How to Translate MonsterTools into Your Language : DotArtisan Support

MonsterTools is fully translation-ready and uses WordPress's standard internationalization (i18n) system. You can translate the plugin into any language using professional translation tools or community-based approaches.

Translation Methods Overview

There are several ways to translate MonsterTools:

WordPress.org Translation Platform (Recommended for common languages)
Loco Translate Plugin (User-friendly interface)
Manual .po/.mo File Creation (For developers/custom languages)
Custom String Filters (For minor text changes)

Method 1: Using Loco Translate Plugin (Easiest)

Loco Translate provides a user-friendly interface for translating plugins without technical knowledge.

Step-by-Step Guide:

Install Loco Translate
- Go to Plugins > Add New
- Search for "Loco Translate"
- Install and activate the plugin
Access MonsterTools Translations
- Go to Loco Translate > Plugins
- Find "MonsterTools" in the list and click it
Choose Translation Language
- Click "New language"
- Select your target language (e.g., Spanish, French, German)
- Choose the location:
  - Author (recommended): Saves translations in plugin folder (may be lost on updates)
  - Custom: Saves in /wp-content/languages/loco/ (survives plugin updates)
Start Translating
- Browse through all translatable strings
- For each string:
  - Original text appears in the left column
  - Enter your translation in the right column
  - Click "Save" when finished with a batch
Sync and Update
- If plugin updates add new strings, use "Sync" to detect them
- Complete translations for new strings

Translation Best Practices with Loco:

Keep translations context-appropriate
Maintain similar length to original when possible
Use formal/informal language consistently
Test translations on your live site

Method 2: WordPress.org Translation Platform

For common languages, you can contribute to official translations that benefit all users.

Visit WordPress Translate
- Go to translate.wordpress.org
- Navigate to "Plugins" > "MonsterTools"
Choose Your Language
- Select your language from the list
- If your language isn't listed, you can request it
Contribute Translations
- Browse untranslated strings
- Submit your translations
- Community validators will review and approve
Download Official Translations
- Approved translations automatically become available
- Users can install them via WordPress language packs

Method 3: Manual .po/.mo File Creation

For complete control or custom languages, create translation files manually.

Required Tools:

Poedit (free, recommended)
WP-CLI (command line)
Any text editor with PO file support

Step-by-Step Process:

Install Poedit
- Download from poedit.net
- Install on your computer
Create Template File (.pot)

# Using WP-CLI (if available)
wp i18n make-pot /path/to/monstertools/ /path/to/monstertools/languages/monster-tools.pot 
# Or extract from plugin source
# The plugin should include a .pot file in /languages/ folder

Create Translation File
- Open Poedit
- File > New from POT/PO file
- Select monster-tools.pot
- Choose your language (e.g., fr_FR for French)
- Save as monster-tools-fr_FR.po
Translate Strings
- Work through each string in Poedit
- Save frequently - this creates both .po and .mo files
Install Translation Files
- Upload to your server:
  - Plugin directory: /wp-content/plugins/monstertools/languages/
  - System directory: /wp-content/languages/plugins/ (recommended)

File Structure Example:

/wp-content/languages/plugins/
├── monster-tools-fr_FR.po
├── monster-tools-fr_FR.mo
├── monster-tools-es_ES.po
└── monster-tools-es_ES.mo

Method 4: Custom String Filters

For quick text changes without full translations, use WordPress filters.

Common Text Filters:

// Add to your theme's functions.php or a custom plugin

// Change specific plugin strings
add_filter('gettext', 'custom_monstertools_translations', 10, 3);
add_filter('gettext_with_context', 'custom_monstertools_translations', 10, 4);

function custom_monstertools_translations($translation, $text, $domain) {
    // Only affect MonsterTools texts
    if ($domain !== 'monster-tools') {
        return $translation;
    }
    
    // Custom translations
    $custom_translations = [
        'Select Plan' => 'Choose Your Plan',
        'Upgrade' => 'Get More Features',
        'Download' => 'Get File',
        'Processing...' => 'Working on it...',
    ];
    
    return $custom_translations[$text] ?? $translation;
}

Language File Locations

MonsterTools looks for translation files in this order:

Global: /wp-content/languages/plugins/monster-tools-{locale}.mo
Plugin: /wp-content/plugins/monstertools/languages/monster-tools-{locale}.mo
Custom: /wp-content/languages/loco/plugins/monster-tools-{locale}.mo

Recommended location: /wp-content/languages/plugins/ (survives plugin updates)

Locale Codes Reference

Common WordPress locale codes:

English (US): en_US
Spanish (Spain): es_ES
French (France): fr_FR
German (Germany): de_DE
Italian: it_IT
Portuguese (Brazil): pt_BR
Russian: ru_RU
Arabic: ar
Chinese (China): zh_CN
Japanese: ja

Find your locale code at WordPress Language Packs

Testing Your Translation

Change Site Language
- Go to Settings > General
- Change "Site Language" to your target language
- Save changes
Verify Translation Load
- Check if translation files are loading:

// Add temporarily to theme's functions.php
add_action('init', function() {
    $loaded = load_plugin_textdomain('monster-tools', false, dirname(plugin_basename(__FILE__)) . '/languages/');
    error_log('MonsterTools translation loaded: ' . ($loaded ? 'YES' : 'NO'));
});

Frontend Testing
- Visit your tool pages
- Check login/registration forms
- Verify pricing tables and buttons
- Test error messages and notifications

Troubleshooting Translation Issues

Common Problems & Solutions:

1. Translations Not Appearing

Verify file names: monster-tools-fr_FR.mo (not monstertools-fr_FR.mo)
Check file location in correct directory
Ensure WordPress locale matches your translation files

2. Partial Translations

Some strings might be hardcoded - use filters to override them
Check if strings are from WordPress core, not the plugin

3. Translation Files Disappear After Updates

Never store custom translations in plugin folder
Use /wp-content/languages/plugins/ or /wp-content/languages/loco/

4. Debug Translation Loading

// Check loaded text domain
add_action('wp_head', function() {
    if (current_user_can('manage_options')) {
        echo '<!-- Current locale: ' . get_locale() . ' -->';
        echo '<!-- MonsterTools textdomain loaded: ' . (load_plugin_textdomain('monster-tools', false, dirname(plugin_basename(__FILE__)) . '/languages/') ? 'YES' : 'NO') . ' -->';
    }
});

Contributing to Official Translations

Help improve MonsterTools for everyone by contributing to official translations:

Join Translation Team
- Visit translate.wordpress.org
- Find MonsterTools in the plugins section
- Join your language team
Translation Guidelines
- Maintain consistency with WordPress core translations
- Use appropriate formal/informal language
- Keep technical terms accurate
- Follow language-specific style guides
Benefits of Contributing
- Translations available to all users automatically
- Professional validation process
- Community recognition
- Help grow MonsterTools in your region

Advanced: Creating Child Language Packs

For regional variations or custom dialects:

// Load custom child language pack
add_filter('load_textdomain_mofile', 'load_custom_monstertools_translation', 10, 2);

function load_custom_monstertools_translation($mofile, $domain) {
    if ($domain === 'monster-tools' && get_locale() === 'fr_CA') {
        $custom_mofile = get_stylesheet_directory() . '/languages/monster-tools-fr_CA-custom.mo';
        if (file_exists($custom_mofile)) {
            return $custom_mofile;
        }
    }
    return $mofile;
}

By following these methods, you can completely translate MonsterTools into any language, making it accessible to your local audience and improving user experience for international visitors.

How to Translate MonsterTools into Your Language Print