Question

Currently, I’m using the simple Google Translate drop-down menu found here:
http://translate.google.com/translate_tools

I’d like to also be able to click on some flag icons I have and trigger the same javascript calls that are called by the text-based links in the google translate widget.

Anyone have ideas on how to accomplish this? I can’t figure out how to make clicking on the flags initiate the same behavior as clicking on the google translate text links.

Answer 1

Had a lot of fun finding a solution for this question!

<!-- Use CSS to replace link text with flag icons -->
<ul class="translation-links">
  <li><a href="#" class="spanish" data-lang="Spanish">Spanish</a></li>
  <li><a href="#" class="german" data-lang="German">German</a></li>
</ul>

<!-- Code provided by Google -->
<div id="google_translate_element"></div>
<script type="text/javascript">
  function googleTranslateElementInit() {
    new google.translate.TranslateElement({pageLanguage: 'en', layout: google.translate.TranslateElement.InlineLayout.SIMPLE, autoDisplay: false}, 'google_translate_element');
  }
</script>
<script src="//translate.google.com/translate_a/element.js?cb=googleTranslateElementInit" type="text/javascript"></script>

<!-- Flag click handler -->
<script type="text/javascript">
    $('.translation-links a').click(function() {
      var lang = $(this).data('lang');
      var $frame = $('.goog-te-menu-frame:first');
      if (!$frame.size()) {
        alert("Error: Could not find Google translate frame.");
        return false;
      }
      $frame.contents().find('.goog-te-menu2-item span.text:contains('+lang+')').get(0).click();
      return false;
    });
</script>