How to change the label of the default value (-Any-) of an exposed filter in Drupal Views?

Question

I created a view which has three exposed filters. Everything works fine except the fact that I can neither translate or change the default string (-Any-) for the dropdowns. Is there a way to change this string to something more meaningful like "Please Select" and make it translatable so the German version displays "Bitte wählen"? I have two screen captures that may be helpful:

and

A further improvement would be the ability to change the text "any" to something like "please select a (field name here)" but I am losing hope for that =)

UPDATE

IMPORTANT: On further testing, I found that if you choose to display "-Any-" from "admin/build/views/tools", then THAT IS translatable.

Solution 1

Three options:

• You could change it with localisation, if you have that enabled already. Introducing localisation only for this string is far too much overhead.
• You can change it with a form_alter, if you already alter the form anyway. Introducing a module with a hook_form alter for just one string is way too much (maintainance and performance) overhead.
• You coud change it with a simple string override in your settings.php

In Drupal 7 (Drupal6 differs in details only)

/**
 * String overrides:
 *
 * To override specific strings on your site with or without enabling locale
 * module, add an entry to this list. This functionality allows you to change
 * a small number of your site's default English language interface strings.
 *
 * Remove the leading hash signs to enable.
 */
$conf['locale_custom_strings_en'][''] = array(
   '<Any>'      => 'Whatever!',
);

Note though, that this will change every occurrance of the full string <Any> (case sensitive) to Whatever, not just the ones in that single form.

Solution 2

For anyone who wants to just change the value of "- Any -" to something in particular then use a custom module to override that looks like this:

function yourmodulename_form_alter(&$form, $form_state, $form_id) {

  if($form_state['view']->name == 'your_view_name_here') {

    $form['your_dropdown_name']['#options']['All'] = t('- Type -'); // overrides <All> on the dropdown

  }
}

The reason you might want to do this is if you have 3 (for example) dropdowns for 3 separate fields. Then having on them wouldn't be very useful for a user (especially if you are not using labels).

In the code above just remember to change "yourmodulename" to the name of your module.

your_view_name_here should be the name of your view (replace dashes with underscores - for example "property-search-bar" would become "property_search_bar")

And change "your_dropdown_name" to the field name - I found this by using dsm($form) with the devel module installed and enabled. This is usually the field name of your drop down so it might be something like "field_my_custom_value".

Hope this helps anyone who needs it!

Solution 3

Views exposed filter label is not translatable in D6. Go to Administer > Site building > Views and select tab tools. Replace 'Label for "Any" value on optional single-select exposed filters: ' by the translatable '- Any -'. Important: visit the views with exposed filters in at least one language which isn't your default language. Then you can translate "- Any -" through Aminister > Site building > Translate interface (case sensitive).

Solution 4

Or you can simply use a line of jQuery code like this:

$(document).ready(function(){

$("#views-exposed-form-url-name-display-name #edit-tid-all a").text("All");

});

Solution 5

The Better Exposed Filter module allows you to change the "-any-" label in a Views exposed filter.

View more solutions

Comments

[Ege Özcan]

I already have the localization enabled (it's a multi-language site) but when I search for "<Any>" (even "Any"), I can't find that string as listed in "/admin/build/translate/search". By the way I am using Drupal 6 and I will update the question for clearing that. Thanks for the great explanation by the way.

[berkes]

Drupal offers translations for every, nonconfigurable string. So either you can change the string with a configuration option (often the case in views) or you can change it trough localisation. If you cannot, then it is a bug.

[Ege Özcan]

I tried to find it on settings but the options are not, to say the least, too much: bit.ly/dWCXQo =) I will now accept this answer as a solution but maybe I'll post a bug to the views project. Thanks for the help.

[Ege Özcan]

IMPORTANT: On further testing, I found that if you choose to display "-Any-" from "admin/build/views/tools", then THAT IS translatable. Wow, who could have known that, if I didn't find: drupal.org/node/663156#comment-2388514

[Ege Özcan]

Hardcoding the strings in javaScript statements doesn't seem like a good idea. It even has an easy fix on the server side. Please see my comment on the accepted answer.

[Ege Özcan]

I already mentioned that as a comment for the accepted answer: stackoverflow.com/questions/4668266/…

[Aditya M P]

Thank you :) However, could you help when I want to do this same thing with the HS widget on the exposed filter, as opposed to the dropdown box? Wherever in the array I put the 3rd line of code, it fails to override the Any option - could you please give me any leads on that?

[octern]

I can't believe the string override worked so easily! Thank you.

[aendra]

This is the best option, especially if you need only one "- any -" overridden. Really, what that's called should be an option.

[bonbon.langes]

This seems to be changing everything at once.. How about when on one view, i'd like to change "- Any -" to "All Authors", and then the next one "All Articles", and then "All Blog Posts", and so on... I don't think this approach is possible.

[berkes]

@bonbon.langes: the answer lists three options. Only translating will change it everywhere at once, if that is what you want, it is your best option, else you'd need a form_alter.

[Jeff]

Is this accurate for D7?

[OlivierLarue]

We can use a quick test as well to see if the view exists, otherwise we get : Notice: Undefined index: view on other forms ( such as search module...) : if (isset($form_state['view']) && $form_state['view']->name == 'my_view_name' ) {/*...*/}