PHP - Website In Different Languages?

Hi guys,

i was wondering..
Languages?

How does that excactly work?

Where do you save the different language strings, and that stuff?

Do you have php files' for each language, and just includes them?

Or,..

Anyone who can explain me?

thanks =)

The first thing I learned after HTML and CSS is PHP. Its my primary language now, but I also use SQL and javascript and XML regularly, and since I use linux, I use bash scripting. The cool thing is they all work hand in hand. I recently learned how to use SQLite too, which is good because it can be accessed directly by javascript. Are there any other languages which would enable me to make new things and combine them with PHP scripts? I was looking into java but the security restrictions on applets make it pointless. Flash actionscript looks good. What about perl? Or ruby? Would they enable me to do things I can't easily do with PHP? I've heard about node.js recently a lot so I'm looking into that. Bash scripting is great, but the only issue is I could only use it on a server owned by myself, commercial servers won't let you execute commands like that. I'm interested in perl, python and java but I'll only learn them if they enable me to do things I can't do (easily) with PHP.

Hi guys.

This is my first post here - so HELLO.

I am a very experienced software developer, but new to web work. I am building a software tool using PHP (primarily). As such, many of my questions will concern optimum solutions (in so far as they may be determined), best practices, and the unwritten standards that will surely have evolved through the PHP community over time.

My first question concerns the mixing of HTML and PHP. My efforts so far contain a mix, but it doesn't "feel" right. I am using straight XHTML, PHP echo, and also heredoc. I can post the code if folk think it may help. But what is the general view as to whether "mixing" like this is a good and accepted practice, or is another approach preferred?

Many thanks in advance for any replies.

S

Hello there,

I have a CMS which I've trying to create localization for. The idea is in the admin area you check a radio button and it changes the language of the entire admin interface. There is a mysql database with a table called nb_settings that has a column called lang. Up to this point I've gotten it to work but am having problems adding additional languages. The localization files have names like lang.nl.php,lang.en.php and so on..

The original code that works is this in a file called settings.php:

...
<?php
if($row['lang'] == nl)
{
echo '<input name="lang" type="radio" value="nl" checked="checked" /> '.($_CONSTANTS['NL']).'
<input name="lang" type="radio" value="en" /> '.($_CONSTANTS['EN']).'
<input name="lang" type="radio" value="de" /> '.($_CONSTANTS['DE']).'';
}
elseif($row['lang'] == en)
{
echo '<input name="lang" type="radio" value="nl" /> '.($_CONSTANTS['NL']).'
<input name="lang" type="radio" value="en" checked="checked" /> '.($_CONSTANTS['EN']).'
<input name="lang" type="radio" value="de" /> '.($_CONSTANTS['DE']).'';
}
elseif($row['lang'] == de)
{
echo '<input name="lang" type="radio" value="nl" /> '.($_CONSTANTS['NL']).'
<input name="lang" type="radio" value="en" /> '.($_CONSTANTS['EN']).'
<input name="lang" type="radio" value="de" checked="checked" /> '.($_CONSTANTS['DE']).'';
}
?>
...


Another file called common.php is used as well and has the following:


<?php
session_start();
header('Cache-control: private'); // IE 6 FIX

$sql = "SELECT * FROM nb_settings";
$query = mysql_query($sql);
$row = mysql_fetch_assoc($query);
                  
                        if($row['lang'] == nl) 
                        { 
                            include('languages/lang.nl.php'); 
                        } 
                        elseif($row['lang'] == en) 
                        { 
                            include('languages/lang.en.php'); 
                        } 
                        elseif($row['lang'] == de) 
                        { 
                            include('languages/lang.de.php'); 
                        } 
                     


?>


But I am havng trouble adding more languages and expanding this. There is a folder called languages into which I put the individual localization files.


Just adding similar lines of code as shown below in both common and settings files doesn't do it: ie:


1)modifying settings.php to become:


<?php 
 if($row['lang'] == nl) 
 { 
echo '<input name="lang" type="radio" value="nl" checked="checked" />  '.($_CONSTANTS['NL']).'
<input name="lang" type="radio" value="en" /> '.($_CONSTANTS['EN']).'
<input name="lang" type="radio" value="de" /> '.($_CONSTANTS['DE']).'
<input name="lang" type="radio" value="fra" /> '.($_CONSTANTS['FRA']).'';
 } 
 elseif($row['lang'] == en) 
 { 
 echo '<input name="lang" type="radio" value="nl" /> '.($_CONSTANTS['NL']).'
    <input name="lang" type="radio" value="en" checked="checked" /> '.($_CONSTANTS['EN']).'
<input name="lang" type="radio" value="de" /> '.($_CONSTANTS['DE']).'
<input name="lang" type="radio" value="fra" /> '.($_CONSTANTS['FRA']).''; 
 } 
 elseif($row['lang'] == de) 
 { 
 echo '<input name="lang" type="radio" value="nl" /> '.($_CONSTANTS['NL']).'
    <input name="lang" type="radio" value="en" /> '.($_CONSTANTS['EN']).'
<input name="lang" type="radio" value="de" checked="checked"  /> '.($_CONSTANTS['DE']).'
<input name="lang" type="radio" value="fra" /> '.($_CONSTANTS['FRA']).'';

 } 

 elseif($row['lang'] == fra) 
 { 
 echo '<input name="lang" type="radio" value="nl" /> '.($_CONSTANTS['NL']).'
    <input name="lang" type="radio" value="en" /> '.($_CONSTANTS['EN']).'
<input name="lang" type="radio" value="de" /> '.($_CONSTANTS['DE']).'
<input name="lang" type="radio" value="fra" checked="checked" />  '.($_CONSTANTS['FRA']).'';

 } 
?>



2)and adding in common.php:



elseif($row['lang'] == fra) 
                        { 
                            include('languages/lang.fra.php'); 
                        } 


Both don't work. The php is obviously not correctly parse and the syntax may have issues.
Can anyone help me out with how to add additional languages?

I'm developing an arabic site...but also want to view it in English...I'm thinking of using windows translating service (depending on good it is).

Now I was thinking of having columns in my table like so...english title, arabic title, english description, arabic description

As it can charge for words to be translated...when translating arabic to english I can store the results in the column so they would no longer have to be translated again

My question is...is it good practice to have separate columns for different languages?...thank you...any input would be great