Language Selection Mod

Post by **Extensions Robot** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 6:14 pm

Modification name: Language Selection Mod
Author: Typo
Modification description: This mod adds a drop down menu to the top of the site which allows guests as well as logged in users easily select any of the sites installed languages.

The dropdown box is located to the right of the font size icon in prosilver and just below the current time in subsilver2.

To ensure compatibility with any language you installed or will install, the mod uses the languages folder name to select languages. This name is the same name as identified in the ISO column in the language area in the ACP (under the system tab).

You also have the option of using this mod with your own custom links, such as flags for instance instead of the dropdown menu. Simply add ?nlang=?? to any url in the forum where '??' would be 'en' for english or 'fr' for french and so on. An example would be "http://www.site.com/forum/index.php?nlang=en".

The mod verifies that the selected language is installed (in case you used a URL to select the language) by attempting to access a file in a language folder with the same name. If the folder exists, the mod checks to make sure that you have actually installed the language.

If you intend on using your own flags/icons and do not want the dropdown menu installed, simply skip the steps that edit overall_header.html (both of them).
Modification version: 1.0.0
Tested on phpBB version: 3.0.7

Download file: language_selection_mod.zip
File size: 55.47 KiB

Modification overview page: View

The phpBB Team is not responsible nor required to provide support for this modification. By installing this MOD, you acknowledge that the phpBB Support Team or phpBB Extension Customisations Team may not be able to provide support.

-->Modification support<--

Post by **Paul** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 6:14 pm

Modification validated/released

Notes:

Typo · Post by **Typo** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 6:14 pm

This post has been reserved for the MOD author.

Boardtalk.net · Post by **Boardtalk.net** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 9:40 pm

This is a handy mod and will prove to be very useful to many sites I’m sure. Well done on its validation and thank you.

PinoyEngine™ · Post by **PinoyEngine™** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 10:15 am

will this save cache for that visitor so that it will always use that language for that visitor?

Typo · Post by **Typo** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 12:32 pm

Boardtalk.net wrote:This is a handy mod and will prove to be very useful to many sites I’m sure. Well done on its validation and thank you.

Thanks, glad you like it.

PinoyEngine™ wrote:will this save cache for that visitor so that it will always use that language for that visitor?

Yes, the mod stores the choice for logged in users as if they made the change in the UCP. For non logged in users, a cookie is used to remember the choice.

Typo

stephenju · Post by **stephenju** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 8:48 pm

Nice mod. One suggestion: An icon in place of the label "Select your language" will make it easier for visitors who don't know the default language to pick up. For example, English-only speaker visiting a Chinese site won't be able to read the label text translated into Chinese and this mod will be of no use to them.

Thanks.

Typo · Post by **Typo** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:40 pm

stephenju wrote:Nice mod. One suggestion: An icon in place of the label "Select your language" will make it easier for visitors who don't know the default language to pick up. For example, English-only speaker visiting a Chinese site won't be able to read the label text translated into Chinese and this mod will be of no use to them.

Thanks.

Glad you like it and thanks for the comment.

The icon isn't a bad idea and did occur to me before but the problem there is, what icon says "select your language" in a way that everyone will understand?

I also considered putting a flag with every language in the drop down box but this would mean including 230-260 images/icons with the mod and would be a pain in the butt because some countries have more than one language and some languages, like chinese, have more than one language pack (in that case, traditional and simplified) with very odd folder names that won't match flag folders like average languages will.

I will think on the icon idea some more.

Typo

stephenju · Post by **stephenju** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 7:54 pm

The language menu items are less an issue since they are in localized text of each language. It's the label of the menu that matters. It has to convey the function to uses of all different languages. Especially this is not a standard item of phpBB.

Something like a few flags stacking together will probably do. Like the one on this page but a bit smaller: http://jalbum.net/software/features

Typo · Post by **Typo** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 11:22 pm

stephenju wrote:The language menu items are less an issue since they are in localized text of each language. It's the label of the menu that matters. It has to convey the function to uses of all different languages. Especially this is not a standard item of phpBB.

I've actually been thinking about what icon to use because I do like the idea. I will definitely implement it for the next version.

stephenju wrote:Something like a few flags stacking together will probably do. Like the one on this page but a bit smaller: http://jalbum.net/software/features

This icon may actually work, it's a good one. I will keep looking around to see if I can find something better but that looks pretty good. Another thing, I don't think I will use this to replace the "Select Your Language" text, I think I will use the icon in addition to it. Most likely to the left of the words but who knows.

Thanks for the input.

Typo

Typo · Post by **Typo** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 11:45 pm

Ok, how does this look?

Typo

CarolC1 · Post by **CarolC1** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 5:42 am

This is exactly what I was wanting last year and couldn't find it. Thank you. Can't wait to try it. The icon is really attractive.

Bramster. · Post by **Bramster.** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 10:23 am

What happens when auto-language-detection is enabled and the guest user picks another labguage as detected automatically ?

Is the selected language selected by a guest user saved and used during the next visit ? Or does the auto detection override the manual selection ?

Typo · Post by **Typo** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 4:42 pm

CarolC1 wrote:This is exactly what I was wanting last year and couldn't find it. Thank you. Can't wait to try it. The icon is really attractive.

Glad you like the idea and glad you like the icon too but just to make sure you know.....the icon is NOT in the release. It is an idea for an addition.

I hope you enjoy the mod.

Bramster. wrote:What happens when auto-language-detection is enabled and the guest user picks another labguage as detected automatically ?

Is the selected language selected by a guest user saved and used during the next visit ? Or does the auto detection override the manual selection ?

Are you talking about a particular mod? If so, please link me so I can examine the code and give you an answer.

Typo

Bramster. · Post by **Bramster.** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 5:59 pm

Hi Typo,

This is the link: http://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtopic.php?t=862955