Language layers

Language layers are a special type of website which functions as a structural copy of another website called the master website:

  • Language layers contain the same pages and paragraphs as the master website - as these are used to structure content
  • New content created on the master website is instantly created on each language layer as well

This means that you are free to translate, add or delete any text or images within paragraphs, but that you are not allowed to create, copy, delete, move or sort either pages or paragraphs on the language layer, but must instead do these operations on the master website from where they will be copied to all language versions. This ensures that you maintain structural consistency between a master and its language versions.

To create a language layer:

  • Go to Apps > Configurable Apps > Websites
  • Select the website you want to add a language layer to
  • Click New Language in the toolbar (Figure 1.1)
Figure 1.1 Adding a new language layer

This opens the New language window (Figure 1.2).

Figure 1.2 The 'New language' window

From the new language window, you must:

  • Name the language layer
  • Select a regional setting for the language layer – i.e. the actual language of the layer
  • Decide if you want to copy the permissions from the master website (works only with old permissions model)
  • Click OK to create the language layer.

You can edit the website settings of a language layer in the standard manner. 

Once you have more than one website or language layer on your solution, you can switch between them by openening the website selector (Figure 2.1).

Figure 2.1 Switching between language layers

With the website selector, you can:

  • View the currently selected website – here Master website
  • Select one of the language layers under a website – here Danish, French & German
  • Select a separate website – here MonSiteInternetTrèsChic or Restaurant

You can also switch between language layers when on a page or paragraph.

Remember when I wrote that you cannot create new paragraphs from a language layer? Yeah, about that… I lied.

Using the Language Management settings, you can change or customize several aspects of working with language layers.