Search Knowledge Base by Keyword

This KB documentation is using Advanced Search, Links Editor and Elegant Layouts add-ons.

Print

Setup Polylang for Knowledge Base

Created OnJune 26, 2022
Updated OnDecember 26, 2024
By:Dennis
0 out Of 5 Stars
5 Stars 0%
4 Stars 0%
3 Stars 0%
2 Stars 0%
1 Stars 0%
Views586
Polylang Documentation

To learn more about Polylang features and overall configuration, please refer to their documentation. This article only covers the setup of the Polylang for Echo Knowledge base. 

Learn More

In this article we will use English as the primary Language and French as the second language.

Initial Setup

Copy the URL link to this section to share
Step

Install Polylang

After you install and activate Polylang, setup your languages. In this example, we are using English and French.

Polylang Initial Setup
Click to zoom
Step

Choose The Primary Language

Choose your primary language. In this example we chose English.

Polylang Initial Setup Choose language
Click to zoom
Step

Enable KB for Multi-Language

Go to the Knowledge Base Configurations screen and enable the Translations settings.

  1. Go to the Tools tab.
  2. Go to the Other tab.
  3. Enable the Polylang and WPML setting.
Enable KB Multi-language
Click to zoom
Step

Create the Secondary Version of the KB Main Page

We started our first KB with the English Language. Next, we will convert all KB content, starting with the KB Main page.

In this example, the page that contains the KB shortcode (called KB Main Page) is called Help.

  1. The KB Main page.
  2. Click on the plus icon to create the French version of the KB Main page.
Create KB Main page French Version
Click to zoom
Step

Set the Values for the Secondary Version of KB Main Page

  1. Enter the title in the secondary language. "Aider" is the French word for "Help".
  2. Copy the same KB shortcode from the page of the primary language (English in this example).
  3. Update the French slug as well.
  4. Publish the page.
Set the French Values of your KB main page
Click to zoom
Step

Add KB Categories for the Secondary Language

To setup the French Version of KB Categories, click on the plus icon beside each category.

Setup French Versions of Categories
Click to zoom
Step

Create KB Categories for the Secondary Language

  1. Enter the French name of the category called "Frequently Asked Questions" which is "Questions Frequemment Posees"
  2. This is optional and typically not used since the slug is usually based on the category name and is automatically generated by WordPress.
  3. This shows that the new category will be part the French language. No change is required here.
  4. This shows other language versions, in this case English. No change is required here.
  5. Choose the icon to match the English version.
  6. Click the "Add New Category" button.

Repeat the steps for all KB categories

Creating the French Categories
Click to zoom
Step

Create Articles for the Secondary Language

Click on the plus sign to add the French version of this article.

Create French Articles
Click to zoom
Step

Add Article Content for the Secondary Language

  1. Add the French version of the article Title
  2. Add the French version of the article content
  3. Since this is the French version and you already created the French Categories the correct French Category should already be selected.
  4. Publish the article.

Repeat the steps for all the articles

French Article content
Click to zoom
Step

Switch Between Language Versions of an Article

In previous steps we created both an English and a French version of an article.

Article Example
Click to zoom
Step

Switch Between Language Versions of KB Main Pages

Each KB Main Page has its own language version.

Main Page Example
Click to zoom
Step

Update Labels on the Frontend for Each Language

Use Polylang String search to find and update each language label if needed. For example, to update the Search Box and Article strings:

  1. Go to the Languages menu item.
  2. Select String translations.
  3. Find KB labels and update the text.

Note: Ensure that the language at the top is selected for the language that you want to update.

Note that admin page strings hardcoded in PHP files are not handled by the Strings translations list table. These strings are stored in .po/.mo files. You can translate them with tools like Poedit or the Loco translate plugin.

Update Strings
Click to zoom

Update KB URLs to Match Each Language

Copy the URL link to this section to share
This feature requires the Polylang PRO Plugin.

In the free version of Polylang, you cannot change the Main Page URL for the article URLs and the Category Archive Page URLs. See example below.

Polylang (Free) English Version

  • KB Main Page:  www.website.com/help/
  • Article Page: www.website.com/help/frequently-asked-questions/about-kb-add-ons/
  • Category Archive Page:  www.website.com/help/category/frequently-asked-questions/

Polylang (Free) French Version

  • KB Main Page: www.website.com/fr/aider/
  • Article Page: www.website.com/fr/help/questions-frequemment-posees/a-propos-des-modules-complementaires-kb/
  • Category Archive Page:  www.website.com/fr/help/category/questions-frequemment-posees/

 

In the above example, the RED slugs can only be changed via the Polylang PRO plugin. Read more about this in the Polylang documentation:

Translating URLS slugs

Once you have Polylang PRO installed and activated, you can update KB URLs as follows:

  1. Choose the language you wish to translate.
  2. Click on the Languages menu.
  3. Click on the Strings translations.
  4. Translate your KB main page URL.
  5. Translate your KB Main page URL and Category slugs.
  6. Translate your KB Main page URL and Tag slugs
  7. Save your changes.
Update your French URLs
Click to zoom

Troubleshooting

Copy the URL link to this section to share

If you are having issues with the translation of KB pages, categories and tags with Polylang, try the following:

404 Errors

Copy the URL link to this section to share
Step

Install Polylang PRO

Ensure you have the Polylang Pro plugin installed and activated and follow the instructions above again carefully to ensure you didn't miss anything. 

Step

KB URL

Check that you only change the KB URL for the main language that you setup. In the example above, we used English for the main language and then translated the URLs for the other language ( French ). 

Was this article helpful?
0 out Of 5 Stars
5 Stars 0%
4 Stars 0%
3 Stars 0%
2 Stars 0%
1 Stars 0%
5
How can we improve this article?
Please submit the reason for your vote so that we can improve the article.
Need help?
Tags:
Table of Contents

Copyright © 2024 Echo Plugins. All Rights Reserved.