Multi-language content filter: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 07:31, 20 December 2011

The Multi-language content filter enables resources to be created in multiple languages. When turned on, it looks for <span lang="xx" class="multilang"> tags which indicate that a text contains multiple languages. Then it selects and outputs the best language for the current user. The language of the resource will change when the user changes their selected Moodle language.

How to use in a course

To use this feature first create your contents in multiple languages (in the same resource). Then enclose each language block (aka multilang block) in the following tags:

      <span lang="XX" class="multilang">your_content_here</span>
      <span lang="YY" class="multilang">your_content_in_other_language_here</span>

It is essential to be in the code editing mode (press [<>] in the HTML editor), when you enter these tags for them to work. Only spaces, tabs and enters can be used between the individual languages in the multilang block.

How it works internally

Filter first looks for multilang blocks in the text
For each multilang block:
- If there are texts in the currently active language, print them
- Else, if there exists texts in the current parent language, print them
- Else, print the first language found in the text
Text outside of multilang blocks will be shown always

Common problems

The multilang filter is not enabled. It can be enabled by a site administrator in Settings > Site administration > Plugins > Filters > Manage filters.
Extra characters between language span tags - editor might add <br /> or other tags, please review the html in source view
If the course setting is "force" some language, you won't be able to change the displayed language.
Extra spaces in language span tag
Can not easily access language choice dropdown! Unfortunately you must go to the site homepage or your own profile to change the displayed language. It is possible to manually quickly change displayed lang by editing the URL in the browsers address bar. See Tips and tricks below!

Tips and tricks

Changing language displayed without going to front page

It is possible to change the displayed language by manually changing the link.

Here is the default language page at id=2306. This link is in English, the default language:

http://moodle.org/mod/resource/view.php?id=2306

The link to change the page display to Spanish is

http://moodle.org/mod/resource/view.php?id=2306&lang=es ,

When the default language is an other language, to change the page to an English version, the link would be:

http://moodle.org/mod/resource/view.php?id=2306&lang=en

Thus, with a bit of editing, you can manually change the displayed language by adding "&lang=xx" to the URL in the location bar of the browser. Where xx is the abbreviation for the language you want.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Filters}}
 The Multi-language content filter enables resources to be created in multiple languages. When turned on, it looks for <nowiki><span lang="xx" class="multilang"></nowiki> tags which indicate that a text contains multiple languages. Then it selects and outputs the best language for the current user. The language of the resource will change when the user changes their selected Moodle language.
-The multilang syntax was changed in 1.8. <nowiki><lang></nowiki> is not supported any more. It is required to add ''class="multilang"'' into each <nowiki><span></nowiki> tag in multilang block. The new syntax is backwards compatible with old plugins, which means it can be used in older Moodle version.
 == How to use in a course ==
@@ Line 10: / Line 9: @@
        <span lang="YY" class="multilang">your_content_in_other_language_here</span></nowiki>
-It is essential to be in '''the code editing mode''' (press <nowiki>[<>]</nowiki> in the HTML editor), when you enter these tags for them to work. Only spaces, tabs and enters can be used between the individual languages in the multilang block. Please note that ''class="multilang"'' is not required prior to 1.8.
+It is essential to be in '''the code editing mode''' (press <nowiki>[<>]</nowiki> in the HTML editor), when you enter these tags for them to work. Only spaces, tabs and enters can be used between the individual languages in the multilang block.
-Following code
-      <nowiki><lang="XX">your_content_here</lang>
-      <lang="YY">your_content_in_other_language_here</lang></nowiki>
-does NOT work.
-The obsoleted HTML tagging
-      <nowiki><lang lang="XX">your_content_here</lang>
-      <lang lang="YY">your_content_in_other_language_here</lang>
-      <span lang="XX">your_content_here</span>
-      <span lang="YY">your_content_in_other_language_here</span></nowiki>
-will not work in 1.8 and later. In 1.8 the lang attribute without ''class="multilang"'' can be used to mark the language of the text - see http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/struct/dirlang.html
 == How it works internally ==
@@ Line 34: / Line 20: @@
 # Text outside of multilang blocks will be shown always
-==Course summary and title tags==
+== Common problems ==
-To be able to change text such as resource titles and summaries, an administrator must choose ''Filter all strings'' in the site administration.
+* The multilang filter is not enabled. It can be enabled by a site administrator in ''Settings > Site administration > Plugins > Filters > Manage filters''.
+* Extra characters between language span tags - editor might add <nowiki><br /></nowiki> or other tags, please review the html in source view
+* If the course setting is "force" some language, you won't be able to change the displayed language.
+* Extra spaces in language span tag
+* Can not easily access language choice dropdown! Unfortunately you must go to the site homepage or your own profile to change the displayed language. It is possible to manually quickly change displayed lang by editing the URL in the browsers address bar. See Tips and tricks below!
- <nowiki> <span lang="en" class="multilang">Matematically</span> <span lang="sv" class="multilang">Matematiskt (svenska)</span></nowiki>
+==Tips and tricks==
-functions as English or Swedish title.
-It doesn't seem to work for course titles (neither long nor short version).
+===Changing language displayed without going to front page===
+It is possible to change the displayed language by manually changing the link.
+*Here is the default language page at id=2306. This link is in English, the default language:
+:http://moodle.org/mod/resource/view.php?id=2306
+*The link to change the page display to Spanish is
+:http://moodle.org/mod/resource/view.php?id=2306&lang=es ,
+*When the default language is an other language, to change the page to an English version, the link would be:
+:http://moodle.org/mod/resource/view.php?id=2306&lang=en
-In the course summary:
+Thus, with a bit of editing, you can manually change the displayed language by adding "&lang=xx" to the URL in the location bar of the browser. Where xx is the abbreviation for the language you want.
- <nowiki><span lang="en" class="multilang">Growth is often a major concern in planning society.
- How can one avoid superficial conclusions? <br>
-(Exists in Swedish too. Finns på svenska också)</span>
- <span lang="sv" class="multilang">Tillväxt är ofta använt i samhällsdebatten.
-Hur kan man undvika ytliga slutsatser?
- (Finns på engelska också. Exists in English too.)
-<br /></span> </nowiki>
-Can show in the chosen language (and point out that the other language is there). Please note that ''class="multilang"'' is not required prior to Moodle 1.8.
-== Translations with tags ==
-If you wish to translate a word or phrase in an English text to another language:
- <nowiki>If I want to include an explanation <span lang="en"> </span>
- <span lang="sv" class="multilang">(sv: förklaring)</span> in a running text can I do it?
-<br />
-<br /><span lang="en" class="multilang>If I want to include an explanation in a running text
- can I do it? </span>
-<span lang="sv" class="multilang>If I want to include an explanation (sv: förklaring) in a
-running text can I do it?</span></nowiki>
-would both work, but not:
- <nowiki>If I want to include an explanation <span lang="en" class="multilang></span>
- <span lang="sv" class="multilang>(sv: förklaring)</span> in a running text can I do it?
-<br />If I want to include an explanation <span lang="sv" class="multilang>(sv: förklaring)</span>
- in a running text can I do it?<br /></nowiki>
-which would show the Swedish even if English was the chosen language. NOTE that before 1.8 the "span lang=en" must contain something, at least a space.
-== New multilang syntax ==
-{{Moodle 1.8}}
-* <nowiki><span lang="xx"> and <lang></nowiki> should not be used anymore
-* Existing content can be upgraded using the admin/multilangupgrade.php script, there is a link in the admin notification page if a multilang upgrade is required.
-* The multilang filter can be configured to use old syntax only - see ''Multi-Language Content Settings''; this setting may be removed in 1.9
-* New syntax is forced during a new 1.8 installation, for upgraded sites the new syntax is enabled after the multilang upgrade
-== Common problems ==
-* The multilang filter is not enabled - go to filter settings and enable it
-* ''Filter all strings'' not enabled on sites that need multilang in titles, navigation, headings, etc.
-* Extra characters between language span tags - editor might add <nowiki><br /></nowiki> or other tags, please review the html in source view
-* Extra spaces in language span tag
-== See also ==
+==See also==
-*[[Filters (administrator)]]
+*[[Language]]
-*Using Moodle [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=51603 Multilanguage filter - does not work ...] forum discussion
+*Custom menu items in [[Theme settings]]
-*Using Moodle [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=74340 Problems with multilang filter and SPAN tags] forum discussion
-[[Category:Teacher]]
+[[Category:Language]]
-[[Category:Filter]]
 [[es:Filtros (Administrador)]]
 [[fr:Contenu multilingue]]
 [[ja:多言語シンタックス]]

Documentation