Change language of site with a html button

Question

In PHP, I want to change the language (English, German, etc) of the site when clicking a button. Is this the right way to approach that problem?

<?php 
  $language;
  if ($language == "en") {
    include("headerEn.php");
  } else {
    include("header.php");
  } 
?>
<a href="index.php"><?php $language = "en"; ?>
<img src="images/language/languageNO.png"></a>

<a href="index.php"><?php $language = "no"; ?>
<img src="images/language/languageEN.png"></a>

What is the best way to change the language of the site and have it persist when the user returns?

Mayank K. Swami · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-25 13:37:26Z

10

you can do this by

<a href="index.php?language=en">
<a href="index.php?language=no">

and get the languages and store them in cookie and include file according to cookie like

if ( !empty($_GET['language']) ) {
    $_COOKIE['language'] = $_GET['language'] === 'en' ? 'en' : 'nl';
} else {
    $_COOKIE['language'] = 'nl';
}
setcookie('language', $_COOKIE['language']);

and than

if ( $_COOKIE['language'] == "en") {
   include("headerEn.php");
} else {
   include("header.php");
} ?>

edited Feb 25, 2013 at 13:37

answered Feb 25, 2013 at 13:32

Mayank K. Swami

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1 Comment

Roberto Giaccio Over a year ago

I think the else part should be else if (empty($_COOKIE['language'])), to avoid resetting the language to 'nl' when the cookie (and not the request) contains the choosen language.

Edwin Alex · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-25 13:34:19Z

3

To give a solution without changing your approach, You can do like this.

<?php 
if(isset($_GET['language']))
  $language = $_GET['language'];
else
  $language = "";

if ($language == "en") {
   include("headerEn.php");
} else {
   include("header.php");
} ?>

<a href="index.php?language = en"><img src="images/language/languageNO.png">      </a>
<a href="index.php?language = no"><img src="images/language/languageEN.png"></a>

If you want to keep the selection, you can store this value in Database or Session.

answered Feb 25, 2013 at 13:34

Edwin Alex

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Comments

fedorqui · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-25 13:35:29Z

3

It is always good to have a default value, so that you never end up being in a no-language site.

$language = $_REQUEST["language"];
$default_header="myheaderXXX.php";

switch ($language) {
    case "en":
      include("headerEn.php");
      break;

    case "no":
      include("header.php");
      break;

    default:
      include($default_header);
}

And then create links like this:

<a href="index.php?language=en">
<a href="index.php?language=no">

answered Feb 25, 2013 at 13:35

fedorqui

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Comments

s.lenders · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-25 13:33:22Z

0

You can't change a variable within PHP by html. PHP is serversided HTML is clientsided

You can use GET variables to change it though. It is the easiest way to do it.

answered Feb 25, 2013 at 13:33

s.lenders

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Comments

Tarun Kumar · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-25 13:36:56Z

0

You can implement the same code like this . I have editted your code .

<?php 
$language; ?>
<?php if ($language == "en") : ?>
    <?php include("headerEn.php"); ?>
     <a href="index.php"><?php $language = "en"; ?><img src="images/language/languageNO.png"></a> 
<?php else: ?>
    <?php include("header.php"); ?>
     <a href="index.php"><?php $language = "no"; ?><img src="images/language/languageEN.png"></a>
<?php endif; ?>

this will solve your problem .

answered Feb 25, 2013 at 13:36

Tarun Kumar

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Comments

Edwin Alex · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-25 13:40:21Z

0

Try to save this $language value to session variable. When the page reloaded check that the session variable is set or not.

If set use that $language

NOTE:

$language = $_GET['language'];

edited Feb 25, 2013 at 13:40

Edwin Alex

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answered Feb 25, 2013 at 13:33

Chittaranjan Sethi

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Comments

Sahasrar · Accepted Answer · 2020-08-14 13:01:32Z

0

In this case I have tried use Session variables to store and define language. Every thing works until i turn on caching. When caching was enabled even reload page returns same language and user could not change language. So I consider to change language using AJAX request after clicking on language button (national flag)

answered Aug 14, 2020 at 13:01

Sahasrar

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