Note: This documentation is for Moodle 2.7. For up-to-date documentation see Multi-language content filter.

Multi-language content filter: Difference between revisions

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{{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 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 ==
== How to use in a course ==
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       <span lang="YY" class="multilang">your_content_in_other_language_here</span></nowiki>
       <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.
 
Note: If your site uses a child language pack (see [[Language packs]] for the list), then the first span tag must be the parent language. Otherwise, when a user using the child language views the text, it will not be in the correct language for them (as reported in MDL-55197). For example, if your site uses en_us then the en span tag (as parent language) must be first i.e.


Following code
<nowiki><span lang="en" class="multilang">your_content_in English</span>
      <nowiki><lang="XX">your_content_here</lang>
       <span lang="de" class="multilang">your_content_in_German_here</span></nowiki>
       <lang="YY">your_content_in_other_language_here</lang></nowiki>
does NOT work.


The obsoleted HTML tagging
==How to use for assignment submission agreements==
      <nowiki><lang lang="XX">your_content_here</lang>
#Since Moodle 2.7.4 it's possible to have assignment submission statements in different languages.
      <lang lang="YY">your_content_in_other_language_here</lang>
#With the filter enabled, go to Site administration>Plugins>Activity modules>Assignment>Assignment settings.
#In the submission statement, add (for example)


      <span lang="XX">your_content_here</span>
      <nowiki><span lang="en" class="multilang">This assignment is my own work, except where I have acknowledged the use of the works of other people.</span>
      <span lang="YY">your_content_in_other_language_here</span></nowiki>
<span lang="fr" class="multilang">Ce devoir est le fruit de mon travail personnel, sauf aux endroits où l'utilisation d'oeuvre d'autres auteurs est clairement indiquée.</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 ==
== How it works internally ==
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# Text outside of multilang blocks will be shown always
# 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
<nowiki> <span lang="en" class="multilang">Matematically</span> <span lang="sv" class="multilang">Matematiskt (svenska)</span></nowiki>
* If the course setting is "force" some language, you won't be able to change the displayed language.
functions as English or Swedish title.
* 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!
It doesn't seem to work for course titles (neither long nor short version).
* The multilang filter does not work with the course short name! A course's short name is meant as a unique course identifier, so it does not use the multilang filter
 
In the course summary:
 
<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 ==  
==Tips and tricks==  
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>
===Changing language displayed without going to front page===
  <span lang="sv" class="multilang">(sv: förklaring)</span> in a running text can I do it?
It is possible to change the displayed language by manually changing the link.  
<br />
*Here is the default language page at id=2306. This link is in English, the default language:
<br /><span lang="en" class="multilang>If I want to include an explanation in a running text
:http://moodle.org/mod/resource/view.php?id=2306
can I do it? </span>
*The link to change the page display to Spanish is
<span lang="sv" class="multilang>If I want to include an explanation (sv: förklaring) in a
:http://moodle.org/mod/resource/view.php?id=2306&lang=es ,
running text can I do it?</span></nowiki>
*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


would both work, but not:
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>If I want to include an explanation <span lang="en" class="multilang></span>
==The 'Restriction by language' additional plugin==
<span lang="sv" class="multilang>(sv: förklaring)</span> in a running text can I do it?
Language filters are great, but sometimes they can make your resources and activities very complex.
<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 ==
The 'Restriction by language' availability condition is an additional plugin for Moodle 2.7, available in the [https://moodle.org/plugins/view.php?plugin=availability_language Moodle plugins database], that makes it easy to show an English resource only to English users and an activity in French only to French speaking students.
{{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 ==
[[File:Restriction by language.png]]
 
* 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
* Can not easily access language choice dropdown! Unfortunately you must go to the site homepage or your own profile to change the displayed language. Want a change? see [http://tracker.moodle.org/browse/MDL-11531 MDL-11531]


== 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
*[https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=320980 this forum thread] about translating a MOOC
*Using Moodle [http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=94006 Multilingual Content] forum discussion


[[Category:Teacher]]
[[Category:Language]]
[[Category:Filter]]


[[es:Filtros (Administrador)]]
[[de:Mehrsprachiger Inhalt]]
[[es:Contenido multilingüe]]
[[fr:Contenu multilingue]]
[[fr:Contenu multilingue]]
[[ja:多言語シンタックス]]
[[ja:多言語シンタックス]]

Latest revision as of 12:59, 28 September 2016

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.

Note: If your site uses a child language pack (see Language packs for the list), then the first span tag must be the parent language. Otherwise, when a user using the child language views the text, it will not be in the correct language for them (as reported in MDL-55197). For example, if your site uses en_us then the en span tag (as parent language) must be first i.e.

<span lang="en" class="multilang">your_content_in English</span>
      <span lang="de" class="multilang">your_content_in_German_here</span>

How to use for assignment submission agreements

  1. Since Moodle 2.7.4 it's possible to have assignment submission statements in different languages.
  2. With the filter enabled, go to Site administration>Plugins>Activity modules>Assignment>Assignment settings.
  3. In the submission statement, add (for example)
      <span lang="en" class="multilang">This assignment is my own work, except where I have acknowledged the use of the works of other people.</span>
<span lang="fr" class="multilang">Ce devoir est le fruit de mon travail personnel, sauf aux endroits où l'utilisation d'oeuvre d'autres auteurs est clairement indiquée.</span> 

How it works internally

  1. Filter first looks for multilang blocks in the text
  2. 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
  3. 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!
  • The multilang filter does not work with the course short name! A course's short name is meant as a unique course identifier, so it does not use the multilang filter

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.

The 'Restriction by language' additional plugin

Language filters are great, but sometimes they can make your resources and activities very complex.

The 'Restriction by language' availability condition is an additional plugin for Moodle 2.7, available in the Moodle plugins database, that makes it easy to show an English resource only to English users and an activity in French only to French speaking students.

Restriction by language.png

See also