drupal core multilanguage - content translation
http://drupal.org/handbook/modules/translation 6.14
updated Fri, 10 Aug 2012 for drupal 6.25
Main function:
Content translation allows the translation of end-user content to other languages.
Example function:
You want you translate any/all content created through posts that are defined defined by Content types.
What it is not:
This module works exclusively for translation of content that is defined by the content types listed under Content management > Content types. The module is not about blocks or menus or other core or contributed module interfaces; it does not support language functionality (translation) of those.
Alternatives:
The translation functionality to other site parts like blocks, menus and module user interfaces is handled by the internationalisation (i18n) module. I'll explain about this later (first things first).
Manage:
The administration sections for Content translation:
The sequence here is by actual step-by-step usage with explanations.
- User management > Permissions: translation module: translate content
=> Set the permissions here
+> Remember to set these permissions.
-> Check here first if someone, or the Role that someone is assigned to, can't access the functionality. - Content management > Content types > [per Content type] in Workflow settings: Multilingual support: Disabled, Enabled, Enabled with translation support
=> Disabled means default language only, Enabled means users can choose a language, Enabled with translation means users can choose a language plus users with permission (ex: users, admins) can translate that content after clicking on a translate tab that appears on the specific content page. - Create content > [per enabled Content type] > in Language: Language neutral, Language A, Language B...
=> When a user selects a defined language (Lang A, Lang B, etc), the content will initially appear for that language (path), only. The translation tab that appears automatically as soon as the original language is defined, gives the opportunity for someone to translate this content to another language, given the role with permissions to do so, and the appropriate setting of Enabled with translation, mentioned above. The Translate tab is the entry point for every translation of content.
+> The translate tab only appears if a defined language is selected.
-> The translate tab will not appear if: Language neutral is selected. Language neutral is not defined, so content marked Language neutral always appears in all languages, regardless what it's content (language) is. Playing both sides, that's neutral. Note: Language neutral is the default setting.
-> Careful: You cannot translate a piece of content by making the translation on an original content page and switching the language in the drop down box! This is a double no-no (because that langiage dropdown box is valid only for the current page): 1) You would be placing translated content into the original language node, causing the wrong language to appear and 2) you would be overwriting and losing the original text. Always use the translation tab in order to keep all language versions intact. - Content management > Content > List: overview of content items, displaying Language, and Edit per content item
=> Here you can go through a list of content pages and check what languages content items are in. You can see what needs to be translated, and directly proceed to do the translations.
+> The result is the same as going through content, item by item (next) - Per Content item of enabled Content type: Translate tab.
=> Make translations of content by clicking on the Translate tab, which creates a new node for the translation. Enter the translation there. - Per Content item of enabled Content type > View: language switcher
=> A language switcher appears at the bottom of the original and translated contents. It appears exclusively based on setting the content of the particular node to a defined language, that is at the moment the Language tab is present for the particular node, and the item has undergone some or all translation. This language switcher is fixed, meaning it cannot be removed, unless the internationalisation module (i18n) is installed. The i18n module will only enable/disable the language switcher globally; it cannot be made to appear/disappear based on user roles.
Well, I think that's it. But not quite.
Language and node numbering behaviour:
There's no way around it. Some aspects here must be considered for sef. WIP.
Front Page Duplicates and Primary Menu Duplicates:
After translating some content and their menu details, you'll notice that all of the menu items multiply in the menu (ex: primary menu). Also, all different languages get promoted to the front page for the languages. This appears to be intended behaviour, referring to "Language selection". This is a feature of the separate i18n module.
Of course it cannot stay this way, because it is a) useless and b) if you are live, google might come and sniff these "wrong" and multiple duplicated nodes. It will take a long time for your site to recover.
The second you install the i18n module with menu translation, all this fixes itself automatically. It's magic.
Other:
What I'm unsure about is if translations can really be made, trouble free, from original user content in non-default language to default language, or other languages. I'll be testing this. I'm still marked by the complete chaos (that required me to go back to last site backup) when a default language switched without telling me about it. No idea how it happened, but I believe I was active in admin while in non-default language...