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Language options not displaying for Google Translate in Firefox

  • 5 replies
  • 26 have this problem
  • 36 views
  • Last reply by cor-el

AudioSparx
AudioSparx

Firefox is still having a problem in displaying the languages in the drop-down control for Google Translate. This issue was addressed in another thread, here (now archived):

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/957611?esab=a&as=aaq

I'm experiencing the problem still, and I created a MOST BASIC example to demonstrate the problem, here:

http://www.audiosparx.com/sa/testing/translate/test.htm

What we've tried so far to resolve it:

1. We've tried the Firefox reset option, that did not solve the problem 2. Uninstall, reinstall, that did not solve the problem

The strange thing is that it works fine on one system running Windows 7, and it worked for both Firefox 23, 24 and 25, which we upgraded to in sequence. But it does not work on another brand new high-end system also running Windows 7 and Firefox 25.

It works fine on Google Chrome. Internet Explorer does not even show the translate control! Something has changed recently potentially with Google Translate that is causing this to break. I'm not the first to report this, although it seemed to get resolved for other people in some cases, without any explantation.

A client of ours initially reported this problem, and we can duplicated it on one Windows 7 system, but not another system also running Windows 7.

Any help you can offer to resolve this for Firefox users would be much appreciated.

Firefox is still having a problem in displaying the languages in the drop-down control for Google Translate. This issue was addressed in another thread, here (now archived): https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/957611?esab=a&as=aaq I'm experiencing the problem still, and I created a MOST BASIC example to demonstrate the problem, here: http://www.audiosparx.com/sa/testing/translate/test.htm What we've tried so far to resolve it: 1. We've tried the Firefox reset option, that did not solve the problem 2. Uninstall, reinstall, that did not solve the problem The strange thing is that it works fine on one system running Windows 7, and it worked for both Firefox 23, 24 and 25, which we upgraded to in sequence. But it does not work on another brand new high-end system also running Windows 7 and Firefox 25. It works fine on Google Chrome. Internet Explorer does not even show the translate control! Something has changed recently potentially with Google Translate that is causing this to break. I'm not the first to report this, although it seemed to get resolved for other people in some cases, without any explantation. A client of ours initially reported this problem, and we can duplicated it on one Windows 7 system, but not another system also running Windows 7. Any help you can offer to resolve this for Firefox users would be much appreciated.

Chosen solution

Note that the Google Translation element requires Flash to work, so if it isn't working then make sure that have installed the Flash plugin and that you also allow this plugin.

You can check for problems with current Flash plugin versions and try these:

  • disable a possible RealPlayer Browser Record Plugin extension for Firefox and update the RealPlayer if installed
  • disable protected mode in the Flash plugin (Flash 11.3+ on Windows Vista and later)
  • disable hardware acceleration in the Flash plugin
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All Replies (5)

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator

Chosen Solution

Note that the Google Translation element requires Flash to work, so if it isn't working then make sure that have installed the Flash plugin and that you also allow this plugin.

You can check for problems with current Flash plugin versions and try these:

  • disable a possible RealPlayer Browser Record Plugin extension for Firefox and update the RealPlayer if installed
  • disable protected mode in the Flash plugin (Flash 11.3+ on Windows Vista and later)
  • disable hardware acceleration in the Flash plugin
monfresh
monfresh

Note that the Chosen Solution incorrectly states that it's the Google Translation element that requires Flash to work. The widget itself certainly doesn't require Flash, since it works just fine in Safari on a Mac that doesn't have Flash installed.

The real question is why, in 2014, does Firefox not natively support the Google Translate widget?

The fact that it works without Flash in Safari shows that this is a Firefox issue.

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator

I'm not getting the drop down list if Flash is disabled.
I only see "Select Language" in the drop-down list if the Flash plugin isn't enabled, so it is definitely the Flash plugin that needs to be enabled to make it work properly.

I don't know why it would work in Safari.

monfresh
monfresh

I understand that for Firefox, Flash needs to be enabled. What I'd like to know is why?

What's probably happening is that Google's code includes a fallback to Flash in case the regular code is not supported.

Safari supports the code natively, which is why it works without Flash.

What I'd like to know is what is the technical reason why Firefox doesn't support the code natively? Can someone on the development team answer this please?

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator

That is how the script that Google uses for Firefox works.
I don't know how it works with Safari, so you would have to check that yourself.