04. Enabling and configuring Localizer

Now it is time to install Localizer. It is recommended that you use Localizer 3.x (or later if available) for both full functionality and for ease of installation. (For Localizer versions earlier than 1.9, patching of some Drupal core files is required. For these earlier versions, carefully follow the instructions in the README.txt file found in the Localizer module download package to install Localizer.)

Localizer installs like any other contributed module, but a couple of extra steps are needed. (There is a HowTo for detailed installation procedures.) The first extra step is that you will need to upload the set of flag graphics that will be used for language switching. These will reside safely inside the Localizer module folder. The links for obtaining these can be found in the HowTo above or in the README.TXT in the Localizer download. The reason you must obtain these separately is because Drupal's CVS policy does not allow for such items to be uploaded with contributed modules. The second extra step is that there must be a special instruction added to the end of your sites/default/settings.php file to finalize the process. That instruction directs Drupal to use some Localizer-specific logic and is as follows: (Note that the path to Localizer's localizer_settings.php file must be correct for your own setup, so modify the path accordingly if necessary--though this should be correct if you are following Drupal 5 guidelines.)

Once Localizer is installed, under Administer > Site building > Modules, enable all the Localizer-related modules that you intend to use. This is done by expanding the Localizer section and checking the boxes. (As of this writing, the modules that can be activated are: Localizer, Localizer menu, Localizer node, Localizer taxonomy, Localizer user, Localizer variable, and Localizer views.)