In Joomla 3 it's relatively easy to change a site into a multilingual website without using 3rd party extensions ... it only takes 10 steps!

1. by Peter Martin
www.db8.nl / @pe7er
Joomla
multilingual
website
without
3rd party
extensions
Joomladay UK
4th-5th October 2014
Sunningdale Park - Ascot

2. JJoooommllaaddaayy UUKK 22001144
Contents
A. New Multilingual Website
B. Convert existing website to Multilingual
C. Tips
D. Questions

3. JJoooommllaaddaayy UUKK 22001144
Before you start
● Every additional language =
– Possible extra (foreign) visitors
– Much more maintenance (x number of languages)
● Manual translation
EN: “Don't trust Google Translate”
EN→ES: “No confíe en Google Translate”
ES→NL: “Geen confíe en Google Translate”
NL→EN: “No confíe and Google Translate”

4. A. New Website

15. B. Existing Website

20. 1. Language Pack

21. 1. Install Language packs
Extensions > Language Manager
en-GB = default
[Install Language]

22. 1. Install Language packs
select Spanish > [Install]

24. 1. Install Language packs
Extensions > Language Manager
Dutch & Spanish installed

25. 2. Content Language

26. 2. Configure Content Language
Extensions > Language Manager >
Content
[Content]

27. 2. Configure Content Language
[New]

31. 2. Configure Content Language
No default homepage yet...
→ 7. Menu Item & Association

32. 3. Language Filter plugin

33. 3. Enable Language Filter Plugin
Extensions > Plugin Manager >
“System - Language Filter”

34. 3. Enable Language Filter Plugin
Status “Enabled”
Remove URL Language Code →
“Yes” when site is ready...

35. 4. Categories

36. 4. Create Root Category for English categories
Move current categories under “language root” &
set “Language” to en-GB

37. 4. Create Root Category for English categories

38. 4. Create Root Category for English categories
Use “Batch” to move current categories
under English “language root” &
set “Language” to en-GB

41. 4. Create Root Category for Spanish categories
Use “Batch”,
copy English categories
& set “Language” to es-ES

43. 4. Rename Spanish Categories
Edit category names (& alias)

45. JJoooommllaaddaayy UUKK 22001144
“Alias” non-Latin?
Arabic, Hebrew, Russian, Thai, etc ?
System > Global Configuration >
[Site] tab > “SEO Settings” >
“Unicode Aliases”
→Unicode or Transliteration?
More background info:
http://docs.joomla.org/International_Enhancements_for_Version_1.6

46. JJoooommllaaddaayy UUKK 22001144
“Хачатурян”
Russian composer
– Unicode:
http://example.com/xачатурян
– Unicode (in non supporting software):
http%3A%2F%2Fexample.com%2Fx
%D0%B0%D1%87%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%83%D
1%80%D1%8F%D0%BD%20

47. JJoooommllaaddaayy UUKK 22001144
“Khachaturian”
Russian composer
– Transliteration
if supported in language file (“localise.php”)
http://example.com/khachaturian
– Transliteration
if not supported in language file
http://example.com/2014-10-04-10-25-00

48. JJoooommllaaddaayy UUKK 22001144
“Alias” non-Latin
My method
● Use “manual” English alias:
– No problems with unsupported Unicode &
Transliteration
– Understandable for English reading web masters

49. 4. Link Categories
Associate similar categories of different languages

50. JJoooommllaaddaayy UUKK 22001144
Association
Association:
– does not matter which item to start association with
– “Menu Item” association = more important

51. 4. Associate Categories
Edit > [Associations] tab
Select similar Spanish & Dutch Category

54. 5. Articles

55. 5. Articles
Set language to en-GB,
use “Batch”

57. 5. Articles
Copy English Articles to Spanish
and set language to es-ES
use “Batch”

59. 5. Articles
Filter with “Search Tools”: Category, Max Levels,
Language

60. 5. Articles
Translate manually...

62. 5. Articles
”Associations” to link article
to similar articles
in other languages

63. 5. Articles
”Associated” !

64. JJoooommllaaddaayy UUKK 22001144
Association
Association:
– does not matter which item to start association with
– “Menu Item” association = more important

65. 6. Menus

66. 6. Menus
Create Menu for each language

69. 6. Menus
“Add Module for this menu type”
→ 8. Menu Module
Duplicating existing module = faster...

70. 7. Menu Item & Association

71. 7. Menu items
Move English items
from Main Menu
to English Menu
and set Language = en-GB

72. →English Menu > Add to this menu

73. 7. Menu items
Set one menu item as “default homepage”
→ click on star icon.

74. 7. Menu items
Copy English items
from English Menu
to Spanish Menu
and set Language = es-ES

75. →Spanish Menu > Add to this menu

81. 8. Menu Module

82. 8. Menu Module
Each language own Menu Module:
Extensions > Module Manager >
[Duplicate]

85. → Spanish Menu

87. 9. Language Switcher

88. 9. Install Language Switcher
Module
Extensions > Module Manager
[New]

92. 10. Redirect

93. 10. Redirect Manager
Components > Redirect

94. 10. Redirect Manager
Extensions > Plugin Manager

101. JJoooommllaaddaayy UUKK 22001144
Collect old links
● 404 errors from visitors
● Xmap old site with old links
● XML Sitemap Google Webmaster Tools
● Generate 404 errors yourself via Google

102. 10. Redirect Manager
Generate 404 via Google
Site:yoursite.com
Click all links on results pages

103. 11. Multilingual status

107. 11. Multilingual Status Module
Solve error by creating Menu Item in
Main Menu, set as default.

109. C. Some Tips

110. http://extensions.joomla.org/extensions/languages/multi-lingual-content/22570

111. JJoooommllaaddaayy UUKK 22001144
Language domains
● Free extension
● Different domain names for languages
example.co.uk for English content
example.es for Spanish content
example.nl for Dutch content
● Language selector triggers domain selection
● Entrance via domain triggers language

112. http://extensions.joomla.org/extensions/languages/multi-lingual-content/22156

113. JJoooommllaaddaayy UUKK 22001144
KMFasTrans PRO
● Paid extension
● Manage Translations
● One article with tab for each language

114. http://extensions.joomla.org/extensions/languages/multi-lingual-content/20136

115. JJoooommllaaddaayy UUKK 22001144
Josetta
● Paid extension
● Manage Translations
● Front-end editing, different roles
● Export Joomfish (Joomla 1.5 multilanguage
extension) content to Joomla articles

116. The end
El fin
Einde

117. 117
JJoooommllaaddaayy UUKK 22001144
Contact
Peter Martin
e-mail: info at db8.nl
website: www.db8.nl
twitter: @pe7er
Presentation: http://www.db8.nl
Review this presentation:
https://joind.in/talk/view/11617

118. 118
JJoooommllaaddaayy UUKK 22001144
Used Photos 1/2
● The Tower of Babel (1563) - Pieter Bruegel, foto originally from Google Art Project
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pieter_Bruegel_the_Elder_-_The_Tower_of_Babel_(Vienna)_-_
Google_Art_Project_-_edited.jpg
● LONDON SKYLINE CLIP ART
http://www.clker.com/clipart-london-skyline-19.html
● Gdańsk Przymorze w 2007 - Tomasz Przechlewski, 2007
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gda%C5%84sk_Przymorze_w_2007.JPG
● Fachada del Nacimiento - Templo de la Sagrada Família, Barcelona 3, Sal34, 2011
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fachada_del_Nacimiento_-_Templo_de_la_Sagrada_Fam
%C3%ADlia,_Barcelona_3.jpg
● Roomboter pakje van Melkinrichting A de Wilde, Jordensstraat 43 Haarlem, foto1 - Alf van Beem, 2014
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Roomboter_pakje_van_Melkinrichting_A_de_Wilde,_Jordensstra
at_43_Haarlem,_foto1.JPG
● Icelandic Text Extract - Max Naylor, 2007
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Icelandic_Text_Extract.jpg
● Filter Picture - RichAKay, 2011
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Filter_Picture.jpg
● Books books books... - Brandon Blinkenberg
http://www.sxc.hu/photo/424027

119. 119
JJoooommllaaddaayy UUKK 22001144
Used Photos 2/2
● DaytonNewspaperArticleWrightBros - Dayton Metro Library, Dayton, Ohio, U.S., 1905
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DaytonNewspaperArticleWrightBros.gif
● Street Scene with Restaurant Menu - Merida - Mexico - Adam Jones, Ph.D., 2012
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Street_Scene_with_Restaurant_Menu_-_Merida_-_
Mexico.jpg
● Pea-soup-with-tortilla - Yonkeltron, 2007
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pea-soup-with-tortilla.jpg
● Atari2600jr - Balou, 2006
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Atari2600jr.jpg
● Old Light Switches - Paul Cross
http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1259922
● Caernarfon bilingual pedestrians - Man vyi, 2007
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Caernarfon_bilingual_pedestrians.jpg
● Cockpit Cessna 172 PD 002 - Bin im Garten, 2010
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cockpit_Cessna_172_PD_002.JPG
● Gluehlampe 01 KMJ - KMJ, 2004
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gluehlampe_01_KMJ.jpg