<ALTERNATIVE_LANGUAGE> link

[Hans]

I am using the <ALTERNATIVE_LANGUAGE> tag now, with English as main and Dutch as alternative language. It works fine.

However, this tag creates a link that shows the word 'English' or 'Nederlands' (Dutch) as a description on the site. I would like to change this description, for example into an image of the English or Dutch flag.

I managed to do exactly that by *not* using the tag and supplying the link myself. But it would be better to use the tag. Isn't there is a way to use this tag and somehow be able to change the link description into another description or into an image?

[Dkozikowski]

There is no harm in using direct links to switch between alternative languages.

A tag is not mandatory in this situation.

[Dennis]

Dave, you should read your own documentation :p

Hans: the text for the language are in the corresponding language files. If you open up lang_english.php in an ascii editor you would find the following section:


// Alternative language
$lang_alt_lang_dutch="Nederlands";
$lang_alt_lang_english="English";
$lang_alt_lang_french="Français";
$lang_alt_lang_german="Deutsch";
.....


There you can change the text displayed like this:


$lang_alt_lang_english="<img src=\"lang_en.gif\" alt=\"English\" />";

[Dkozikowski]

LOL, I knew about this perfectly well but there is no need for it.

It just adds 1 more thing to worry about when upgrading. ;)

[Dennis]

Don't get me started on upgrading :p I have to manually update the language files every time you think of something nice :p

Hans: So yeah, in retrospect you might want to hardcode the url in the template files as suggested by dwilkinsjr. That would save you the hassle when upgrading (like me).

[Hans]

Ok, thanks for your suggestions. Yes, I will rather stay with my current solution, because I know that I forget those things when upgrading :-o

Feature Request for next version (if I may) : Add option in Admin screens to set the text for the link of the main and the alternative language... The text could default to the text as read from the language files.

[Dennis]

Yeah, problem is that it would add even more fields to the database and we want to make it smaller :D