Set forum-language automatic to browser-language for first-visitors

Originally I have not planned to bring my Hack "Language Selection for Guests" to vB 3.5, because in 3.5 the language can be selected with the drop-down menu at the bottom.

But I was asked to make the automatic language-detection in 3.5 available. In case others are maybe interested in that too, I bring it here as new hack for vB 3.5


Short-description

This Hack detects the browser-language automatic and shows the board in the language of the user, if the user has never been at your board before or has no cookie for your board.

The automatic-detection of the browser-language was realised by WildChild


Requirements

• vB 3.5 Gold (Tested up to 3.5.1)
• Of course more than one installed and selectable language, otherwise this modification makes no sens

Installation-time

about 1 minutes


PLEASE CLICK THE INSTALL BUTTON IF INSTALLED!


Updates

01.10.2005 Thanks to the help of KirbyDE, now a standard-hook is used, so no code-modification is necessary

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If you want to test the hack after installing, do it like this:

- Log out of your forum. Dont klick any of the displayed links after logging out !
- Close your browser-window
- Open a new browser-window
- Set your language preferences in the browser
- Go to your forum homepage

[Andreas]

Optimization suggest: get rid of the File edit

Hook init_startup, and use $_REQUEST['langid'] instead of $vbulletin->GPC['langid'] in the Code

[JoergZ]

Thanks for the hint KirbyDE, but what is with $vbulletin->GPC[COOKIE_PREFIX . 'languageid'] ? How to replace that ?

Just replacing the GPC['langid'] is not working.

Jörg

[Andreas]

$_COOKIE[COOKIE_PREFIX . 'languageid']

[GrendelKhan{TSU]

question...

does the use have the option to change the language after its "autodectected"? or is it "stuck" on the one it detects? (I HATE that.)

aside: Hate when sites do that....can't change it back to english once its detected im in Korea or Japan or whereever). Sorry just had to vent.

sounds cool as long as user can freely change and it only affects first time (non-cookied) visitors.

[JoergZ]

No, of course the user can change it.

This automatic detected language is only used, as long the user don't select another one or he has a cookie from an earlier vist. So it is really for users, that come the first time to your site, or has logged out, so the cookies were deleted.

When the users select another language, the selected language is taken and is not switched back to the automatic detected, because then there is an entry in the cookie.

Currently I am trying to use the standard-hooks, so no code-changes are needed at all. Maybe this evening there is an update for my hack.


Jörg


EDIT: I have updated the hack, so no more code-modification is necessary. Thanks very much to KirbyDE for his help.

[Fenriz]

J?rg, your hack works great, as well as the old version with new hook. You can check it on the my test forum http://temp.ulver.com
Just one thing to do. When you logg-in with one language (for example norwegian) and then change this language to another (for example swedish), after logg-out you lost your norwegian and return to swedish. But could we stay with swedish anyway, even after logg-out?

[JoergZ]

Originally Posted by Fenriz

When you logg-in with one language (for example norwegian) and then change this language to another (for example swedish), after logg-out you lost your norwegian and return to swedish. But could we stay with swedish anyway, even after logg-out?

Hm.. your description is a little bit mixed up.. isn't it ?

Probably you mean:

- Arriving at the forum, it is Norwegian, log in
- Changing as logged-in-user to Swedish
- Logging out

--> You have again norwegian, but you want to keep Swedish

Unfortunally this is not possible, because the language-information is stored in the cookie. When you log out, the cookie is removed. So coming back to the forum without cookie, will start the auto-detection process again.

The only way to keep the language, is not to log out, so the cookie remains. Then you will have the same language, as you left the forum.

But usually this should not be an issue, because users probably have their preferred language in the IE-Settings. If the language, they have defined in the IE, is not installed in your board, then the default-language of the board is shown.



Best regards and hej d?

J?rg

[berberber]

Hello, wouldnt it here possible to add the possibility to set language depending of forumid ?

(by the way, thanks a lot... that will make more members)

[JoergZ]

Hi berberber,

I don't know if this would make sense... At least the user has one language, he preferes, and that is the language, that is set in the IE. So why the language should change, when I change the forum ?

Moreover, I think this must be hacked at another point of the code, not where my hack is placed.

Jörg