Feature Request: Support for limited subsite associations

[Idealien]

Description
The plugin is exceptional when a multi-site setup has every sub-site representing a different language of the same content. However, when a multi-site has multiple actual content sub-sites, there are multiple places where the UI presents all sub-sites for selection that are not appropriate for use case such as:

• Post Edit Screen - Doc Sidebar for MLSwitcher - Separate drop-down per sub-site
• Post Lists Screen - Separate column per translation/potential translation
• Front-End Site - When Menu Settings/Theme Location defined

To Reproduce

• Create a multi-site network with 8 sub-sites (EN1, EN2, EN3, EN4, FR1, FR2, FR3, FR4)

Expected behaviour

• Provide an option under Multisite Language Switcher Options / Main Settings that lets each site be (optionally) associated to N number of sites. (multi-select field type)
• When this has been defined, anywhere that currently displays ALL sub-sites would only display the associated sub-sites.
• In reproduced example, EN1/FR1 would see each other, EN2/FR2, etc.

There is a code-based temporary solution possible through the msls_blog_collection_construct filter

add_filter( 'msls_blog_collection_construct', 'msls_sites_collection_restrictions' );
function msls_sites_collection_restrictions( $sites ) {

	$restrict = true;

	//Ensure front-end only are restricted.
	if ( is_admin() && isset( $_GET['page'] ) ) {
		$admin_path = strtolower( sanitize_text_field( $_GET['page'] ) );
		if ( $admin_path === 'mslsadmin' ) {
			$restruct = false;
		}
	}

	if ( ! $restrict ) {
		return $sites;
	}

	//Find out the current blog and let it's language counterpart be displayed.
	//@TODO - Refactor this so the en/fr association is stored in site options.
	$current_blog_id = get_current_blog_id();

	switch ( $current_blog_id ) {

		case 1:
			$keep_blog_id = 2;
			break;
		case 2:
			$keep_blog_id = 1;
			break;
		case 3:
			$keep_blog_id = 4;
			break;
		case 4:
			$keep_blog_id = 3;
			break;
	}

	foreach ( $sites as $key => $site ) {
		if ( $key !== $keep_blog_id && $key !== $current_blog_id ) {
			unset( $sites[ $key ] );
		}
	}

	return $sites;
}

Screenshots

Environment (please complete the following information):

• OS: Linux
• Browser: All
• PHP Version 7.2
• Plugin Version: 2.3 and 2.4.3

[Idealien]

Hoping this could be flagged as an enhancement item for 2.5?

I have updated the temporary workaround code mentioned above to read from a separate option defined through an ACF meta form. It means that code does not have to update with every new subsite added, but does introduce small issue when migrating subsites between dev/stg/prod environments if the subsite ID changes. Generally, accessing the settings panel (both ACF data and WPMSLS) to re-save settings post migration addresses it.

add_filter( 'msls_blog_collection_construct', 'msls_sites_collection_restrictions' );
function msls_sites_collection_restrictions( $sites ) {
	$restrict = true;

	//Ensure front-end only are restricted.
	if ( is_admin() && isset( $_GET['page'] ) ) {
		$admin_path = strtolower( sanitize_text_field( $_GET['page'] ) );
		if ( $admin_path === 'mslsadmin' ) {
			$restruct = false;
		}
	}

	if ( ! $restrict ) {
		return $sites;
	}

	$current_blog_id = get_current_blog_id();
	$bilingual_id = false;

	//Retrieve bilingual site associated in ACF option stored under 'CPC Settings'
	if ( function_exists( 'get_field' ) ) {
		$bilingual_id = get_field( 'bilingual_subsite', 'option' );
	}

	//Only present the associated language subsite
	if ( $bilingual_id ) {
		$new_sites = array();
		foreach ( $sites as $key => $site ) {
			if ( $site->blog_id == $bilingual_id  || $site->blog_id == $current_blog_id ) {
				$new_sites[ $key ] = $sites[ $key ];
			}
		}
		if ( ! empty( $new_sites ) ) {
			return $new_sites;
		}
	}
	return $sites;
}

[lloc]

Related to #180

[Idealien]

While the feature may still have value to others, I am no longer using this plugin or developing solutions that relate to it for multisite based multilingual purposes. Please remove me as an assignee / participant as it seems without closing the issue GH currently doesn't provide me a way to :/

[michakrapp]

WordPress has the "hidden" Multisite feature of creating multiple networks of sites in one multisite installation.
I think this should be the right usage for this issue.

Unfortunately WP currently has no admin screen setting to do this, so either it have to be activated through a plugin or the db.
Maybe a settings screen for that could be added here or in a sub plugin.

With this feature it is possible to use the correct wp functions to handle networks and blogs

[lloc]

Hi @michakrapp, are you referring to WP Multi Network? I use that plugin in my own projects and have recently contributed a few PRs there.

As for MSLS, it can already handle this feature request either by using the reference user or through a hook in the blog collection. I’ve left this issue open for discussion, but I believe it could be closed at this point.

I also plan to translate this post soon: https://ploetner.io/de/von-multisites-zu-multi-networks/ — it should provide enough information for this specific use case.

[michakrapp]

Could not remember the plugin name and have not used it yet myself. But on a short look it seems fine.

Just wanted to comment the network feature because I saw this issue.

So far I have not been using the feature myself and it's not planned.

Update: Yes, it was that plugin.

[lloc]

Feature request closed because it can be done with WP Multi Network.