make it obvious what reordering language list does (order in language select) and does not do (fallback detection selection)

Taking on this task. Should be a quick one but it's my first core patch so who knows?

Patch attached for adding extra help text to cover this issue.

Generally the help test on the language list page could be improved. It doesn't really say anywhere what the admin is actually looking at which might be useful for first time users. But that's another issue?

The second comma (after "for example") makes the sentence ambigous. When I first read it, I understood the "example" to pertain to "the language selection form element", not to "editing or creating content".
Should be like this imho (also threw in an "in which" after the second "order"):
"The order of languages in the table below affects the order in which languages appear in the language selection form element, for example when editing or creating content."

In another issue I wrote a proposal for a new text for this page. Please review

http://drupal.org/node/1998516#comment-7433280

I think the text in #3 is a bit verbose. We should also mention this ordering effects the order of languages in the language switcher. Attaching a patch with this change:

-      return '<p>' . t('With multiple languages enabled, registered users may select their preferred language and authors can assign a specific language t    o content. The selection of what language is used to display page elements is made depending on the detection menthod settings in the <a href="@detection">    Detection and Selection</a> tab.', array('@detection' => url('admin/config/regional/language/detection'))) . '</p>';
 10 +      return '<p>' . t('Reordering the languages below will effect the order in which they appear in the language switcher and, when editing content, the     language selector widget.') . '</p>';

Three things to #6:
Typo: "detection menthod" -> "detection method"
Also, "The selection of what" -> "The selection of which"
Finally, "will effect" -> "will affect"

taging

After reading through the issue, I think #7 misunderstood that the patch in #6 had already addressed those issues. Also, I think the patch in #6 didn't completely address the spirit of the issue, so I've added the following text to the end of the string: " The ordering in this table does not impact fallback behavior."

Also, I did test the patch in #6 and it worked.

diff --git a/core/modules/language/language.module b/core/modules/language/language.module
index 1dd936f..57134bb 100644
--- a/core/modules/language/language.module
+++ b/core/modules/language/language.module
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ function language_help($path, $arg) {
       return $output;
 
     case 'admin/config/regional/language':
-      return '<p>' . t('With multiple languages enabled, registered users may select their preferred language and authors can assign a specific language to content. The selection of what language is used to display page elements is made depending on the detection menthod settings in the <a href="@detection">Detection and Selection</a> tab.', array('@detection' => url('admin/config/regional/language/detection'))) . '</p>';
+      return '<p>' . t('Reordering the languages below will effect the order in which they appear in the language switcher and, when editing content, the language selector widget. The ordering in this table does not impact fallback behavior.') . '</p>';
 
     case 'admin/config/regional/language/add':
       return '<p>' . t('Add a language to be supported by your site. If your desired language is not available, pick <em>Custom language...</em> at the end and provide a language code and other details manually.') . '</p>';

Here is the revised version for #9 which seems just perfect.
I just changed the typo "effect" for "affect".

Shoot, I missed that one. Thank you! :)

#9: language-list-order-help-1870746-9.patch queued for re-testing.

#9: language-list-order-help-1870746-9.patch queued for re-testing.

#9 OK, I didn't get that. I guess when you say "Attaching a patch with this change:" and then list code, I thought that that was the change... :)
Should have looked at the actual patch.

So this is a case of adding text to explain an inconsistent UX. Any change we can remove the cause for the inconsistency instead of stop gap explanations?

Seems to look fine. Thank you!

+++ b/core/modules/language/language.module
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ function language_help($path, $arg) {
-      return '<p>' . t('With multiple languages enabled, registered users may select their preferred language and authors can assign a specific language to content. The selection of what language is used to display page elements is made depending on the detection menthod settings in the <a href="@detection">Detection and Selection</a> tab.', array('@detection' => url('admin/config/regional/language/detection'))) . '</p>';
+      return '<p>' . t('Reordering the languages below will affect the order in which they appear in the language switcher and, when editing content, the language selector widget. The ordering in this table does not impact fallback behavior.') . '</p>';

I don't think this new text is an improvement, because:
- It no longer suggests langauge-selection features will be shown/hidden depending on the number of languages enabled.
- 'language switcher' and 'language selector widget' sound overly technical. I'd prefer something like 'list of available languages'
- It loses any explaination of how fallback DOES happen.

The issue summary could also use an update before being set to RTBC.

--------

@yoroy the order the languages are shown to a user (e.g. alphabetically or by region) is a different problem to how to choose a users default language (e.g. by domain name example.us vs example.co.uk; by ip address; by browser settings).

--------

This help text in D8 HEAD was changed in #1803638: Improve default language change process (ui and help text) which was committed between patches #2 and #6. I think the new text solves the problem described and therefore suggest this is closed as a duplicate.

I don't think that this issue is solved with #1803638: Improve default language change process (ui and help text)

It currently says:

With multiple languages enabled, registered users may select their preferred language and authors can assign a specific language to content. The selection of what language is used to display page elements is made depending on the detection menthod settings in the Detection and Selection tab.

So it's not yet clear what reordering does.

Patch #10 also drops the last part of the message of patch 9 about the fallback behavior. I have readded that, and made changes according to ianthomas_uk's comment in comment #17

This should be fine now, the text actually says:
Reordering the languages below will affect the order in which the enabled languages appear in the language switcher and, when editing content, in the list of available languages. The ordering in this table does not impact fallback behavior. The selection of the language to display the page elements is made depending on the detection method settings in the <a href="@detection">Detection and Selection</a> tab.'

Patch #25 still seemed a bit wordy, and I got confused about "fallback behavior", since the next sentence did not seem related (even though it was). So, I've shortened it, and hopefully it still gives the right meaning and link.

..."does not impact fallback behavior in language fallback behavior."...

This sounds awkward.

How about ..."does not impact the fallback behavior set on the @link tab. ?

Accidentally assigned to myself, unassigning now...

@balagan pointed out some better wording. Resubmitting patch.

For my part I think 'enabled languages' gives a hint for the user how languages can be added to the list. I vote for accepting the patch in#31

I'd like to help, but I don't see the use for screenshots of descriptions. Maybe I am missing something here.

The patch in #31 works and the description seems very clear to me.

Both 2 screenshots were taken without the patch. One with only the English language, the other with 3 languages.

Update the issue summary and embed the screenshots from comment #36

I am adding an image with the last patch applied.

modified the patch to go with the wording by @YesCT in #33, if this is preferable to the committers.

Patch in comment 6 took out a lot of information, 9 put back the "fallback" expression, that does not appear on the related pages.
The text after the current patch says:

"Reordering the languages below will affect the order in which the added languages appear in the language switcher and, when editing content, in the list of selectable languages. The ordering in this table does not impact Detection and selection."

In this way we avoided the improper 'enabled' and the 'fallback' expressions, we keep the information, and the text gets shorter too, but the link to set the detection and selection remains.

Patch in comment 39 seems to be different from previous last patch only with the omission of the first "the".
I don't think that is a necessary change.

Sorry, I started writing the patch, and I thought I will quickly send it in, but we got a prolonged discussion, and by the time I have sent in patch #39, I have overwritten yours.

I think the suggested help text in patch #40 is clear and consistent. Short enough but contains every necessary information.

Current proposal:

Reordering the languages below will affect the order in which the added languages appear in the language switcher and, when editing content, in the list of selectable languages. The ordering in this table does not impact Detection and selection.

Maybe this communicates the same necessary info but shorter and simpler:

Reorder languages to change their order in the language switcher and, when editing content, in the list of selectable languages. This ordering does not impact detection and selection.

It just loses the information we tried to preserve, namely, that languages can be added.

Changed tha second part according to the above suggestion, but have put back the word "added" in front of languages.

Thank you.

45: language-list-order-help-1870746-45.patch queued for re-testing.

I have added the word "block" to the sentence, and changed the second word "change" to "set":

Text in earlier patch (45):
Reorder the added languages to change their order in the language switcher and, when editing content, in the list of selectable languages. This ordering does not impact detection and selection.

Text in new patch (50):
Reorder the added languages to set their order in the language switcher block and, when editing content, in the list of selectable languages. This ordering does not impact detection and selection.

Attached are screenshots with the patch applied. The wording seems simple enough and correct.

Committed bfa4a9f and pushed to 8.x. Thanks!