post, it gave me the warning again, so I wasn’t able to truly update it. I went to the translation editor and had the same issue, no text to translate and no picture. I saved it (it was the only way to save the post) I went back to see the post and the featured picture changed (with the english alt tags so it isn’t right for SEO) and the text that i had translated went back to English!

I think it’s better if you enter the website and do a test on that post https://www.mysardiniaholidays.com/it/matrimonio-da-sogno-come-sposarsi-sardegna/

Otherwise you don’t understand what the issue is. There is no way for me to easily translate it, either i lose the italian translation text or I lose part of the layout (I had to add the button manually)… in a nutshell , it’s a mess and I don’t understand why.

It’s a demo page so you can easily test it, no harm done as the content is not important at the moment. But i truly need to figure out what is wrong with the translation editor, why it doesn’t let me translate in a normal way and why i lose pieces of layout behind switching from one language to the other. When I go to refresh translation it should automatically add the new elements I added or remove the ones I deleted, but it doesn’t do it all the time. Totally random.

#4

Hello There,

Thank you for the clarifications.

Please review the guide given by WPML. You can check it here:

I have inspected your site and the only reason that I can think of why your translations, the new elements that you added or remove the ones I deleted does not correctly display is because of caching. You are using SiteGround and CloudFlare. Both of this services has a caching features. With SiteGround, you will need to clear your site cache of the supercacher in your hosting panel. The SuperCacher is developed by SiteGround exclusively for their customers. It increases the number of hits a site can handle and boosts the website loading speed. The SuperCacher includes 4 different caching options for maximum optimization of your websites. You can access the tool by clicking on the SuperCacher icon in your cPanel. For more information about this, please check it out here: https://www.siteground.com/tutorials/supercacher/supercacher_intro.htm

And for CloudFlare, you also need to login to your CloudFlare account and purge your site cache every after changes you’ve made. For best results, you will need to use the recommended CloudFlare Settings which you can find it here: https://xthemetips.com/using-cloudflare-rocket-loader-with-x-pro-and-x5/928/

Hope this helps.

#5

Thanks, I usually always clear the caches on my control panel but the issue still persist (not always, the thing is… it’s totally random!)

I will try to talk again with them but I’m confused on why i always get the warning if I try to translate a page/post not using the translator editor (which is cool if it worked properly). It’s super stressing to work like this not knowing if it will display all the elements I added or removed on the english version (using both VC e cornerstone).

In my opinion it might also be a conflict between the theme and the WPML plug in? As the first thing I do is clearing the caches… the one I have on my website (super cache by siteground) and the one on the control panel for cloudflare.

PS, you gave me the compatibility with cornerstone, what about Visual composer? As I use both on this website. One for the pages (Cornerstone) and VC for the articles …

I just spoke with Siteground and they cheched and now have disabled ALL the caches for me so that you can try again and the what the issue is.
Below a screenshot of our conversation

#6

Hi,

The latest supported by theme is Visual Composer: | Latest Supported Version: 5.4.7

Would you mind providing us with login credentials so we can take a closer look? Please provide following information:

Set it as Secure Note

  • Link to your site
  • WordPress Admin username / password
  • FTP credentials

Thanks

#7

Sure, I’ve already provided the login credentials in a previous message, I will add the ftp credentials in this one.
I also went to the Visual composer plugin page and their original version is compatible with WPML plugin. but being this one an integration for X there might be different thing, I’m not sure.

#8

Hi @klelietta,

Are you referring to this message?

WPML will no longer synchronize this Page with the original content.

You just need to click Edit Independently button.

Would you mind providing the messages you’re getting? A video recording will be helpful.

I also tried it on a test page and I’m able to edit it in the builder, both language. But, visual composer is different than the cornerstone, so its translation can be different so please provide a video recording so we could try.

Thanks!

#9

No, I never saw that error message before! I never recorded a video, how am I able to do that? It would be definitely much better to show you what I do!

Thanks

#10

Hi @klelietta,

You can use services like https://screencast-o-matic.com to record your screen, then you can share the URL here in the forum. It’s not our site so please be careful :slight_smile:

Thanks!

#11

Here is the link for the recording: (secret note)
I recorded a second video of the issues below when creating a new page and post and trying to translate them.

As you can see there is no way to change the featured image using either the translation editor or WP bakery,
and sometimes the text field shows for an article and not for another in the translation editor. It’s totally random and I have to translate a page using different methods which is super messy, all the elements should appear in the translation editor (featured image, text field that has been edited in English etc) but it doesn’t. And there isn’t the option to duplicate the media as I have in the pages. Super weird.

I have now tried to create a new page with cornerstone to translate it in italian. Even messier. I can’t translate accordion items, nor the featured image with the translation editor (i was able to insert the featured image via normal edit page (in the italian page) and I was even able to translate via cornerstone the accordion text, but once saved I went to check it and it reverted to english.

There must be some setting that are completly wrong. Also, if you try to add a blog post, cornerstone option doesn’t even show up! I can’t add images on my translation editor text field… It’s a massive mess.

#13

Hi @klelietta,

I did multiple tests, which I also downloaded your translation plugins for testing. It seems to be only happening in your site, for example, in my clean installation with your plugin, I created an English page and edit it, I then duplicated to a different language. Then I go to the duplicated translation page and I’m able to assign featured images, translate independently, and create content in the builder. It’s similar to the procedures to the video I provided above instead of having this

This looks like related to WPML setting on your site but I couldn’t confirm it yet. Something is enforcing that kind of translation in your site. As every time I tried to edit it, it just redirects to that string translation page. Would it be okay if you can clone your site into staging so I could test it there, I like to do disable many features and plugins in that process just to narrow it down.

Thanks!

#14

I just created a staging website:
http://www.staging1.mysardiniaholidays.com/wp-admin/
the login credentials are the same as my normal website.
Since you are there, in addition to all the issues I’m having, there are other 2 (I just mention the pages and you can see for yourself) where the layout of the Italian page is different for some reason.

  1. Homepage, in English I have the social buttons displaying on the Italian version (so weird) there are days in which they displayed and then without me doing anything, they stop displaying.

2)look at this page: http://www.staging1.mysardiniaholidays.com/planning-holidays-sardinia/sardinia-holidays-useful-general-info/ and then check how the layout, spacing, alignment and size of the pictures changes on the Italian version. I didn’t do anything only translated with the translation editor (when it was still working properly)…

Thank you!

#15

Hi @klelietta,

Thanks a lot :wink:

Before we continue, is this staging a separate instance? Some staging shares the same database from the live site so I’m just trying to confirm it :slight_smile: . And that’s because of this error,

The preview could not load due to misconfigured URLs. This could happen if you are using multiple environments and the site URL was not updated after migrating.

Origin URL: http://www.staging1.mysardiniaholidays.com
Preview URL: http://www.mysardiniaholidays.com/

It still points to the live site, if you can confirm that this is a separate instance then I’ll proceed to URL replacements (it’s done in a database using a plugin). I’m just trying to make sure everything is safe since all these actions are irreversible. Once I fixed your staging’s URL then I’ll continue with the translation ( as I can’t load the builder and translation due to this error )

Thanks!

#16

Thanks for pointing this out, I didn’t ask the guy at siteground, I will ask them again and if it is possible to have a staging website not sharing the same database (I’m no expert but its weird as they would need to for many things, no?) Anyway, I’ll ask them and let you know

#17

Ok I had a chat with Siteground who did the staging site for me and this is what they said:

Stivan T.: Yes, it is actually a separate installation
Stivan T.: As it is made to a subdomain
Clelia Mattana: I don’t know what she is saying but it seems important because if she changes the URL’s I’m in big trouble
Stivan T.: Yet the thing is that when you push the changes
Clelia Mattana: is it 100% sure??
Stivan T.: It will go to the live one
Stivan T.: Just tell her
Stivan T.: That the website on the staging
Stivan T.: Is on a separate installation
Stivan T.: So that it does not affect
Stivan T.: The live one
Clelia Mattana: But you just told me that the changes go to the live one?
Stivan T.: Yes, if pushed to live
Clelia Mattana: sorry I don’t know much about these things and after all the work i have put on this website I don’t want to mess it up
Stivan T.: They will go to the live website
Clelia Mattana: what does it mean “Pushed to live?”
Clelia Mattana: like if they change something on the staging version it automatically reflects to the live one or they have to do an extra step to put in on the live version?
Stivan T.: Yes, they will have to take
Stivan T.: An extra step
Clelia Mattana: ok so it’s NOT automatic
Stivan T.: To push it to the live version
Clelia Mattana: ok got it
Stivan T.: Yes, it is not automatic
unless you push it to the live one
Stivan T.: You can also
Stivan T.: Check our handy article on the staging
Stivan T.: www.siteground.com/tutorials/staging/
Stivan T.: You can tell them
Stivan T.: That the staging is a separate installation
Stivan T.: And changes made to it
Stivan T.: Would not affect the live website
Stivan T.: If it is not pushed to live from the staging tool in the cPanel
Stivan T.: You can also send them the article
Stivan T.: So that they can check it

PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT WHAT THEY SAY IS CORRECT, I PUT SO MANY HOURS OF WORK IN THIS AND I DON’T WANT A MISUNDERSTANDING TO LET MY LIVE WEBSITE BECOMING A MESS :confused:

Thanks a lot!
If you still have any doubt before proceeding please let me know!

PS, Cant we just have a backup of the live website till this moment so in case of a catastrophy we can use the backup one? Maybe what I’m saying doesn’t make sense, but I ask none the less, I’m seriously terrified when it comes to change URL’s

#18

Hi @klelietta,

Yes, it’s a separate installation/database based on their replies. But I do agree that you should download a backup first, please do it first. I can’t download your site backup because of privacy concern as it may contain any personal data.

Let me know once you download a backup of your site, then I’ll proceed. And it’s okay too because once we figured the issue and fixed it, then we’ll have to transfer it back to the live one. Hence, backup is really needed on this one.

Thanks :wink:

#19

Ok I asked them to manually have a backup of the website now (usually they create automatic backups every day) so I have the one for now.
Then when /if you nee to push the changes to the live site, before that it’s better we do another… is it ok?

#20

HI there,

Sure, the process maybe slow but safer. Let me know, and I like to see what’s going on too as I can add this to the list for possible workaround :slight_smile:

Thanks!

#21

what do you mean? I have the backup now… you can start checking out the stage site right?