Thread

I’m setting up a multilingual site using the subdomains as the trigger for switching languages.

I need to save the subdomain as a global variable so I can then use it when determining the language.

I found this bit of code that looks like it may do the trick, but I have no idea where I would put it.

$domainChunks = explode('.', $_SERVER['SERVER_NAME']);
$subDomain = $domainChunks[0];
$global_vars['language'] = $subDomain;

Anybody have an answer? Or a better chunk of code?

What EE version? 
Are you using the classic subdomain method [not EE supported] or MSM?

Neither. All subdomains are going to the same site, same templates, everything.

I need a global variable triggered by the subdomain to then use for accessing my custom fields based on language.

Oh, almost forgot: Running EE 2.4, latest build.

I see you commented on Erskine’s EE 1x subdomain article on 06-14-09:

http://erskinelabs.com/create-an-alternative-version-of-your-expressionengine-website/

The EE 2 updated reference is [focussed on mobile]

http://supergeekery.com/geekblog/comments/how_to_make_a_mobile_version_of_your_site_with_expression_engine_2

Would greatly appreciate it if you could post the code you end up using.  Thanks

Hi fitzage,

How are you setting up the sub-domains? If they are sub-folders of your main domain, you can place a copy of your main index.php file into the sub-folders for each sub-domain. Once you have those copies in place, you can use distinct global variables easily.
I’ve used the strategy outlined by Made by Hippo.
For example, you can then set each sub-domain’s site_url variable:

--- <a href="http://www.domain.com">http://www.domain.com</a> ---
$assign_to_config['site_url'] = 'http://www.domain.com/';

--- secondary domain/index.php ---
$assign_to_config['site_url'] = 'http://sub.domain.com/';
etc…

Allong with those config items, you can assign sub-domain specific global variables like so:

--- <a href="http://www.domain.com">http://www.domain.com</a> ---
$assign_to_config['global_vars'] = array(
"en"=>"English",
"my-other-variable" => "my-other-value"
); // This array must be associative
--- secondary domain/index.php ---
$assign_to_config['global_vars'] = array(
"fr"=>"French"
"my-other-french-variable" => "my-other-french-value"
); // This array must be associative

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Cheers,

The subdomains are actually all going to the same site, so they’ll all use the same index.php. So how would I do the logic in the index.php to assign the global variable then?

I’d basically need your second block of code, but with some sort of if/then.

So once I actually paid attention to how your code sets the custom global variables, and then found a bit about how to check the domain, I got this which appears to work the way I want.

if($_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'] == 'fr.domain.com') {
        $assign_to_config['global_vars'] = array(
           'mylang' => 'fr'
       ); 
    } else {
        $assign_to_config['global_vars'] = array(
           'mylang' => ''
       ); 
    }

Then I should just be able to and an elseif for any other languages I add. I thought about just saving the subdomain into the global variable no matter what, but that means I’d have to have more template logic to check for the correct subdomains. This way it only gets saved if it’s a language I’m looking for, so it doesn’t matter.

I may also insert an underscore in the value for the global variable, since that’s how my custom fields are named. So then I don’t have to have more if/else code in the template to insert the underscore, I can just put {{mylang}body} and if {mylang} is empty, I get {body}. If it’s not empty, I get {fr_body} or whatever.

fitzage,

Glad to see that Dan put you on the right track here. Is there anything else I can assist you with?

Sean

No, that should do it. Thanks.

Is it possible for you to post the final coding that works/  It would be greatly appreciated by many of us.

The bit of code I posted above is what works, in the index.php file.

if($_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'] == 'fr.domain.com') {
        $assign_to_config['global_vars'] = array(
           'mylang' => 'fr'
       ); 
    } else {
        $assign_to_config['global_vars'] = array(
           'mylang' => ''
       ); 
    }

Thanks Fitz.  Much appreciated.

Hey fitzage,

Thanks so much for sharing!

Have a great rest of the week.

Cheers,