Translating a web page using Array function - php

Question

I want to use the array function of PHP to translate a website. I have created PHP files with arrays in them for all the text to be translated.
<?php
//ESPANOL
$lang = array(
'work' => 'Trabajo'
'packaging' => 'Empaque'
);
And then I am calling them inside my nav.php file, and will in the content section too.
<?php include('includes/languages/es.php'); ?>
<?php echo $lang['work']; ?>
All pretty straight forward.
What I want to know is how to switch between these array files without editing the HTML, so that I don't have to link to another 'index_es.php' etc. I understand that the link would be something like this, but I don't know how this is going to work.
English
I'm guessing I need to include another file that includes the language files and then the link can choose from them but I don't know what the code would be for this.
Would it involve including a 'lang_directory' above the link and then somehow including from there??
**Also I would like to avoid using Zend/Gettext translation becuase I want to learn this inside out.

Answer 1

You can make another dimension containing the target language. Then pass a GET parameter to select that language. If the language isn't recognized you can fallback to English. Here's a sample.
$languages = array(
'en' => array(
'work' => 'work',
'packaging' => 'packaging'
),
'es' => array(
'work' => 'Trabajo',
'packaging' => 'Empaque'
),
);
// default language to use when the requested isn't found
$defaultLanguage = 'en';
// language requested via GET
$requested = $_GET['locale'];
// use the requested language if it exists, otherwise the default language
$language = isset($languages[$requested]) ? $requested : $defaultLanguage;
// our translations
$translation = $languages[$language];
// "work" translated based on the language
echo $translation['work'];
And the link for Español would look like this.
index.php?locale=es

Answer 2

I'd keep your array system, correct the links into something like index.php?lang=en and then include your file depending on the lang parameter:
if ( isset($_GET['lang']) && file_exists('includes/languages/'.$_GET['lang'].'.php') ){
include_once('includes/languages/'.$_GET['lang'].'.php');
}
And if you want to keep the language parameter in your session, do something like this:
if ( isset($_GET['lang']) && file_exists('includes/languages/'.$_GET['lang'].'.php') ){
$_SESSION['lang'] = $_GET['lang'];
}
if ( !isset($_SESSION['lang']) ){
// Default language
$_SESSION['lang'] = 'en';
}
include_once('includes/languages/'.$_SESSION['lang'].'.php');

Answer 3

One way to do this is by using sessions.
Make a lang.php file that will be used to change between languages.
<?php
//Start session
session_start();
//Do we get a lang variable
if (isset($_GET['lang'])) {
//Make sure we only get the lang filename
$lang = basename($_GET['lang']);
//If the file exists, then save it to session
if (file_exists('includes/languages/' . $lang . '.php'))
$_SESSION['lang'] = $lang;
}
//If the client were refered here (via hyperlink) send them back
if (isset($_SERVER['HTTP_REFERER']))
header('location: ' + $_SERVER['HTTP_REFERER']);
?>
In the header of the files you want multiple languages, insert.
<?php
//Start session
session_start();
//Default language
$lang = 'english';
//If the client have set a language, use that instead
if (isset($_SESSION['lang']))
$lang = $_SESSION['lang'];
//Load language file
include('includes/languages/' . $lang . '.php');
?>
The links to change language will then be like this:
Español|English
Out can also take the code from the lang.php file and put in a included file that will be loaded before the inclusion of language file and remove the HTTP_REFERER redirection.
The links to change language will then be like this:
Español|English