mib1976

i have one wish...multilanguage support.

mmx

MambelFish allows multilanguage support for the frontend, and it's available on mosForge or Mamboportal.com. Note that this solution is going to be included in the 5.0 version.

It is a superpack, so you need to decompress the archive first. Then install the component using the component installer. Afterwards, install the set of replacement core files. The current version is updated for version 4.5.1.0.7 and was pre-setup for version 4.5.1.0.8 (which is being released as version 4.6).

mib1976

that´s a good message. BIG THANX!!!

BennieBlanco

MambleFish but for what languages??
Not Bosnian or Yugoslavian or Croatian

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stingrey

Actually I believe the way that mambelfish works (never tried it so I could be wrong) is that it allows you to translate your own content to the language you are converting.

What i mean is It doesn't convert the content for you automatically. You have to convert the content yourself, it simply gives you the interface that allows you to easily do this.

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BennieBlanco

yes Stingrey you are right
but the module that we have in Mambo gives you a option to translate just 6
languages From English!!
Does not give you the option to pick the languages or to translate back let say from German to English.It goes just one way and like I said just for 6 languages
When I go on Mable fish.com there is dozent of languages and you have both options.From and to.
This litlle module that we have is nice but not very usefoll
I check my stats yesterday I ahd around 150ppl in 2h most of them from the forum
I mean most of them can't understand my language and yeah ok site look's nice but "I don't understand anything"
It would be nice to have a module that would help us overcome this prob.

The most compatibile language from group Ex-Yugoslavian for now is Croatian.
ANd most advanced for now

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mmx

To get what I consider to be true multilanguage to work, some major changes are required to the database schema. To do it now would mean forking the code. Also, all components would need a language_id field in their tables for storing content with a shared primary key for those tables (content id + language_id).

Based on what I can make out of the comments from Andrew in the 5.0 thread on mamboserver.com, they are heading in that direction for 5.0 by using mos_content as a centralized location for storing content, including component content. Mos_content is being split into two tables and a mos_languages table is being used to handle language relationships for the langauge-specific instances of content record segments. The approach sounds somewhat similar to the approach used by osCommerce. That is, mos_content would store the common information for the content record itself and something like a a separate mos content_desciptions table would be used to store the language specific instances of the content records associated with that common record information.

For example, mos_content would store the id and catid. mos_content_descriptions would store the language specific content such as id, language_id, title, text, published, checked_out, checked_out_time, etc. The mos_content_descriptions table could use id and language_id as a joint primary key to handle relate the language specific record instances in mos_content_descriptions with the common data fields on mos_content. Something along these lines will work fine. The solution will probably be somewhere along these lines but not explcitly as explained here.

=====================
For now, you can always do multilanguage with the mamSites but require one separate installation for each site with shared tables as per your overall site requirements.

site.com/english/
site.com/espanol/
site.com/deutche/

You could handle automatic language switching in index.php based on ip address (look at the example code on zend.com for handling this sort of thing). The typical way of handling manual switching is to create a module with flag icons and click on those to load the various sites, or use a select list for doing the same. The problem with using flags is that multiple languages are spoken in most countries.

andreadesign

sorry mmx... are two nights that i'm dreaming about this and i
think to understand that we are come at the same conclusion...

when i write a news (ie) i write it in my language (italian) and than
i can switch in a similar panel called english and i write there in english...
right?

for me this is the better way because all the automatic translator are worst
than my english... if i have to be wrong i would like to be the author

mmx

I'm going to post Alex Kempkin's readme file for MambelFish in the message below to clarify multilanguage support. MambelFish is an implementation of the Babel Fish tools that allow translators to manually translate content into other languages. It is not an automatic langauge translator.

------------------------------------------------
Welcome to the MabelFish - which is no mashine or babel fish based translation!

The MambelFish is an add-on component for MamboOS which allows you to maintain
and organize your manual translated content in your Mambo database.

The key features of the fish are:
Possibility for an unlimited amount of languages
Possibility to MANUAL translate all dynamic content of your Mambo installation in ONE database
Overview of the changed contents in the Translation list
Support for all the core components/modules of MamboOS
Frontend component for language selection


Languages
---------

You can download a great variaty of different frontend languages from the net
(e.g. from www.mamboportal.com).
These language files provide the static text information within your templates
or components/modules (e.g. "login", "forgot your password").

By installing the new languages files thru the Language Manager
(Administrator -> Site -> Language Manager) you can use these different adapted
text information. You can upload as many language files as you like there!

After you uploaded these files in the language manager it is possible to use
these languages in the MambelFish for the translation process. Please follow
the installation and configurations instructions below.


Core file patches
-----------------
Due to the fact that the MambelFish is not (yet) a core component some of these
original files must be changed/patched. The core patches provide exactly these
changes. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT EACH PATCH BELONGS EXACTLY TO THE VERSION OF
THE CORE FILES. IT IS NORMALLY NOT POSSIBLE TO JUST USE A PATCH FOR A DIFFERENT
VERSION!


Installation
------------
The basic installation of the MambelFish goes along with the Mambo standards.

1. Install the component thru the Administrator -> Components -> Install
routine.

2. Now the difference starts: Applying the corresponding patch.
a) BACKUP YOUR ACTUAL MAMBO INSTALLATION DIRECTORY!
b) MAKE SURE YOU BACKUP THE DIRECTORY
c) The patch is a zip file which corresponds with the directory structure
of the Mambo sources. So please unzip this file to the root of your Mambo
installation, overwriting all files.

For a simple test please switch to the peeklime template. Within this template
you should see a combobox with the language name "English" in it - next to the
search field (upper right part). Also in the Administrator the Version should
now say something about the MambelFish.


Language configuration
---------------------
As said, the first step is to upload at least a second language to your
Mambo installation. Do this with the help of the Language Manager
(Administrator -> Site -> Language Manager).

After you installed the language go to
Administrator -> Components -> MambelFish -> Component Configuration

Choose the tab "Languages" and activate the new language. Also define the
ISO code and the Name, which is the visible name in the frontend component.
Save the new configuration.

This kind of activation must be done for each language added to the system.


Translation process
-------------------
The translation process is based on the translation overview (Component ->
MambelFish -> Translation). In this overview you have to select the language
you want to translate into and a content element.

The content elements represent the possible dynamic content in your database.
This includes normally all your sections, categories, content items but also
the information from other components, like the web links, polls and so on.

It is possible to add new content elements just by adding new XML files in the
folder /administrator/components/com_mambelfish/contentelements. These files
describe how the table structure is organized and which fields of the
table should be translatable and how.

After you selected one language and one content element you will see all the
items of this filter. Best start with your new language and the content elements
"menues". Click on one item in the list to translate it.

Now you see the details of the translation - go ahead. Second tab publish
the translation of this item and make sure the language is correct - Save.

Now you can go back to the frontend and you should already find your menu
translated (of course after a reload or change to your new language ;-)).

Small hint:
===========
I found out that it is the best to start creating your site in one language and
translate anything to a second, third one. In this way it is most easy for you
to build the structure and finally translate it to the other languages.
Anyhow if you once have a original content in a second language don't worry,
just translate it into your primary language and you are fine.



I hope this more detailed documentation helped a bit for the first steps.

Thanks to the community for all the support in testing, and new ideas

Alex

bokan

I do think mambo should include multilanguage at several levels :

- translation of back end and front end in different languages
- support for multi language website (same article in several language)
and, most of all :
- standard localisation files system (even for components)
all strings for any component should be stored in languages/language/component_name

so anyone will be able to translate any component and share laguage files for all components.

automatic download of language packs on a remote webiste when you install a new component would be awsome