The 8-Hour LearnDash Language Mystery:

The 8-Hour LearnDash Language Mystery: A Comedic Journey Through PHP Errors

Welcome to the rollercoaster ride of fixing LearnDash language issues! If you’ve ever found yourself tangled in the web of PHP errors while translating LearnDash, you’re in good company. Today, we’ll walk through a hilarious and educational adventure that led to uncovering the quirks of translation files and PHP error messages.

The Setup: The Translation Tango

It all started with a seemingly innocuous translation file. We had a LearnDash site running smoothly in English but hit a snag when switching to Portuguese. Users of the Portuguese version were greeted with PHP fatal errors that looked something like this:
“wp-content/plugins/sfwd-lms/includes/settings/settings-sections/class-ld-settings-section-general-per-page.php(153): sprintf(‘Progresso do % ‘, ‘Curso’)“
There was no indication to see it was a PHP error at first.

The Culprit: The %s Mystery

The error message led us to the source of the problem: a translation string in the learndash-pt_BR.mo file.

The problematic string read: “Progresso do %s”

Now, to the untrained eye, %s might look like a harmless placeholder. But in PHP’s world, it’s more than just a placeholder; it’s a key to formatting. When PHP encountered this string, it got confused because it expected a % to be part of a formatting pattern.

The Revelation: Stripping Down

After hours of debugging, deciphering error logs, and scratching our heads, the breakthrough came: simply removing the s from %s resolved the issue. What was happening was that %s was being interpreted as a PHP format specifier. Removing the s left us with just %, which PHP can handle without choking.

The Fix: A Simple Solution

If you ever encounter this issue, here’s a quick fix:

Locate the Translation File: Go to /wp-content/languages/wpml/learndash-pt_BR.mo.
Edit the Problematic String: Find the translation string that includes %s and change it to % or a relevant placeholder that won’t confuse PHP.
Save and Test: Upload the modified file and check if the issue is resolved.

The Lesson: Not All Placeholders Are Created Equal

This experience taught us that PHP’s handling of format specifiers can be quite literal. %s is a special placeholder used for string substitution in PHP’s sprintf() function, and if not used correctly, it can lead to unexpected errors. Always ensure that your translation strings align with PHP’s formatting expectations.

The Takeaway: Humor in Debugging

While debugging language files might seem daunting, remember that even the most frustrating issues can turn into learning experiences. And sometimes, the best way to cope is to laugh at the quirks and challenges along the way.

So, next time you find yourself lost in a maze of PHP errors, remember: it’s all part of the journey to becoming a more seasoned developer.

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