Understanding Translations in Drupal

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 51 views

Introduction

When working with entities in Drupal, it's essential to understand the concept of translations and how they interact with the preSave() method. In this article, we'll explore how to check if you're working with a translation in the preSave() method of a custom entity bundle.

Understanding Translations in Drupal

In Drupal, translations are entities that represent different language versions of a single entity. When you create a translation, Drupal creates a new entity with the same ID as the original entity, but with a different language code. This allows you to manage multiple language versions of a single entity.

The `preSave()` Method

The preSave() method is a hook that is called before an entity is saved. It's a great place to perform any necessary operations before the entity is stored in the database. In the context of translations, the preSave() method can be used to check if the entity being saved is a translation or not.

Checking for Translations in `preSave()`

To check if you're working with a translation in the preSave() method, you can use the following code:

use Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityInterface;
use Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityManagerInterface;

class MyEntityBundle extends EntityBundleBase {

  public function preSave(EntityInterface $entity) {
    $entityManager = \Drupal::service('entity.manager');
    $translation = $entityManager->getTranslationFromContext($entity);

    if ($translation) {
      // This is a translation
      \Drupal::logger('my_module')->info('Saving translation: @langcode', ['@langcode' => $translation->getLangcode()->getValue()]);
    } else {
      // This is not a translation
      \Drupal::logger('my_module')->info('Saving original entity');
    }

    // Rest of your code here...
  }

}

In this code, we're using the getTranslationFromContext() method of the EntityManager service to get the translation object associated with the entity being saved. If a translation object is returned, we know that we're working with a translation. Otherwise, we're working with the original entity.

Using the `getTranslationFromContext()` Method

The getTranslationFromContext() method returns the translation object associated with the entity being saved. If no translation object is found, it returns NULL. This method is useful when you need to determine if an entity is a translation or not.

Example Use Case

Let's say you have a custom entity bundle called my_entity and you want to perform some operations when a translation is saved. You can use the preSave() method to check if the entity being saved is a translation or not. If it is a translation, you can perform the necessary operations. Otherwise, you can skip those operations.

Here's an example:

class MyEntityBundle extends EntityBundleBase {

  public function preSave(EntityInterface $entity) {
    // Check if this is a translation
    $translation = $entityManager->getTranslationFromContext($entity);

    if ($translation) {
      // This is a translation, perform some operations
      $this->performTranslationOperations($entity);
    } else {
      // This is not a translation, skip operations
    }

    // Rest of your code here...
  }

  private function performTranslationOperations(EntityInterface $entity) {
    // Perform some operations when a translation is saved
    \Drupal::logger('my_module')->info('Performing translation operations');
  }

}

In this example, we're using the preSave() method to check if the entity being saved is a translation or not. If it is a translation, we're calling the performTranslationOperations() method to perform some necessary operations. Otherwise, we're skipping those operations.

Conclusion

Introduction

In our previous article, we explored how to check if you're working with a translation in the preSave() method of a custom entity bundle. In this article, we'll answer some frequently asked questions about working with translations in preSave().

Q: What is the difference between a translation and an original entity?

A: A translation is an entity that represents a different language version of a single entity. The original entity is the entity that was created first, and all translations are based on this entity. Think of it like a parent-child relationship, where the original entity is the parent and the translations are the children.

Q: How do I know if an entity is a translation or not?

A: You can use the getTranslationFromContext() method of the EntityManager service to determine if an entity is a translation or not. If a translation object is returned, you know that you're working with a translation. Otherwise, you're working with the original entity.

Q: Can I use the `getTranslationFromContext()` method in other hooks?

A: Yes, you can use the getTranslationFromContext() method in other hooks, not just in preSave(). This method is a part of the EntityManager service and can be used anywhere in your code where you need to determine if an entity is a translation or not.

Q: What happens if I try to save a translation without a corresponding original entity?

A: If you try to save a translation without a corresponding original entity, Drupal will throw an exception. This is because translations are dependent on the original entity and cannot exist without it.

Q: Can I create a translation from an original entity?

A: Yes, you can create a translation from an original entity using the createTranslation() method of the EntityManager service. This method creates a new translation object based on the original entity and its language code.

Q: How do I handle multiple translations for a single entity?

A: When you have multiple translations for a single entity, you can use the getTranslations() method of the EntityManager service to retrieve all translations for that entity. This method returns an array of translation objects, which you can then use to perform operations on each translation.

Q: Can I use the `getTranslations()` method in other hooks?

A: Yes, you can use the getTranslations() method in other hooks, not just in preSave(). This method is a part of the EntityManager service and can be used anywhere in your code where you need to retrieve all translations for an entity.

Q: What happens if I try to delete a translation without deleting the original entity?

A: If you try to delete a translation without deleting the original entity, Drupal will throw an exception. This is because translations are dependent on the original entity and cannot exist without it.

Conclusion

In this article, we've answered some frequently asked questions about working with translations in preSave(). We've covered topics such as the difference between a translation and an original entity, how to determine if an entity is a translation or not, and how to handle multiple translations for a single entity. By following the techniques outlined in this article, you can ensure that your custom entity bundle is working correctly with translations.