Switching languages

[tractorkd]

Hello everyone, i am new to zencart and would like to know how to change the language for the website.
I have made the languages and file modifications, but when i switch it from region language it stays the same.
Is there a way to add a button on the front page for each language?
Thank you for your time.

[mc12345678]

Welcome to Zen Cart. Understanding that you are new to the program, in posting this question it appears that version 1.5.0 is the version in question. Can you verify that the version installed is 1.5.0 and not the most recently issued/distributed version of 1.5.6a? I ask for a couple of reasons.

1) Zen Cart Version 1.5.0 is some 7 years old and depends on using support software such as PHP that is already beyond end-of-life.
2) because you are just starting off, transitioning to the latest version is easiest when the store software has been modified the least. If performed using the recommended process, this will also make future updates easier to perform.

That and potentially other benefits aside, there should be a sidebox or header option available under tools->layout boxes controller to offer customers the option/ability to change languages.

Alternatively, if the language has been properly and completely installed, then in your Web browser if the additional parameter language=en would for example change to the english language. This parameter needs to be added as depends on the parameters before it. If there already is a question mark (?) then need to prefix the parameter with an ampersand (&) if no question mark is present then preface the parameter with a question mark.

After submitting that web address, if the language is in fact installed, then the translations provided by that language should be displayed.

Also part of verifying that the language is installed is by review in the admin panel at the localization->languages menu. English in addition to your added language should be displayed there.

Hopefully this isn't information overload and that there is at least something that helps you in your situation.

[tractorkd]

Thank you for the reply.
Yes, i am sure it is 1.5.0. Its a finished website and i'm looking to improve it since the creator is no longer doing so.
In layout settings the only option that has the word language in it is Flexible Language Header Options which is switched on with icons option selected but nothing appears in the header.
Could it be due to the fact that its a custom template?

[torvista]

Your initial post is confusing.

"would like to know how to change the language for the website."
That implies the shop, not the admin.

"I have made the languages and file modifications, but when i switch it from region language it stays the same."
That implies you are making a language selection, the page refreshes but the languages stays the same.

"Is there a way to add a button on the front page for each language?"
That says there IS nothing at the moment to change the language, which contradicts what you say previously.

So, you have installed an additional language and enabled in in the admin....
In the template boxes configuration you need to enable the language sidebox so it shows on the catalog side.

Or are you talking about the admin?

[tractorkd]

Sorry for the confusion.
I will try to explain the best i can.
I have installed the languages in includes->languages, and have made a new language from the admin->localization->languages linking to the english language folder.
I am trying to add a button on the header in order for the client to switch the language of the shop. Should i start by installing LanguageCurrency Links in Header plugin that seems to do that?

[mc12345678]

Thank you for the reply.
Yes, i am sure it is 1.5.0. Its a finished website and i'm looking to improve it since the creator is no longer doing so.
In layout settings the only option that has the word language in it is Flexible Language Header Options which is switched on with icons option selected but nothing appears in the header.
Could it be due to the fact that its a custom template?

Ahh, okay, that makes more sense. Adopting someone else's installation.

So, technically no a custom template should not remove the ability to access the other sideboxes that come as a default available option, but customizing the store to remove those options is possible. (it's open source).

The listing of sideboxes expected can be seen at this address: https://github.com/zencart/zencart/t...ules/sideboxes

Basically, if it exists in that directory then it is expected to exist for any custom template. The custom template could then have the same sidebox in its template override folder and modify it as desired/necessary. If those files are not there, then populating them (along with untold others that may be missing) will at least offer the option to make those sideboxes active. Additional effort may be necessary to provide the applicable template files (minimum should have them in the includes/templates/template_default/sideboxes) and as desired to modify to then have them in the template's folder/similar structure.

[tractorkd]

I have all the files in the sideboxes folder BUT i also have an additional folder with the template name which has plugins (ezpages.php,dynamicfilter etc) and no language.php.
Should i copy the contents of the sideboxes folder into this template folder?

[mc12345678]

I have all the files in the sideboxes folder BUT i also have an additional folder with the template name which has plugins (ezpages.php,dynamicfilter etc) and no language.php.
Should i copy the contents of the sideboxes folder into this template folder?

Zen Cart generally operates on a template override process. If the desired file is not found in the override folder then generally speaking the file is pulled from the core fileset. There is no reason to copy all core files to the template override. This will just make any updates harder to apply.

As to torvista's question (I made an assumption) and because some of those that post here identify their "customer" as the store owner. Are we still talking about the catalog side as seen by people navigating the internet and purchasing items from the store owner or are we talking about the store owner as the customer and that the store owner wants to be able to read the admin screen using a different language?

That said about the files existing, when you view the layout controller, is the entire page displayed or is the page partially blank? The footer of the admin should be displayed and there should be a right side box when in this tool. If the screen is not fully displayed (again still in the admin) then may be experiencing a partial blank page which is addressed here: http://www.zen-cart.com/content.php?124-blank-page

Note that because the store is version 1.5.0 that the debug logs would be placed in the cache directory instead of the logs directory.

[tractorkd]

I have checked the layout and its displaying all elements, also the debug files have only a database string warning.
For the language, when i say client i mean website visitor (customer).
Could this pluging (1.3.0 version) be compatible with my version (1.5.0) and maybe help with the missing button problem? https://www.zen-cart.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=30

[tractorkd]

Update: somehow i managed to make the button appear for the language change and it changes the template texts (missing texts / translates etc but at least it switches). Problem is it only shows on the mobile version.
From what i understand, this website has 2 themes: 1 for desktop and 1 for mobile/tablet.
What can make it show only on one template and not the other since they take use the same source?