> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.fetchski-attract.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Copy an author to another locale

> Copies the draft into another locale as a draft there.

```ts TypeScript wrap theme={"dark"}
import { createSiteClient } from '@fetchski/attract-cms-sdk';

const site = createSiteClient();
const author = await site.authors().localizeAuthor({ id: 'clx8m2k4p0000a1b2c3d4e5f6', toLocale: 'en' });
```

```json 200 wrap theme={"dark"}
{
  "title": "Example title",
  "bio": "Example bio",
  "_user": [
    {}
  ],
  "showOnSite": true,
  "showPhoto": true,
  "slug": "example-slug",
  "visibility": "public",
  "scheduledPublish": "Example scheduled publish",
  "scheduledUnpublish": "Example scheduled unpublish",
  "archived": false,
  "_id": "clx8m2k4p0000a1b2c3d4e5f6",
  "type": "Example type",
  "createdAt": "2026-10-24T09:30:00.000Z",
  "updatedAt": "2026-10-24T09:30:00.000Z",
  "aposShareKey": "k3v9x2m7q1z8w4p6"
}
```

## In your app

A function makes the call on the client it is given, so your code passes the real one and a test passes a fake.

**1. Add the function**

```ts src/attract/localize-author.ts theme={"dark"}
import type { SiteClient } from '@fetchski/attract-cms-sdk';

export async function localizeAuthor(site: SiteClient, id: string) {
  return site.authors().localizeAuthor({ id, toLocale: 'en' });
}
```

The other values are the example’s: take yours from the request, a form or your database.

**2. Call it**

A script makes the client once and calls the function:

```ts scripts/localize-author.ts theme={"dark"}
import { createSiteClient } from '@fetchski/attract-cms-sdk';
import { localizeAuthor } from '../src/attract/localize-author.ts';

const site = createSiteClient();
console.log(await localizeAuthor(site, 'clx8m2k4p0000a1b2c3d4e5f6'));
```

```bash Terminal theme={"dark"}
node --env-file=.env scripts/localize-author.ts
```

A route handler, a job or a queue worker calls it the same way.

Answers that copy. 409 `conflict` when one exists and `update` is not true.

## Find the id

`id` is the document’s `_id`, from a list. Ask the list for only the fields you need: each row is a document’s `id` and those fields.

```ts TypeScript wrap theme={"dark"}
import { createSiteClient } from '@fetchski/attract-cms-sdk';

const site = createSiteClient();
const row = (await site.authors().listAuthorsPick(['title', 'slug'])).find((each) => each.slug === 'getting-started'); // { id, title, slug }, or undefined
```

Pass `row.id` as `id`. Drafts: list with `{ aposMode: 'draft' }` to get the draft’s id ([Find an id](https://docs.fetchski-attract.com/find-an-id.md)).

> [accordion] Required parameters
>
> One object, e.g. `localizeAuthor({ id })`; leave out the optional fields.
>
> **id** `string` *required*
>
> **Required.** The document’s `_id`: a full id names its own locale and mode (the draft’s `…:en:draft`, the published one’s `…:en:published`; no `aposMode` needed), a bare `aposDocId` takes the request’s (`aposLocale`, `aposMode`).
>
> **toLocale** `string` *required*
>
> **Required.** The locale to copy it into: a configured locale, not the current one.

> [accordion] Optional parameters
>
> **update** `boolean | null | undefined`
>
> **Optional.** Leave it out (or pass `null`) and it isn’t sent: the site’s default applies. Overwrite the copy if one already exists there (default false: 409 `conflict` instead).

> [accordion] Returns
>
> An `Author`. Author content type. Read its properties (`author.title`): each says whether the site always sends it. The example answer is the site’s wire JSON: some keys differ from the property names (`_id` → `id`, `_user` → `user`).
>
> **title** `string`
>
> **Always sent.** Its title: the name it goes by in every list, and the heading of its page where it has one.
>
> **id** `string`
>
> **Always sent.** The document’s id. On a type with drafts it ends in its locale and mode (`…:en:published`, `…:en:draft`): the part before the first colon is its `aposDocId`, shared by both copies. The `{_id}` the type’s routes take.
>
> **type** `string`
>
> **Always sent.** The document type’s name: always this type’s.
>
> **bio** `string | null`
>
> **Sometimes sent:** `undefined` when the site leaves it out, and it can be `null`. Optional one or two sentences about this author.
>
> **user** `readonly Readonly\<Record\<string, unknown\>\>[] | null`
>
> **Sometimes sent:** `undefined` when the site leaves it out, and it can be `null`. The FetchskiCMS login account this author profile belongs to (used to source the photo, and by SSO to sync it). Leave empty for guest contributors. The related `@apostrophecms/user` documents, in order (empty when none). To set it, send a list of `{ "_id": "…" }`, one per document (one at most); a document the site can’t find is left out. At most 1 items.
>
> **showOnSite** `boolean | null`
>
> **Sometimes sent:** `undefined` when the site leaves it out, and it can be `null`. Master switch for this author’s public byline. Turn off to hide the name AND photo on every post that credits this author.
>
> **showPhoto** `boolean | null`
>
> **Sometimes sent:** `undefined` when the site leaves it out, and it can be `null`. When on, the linked login account’s profile photo appears next to this author. Has no effect without a login account, or when “Show author on the site” is off.
>
> **slug** `string | null`
>
> **Sometimes sent:** `undefined` when the site leaves it out, and it can be `null`. The URL name: lowercase words joined by hyphens (letters outside a–z, even emoji, are kept).
>
> **visibility** `Visibility | null`
>
> **Sometimes sent:** `undefined` when the site leaves it out, and it can be `null`. Select whether this content is public or private. One of `public`, `loginRequired`; a newer site may send others, so keep a fallback.
>
> **scheduledPublish** `string | null`
>
> **Sometimes sent:** `undefined` when the site leaves it out, and it can be `null`. An ISO 8601 date and time, e.g. `2026-10-21T14:30:00.000Z`.
>
> **scheduledUnpublish** `string | null`
>
> **Sometimes sent:** `undefined` when the site leaves it out, and it can be `null`. An ISO 8601 date and time, e.g. `2026-10-21T14:30:00.000Z`.
>
> **archived** `boolean | null`
>
> **Sometimes sent:** `undefined` when the site leaves it out, and it can be `null`. In the archive: kept, but out of every list and off the site until it is restored. `false` (or null) for a live document.
>
> **createdAt** `Date | null`
>
> **Sometimes sent:** `undefined` when the site leaves it out, and it can be `null`. When it was created (ISO 8601). Format: an ISO 8601 date and time.
>
> **updatedAt** `Date | null`
>
> **Sometimes sent:** `undefined` when the site leaves it out, and it can be `null`. When it last changed (ISO 8601). Format: an ISO 8601 date and time.
>
> **aposShareKey** `string | null`
>
> **Sometimes sent:** `undefined` when the site leaves it out, and it can be `null`. The draft’s preview share key, while its share link is on: the link is the draft’s `_url` with `aposShareKey` and `aposShareId` (the draft’s `_id`) in its query. Absent otherwise, and on published documents.

> [accordion] Errors
>
> Nothing to catch: the SDK retries what is safe, and throws the rest as the classes below; catch only what you want to react to (see [Errors and testing](https://docs.fetchski-attract.com/typescript/errors.md)).
>
> **ValidationFailed** `400`
>
> The site refused what was sent: `errors` lists each field’s problem, `siteMessage` the first.
>
> **Retried first:** No. **Read:** `errors` (field → messages), `siteMessage`.
>
> **AuthenticationFailed** `401`
>
> The API key is missing or refused (malformed, revoked, expired), or a signature its signing mode needs is missing or stale.
>
> **Retried first:** No. **Read:** `siteMessage`, `errorName`, `data`.
>
> **Forbidden** `403`
>
> The key may not do this: a scope it lacks, or an address outside its allowlist. `siteMessage` names it.
>
> **Retried first:** No. **Read:** `siteMessage`, `errorName`, `data`.
>
> **NotFound** `404`
>
> Nothing matches, or the caller may not see it.
>
> **Retried first:** No. **Read:** `siteMessage`, `errorName`, `data`.
>
> **Conflict** `409`
>
> A copy already exists in that locale: send `update: true` to overwrite it.
>
> **Retried first:** No. **Read:** `siteMessage`, `errorName`, `data`.
>
> **SiteError** `500`
>
> The site failed. Its logs say why.
>
> **Retried first:** No: a write may have landed. **Read:** `siteMessage`, `errorName`, `data`.
>
> **SiteUnreachable** `no answer`
>
> No answer: DNS, a refused connection, TLS, or the timeout (15 s per attempt by default).
>
> **Retried first:** Only when nothing reached the site (`neverConnected()`); never after a timeout, when it may have landed. **Read:** `reason`, `neverConnected`.
>
> **RequestNotSent** `not sent`
>
> The client refused to send it (e.g. a path segment of `..`); the site never saw it.
>
> **Retried first:** No. **Read:** `reason` (what to change).
>
> **SiteRequestFailed** `any other`
>
> Any other status, or a success whose JSON doesn’t match this SDK version’s types (update the SDK).
>
> **Retried first:** No. **Read:** `reason`, `status`.
>
> **UnknownSite** `setup`
>
> `sites.forSite('acme')` named a slug your sites (`createSiteClients()`) don’t have.
>
> **Retried first:** No: nothing was sent. **Read:** `message`, `slug`.
>
> **SiteConfigurationError** `setup`
>
> The client’s settings are wrong: no `FETCHSKI_ATTRACT_URL` (or `baseUrl`), or a malformed API key.
>
> **Retried first:** No: nothing was sent. **Read:** `message` (what to fix).

## Behavior

* **Access:** an API key with `content:authors:write` (or a master above it: `content:authors:all`, `content:all`, `admin:all`). A signed-in person may call it as far as their own permissions allow; anyone else gets 403.
* **Rate limit:** the key’s own writes-per-minute limit, set when the key is created (default 120); over it, 429 with `Retry-After`. The client waits and retries for you; you see `RateLimited` only if that runs out.
* **Retries:** a write is sent again only after a 429 (refused before it acted) or when it never reached the site. After a timeout or a 5xx it may have landed: check before you send it again.
* **Timeout:** 15 s per attempt by default; raise `timeout` (milliseconds) on the client for longer.

## Test it

It calls the function above with a fake client: the fake answers every call with a valid example, so nothing leaves your machine and no settings or key are needed. Run it with `node --test`.

```ts tests/authors-localizeAuthor.test.ts theme={"dark"}
import { test } from 'node:test';
import { fakeSite } from '@fetchski/attract-cms-sdk/testing';
import { localizeAuthor } from '../src/attract/localize-author.ts';

test('authors.localizeAuthor', async () => {
  const site = fakeSite();
  await localizeAuthor(site, 'clx8m2k4p0000a1b2c3d4e5f6');
  site.assertCalled('authors.localizeAuthor', (args) => args.id === 'clx8m2k4p0000a1b2c3d4e5f6');
});
```

**Answer with your own values:** fake `authors.localizeAuthor` with `factories.Author({...})`, the fields you give over a valid example.

```ts tests/authors-localizeAuthor-answer.test.ts theme={"dark"}
import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
import { test } from 'node:test';
import { factories, fakeSite } from '@fetchski/attract-cms-sdk/testing';

test('authors.localizeAuthor answers your values', async () => {
  const site = fakeSite({
    'authors.localizeAuthor': factories.Author({ title: 'Your value' })
  });
  const author = await site.authors().localizeAuthor({ id: 'clx8m2k4p0000a1b2c3d4e5f6', toLocale: 'en' });
  assert.equal(author.title, 'Your value');
});
```

## Related

> [card] [List an author’s locales](https://docs.fetchski-attract.com/typescript/reference/authors/get-author-locales.md)
>
> `site.authors().getAuthorLocales()`

> [card] [List authors](https://docs.fetchski-attract.com/typescript/reference/authors/list-authors.md)
>
> `site.authors().listAuthors()`

> [card] [Create an author](https://docs.fetchski-attract.com/typescript/reference/authors/create-author.md)
>
> `site.authors().createAuthor()`

> [card] [Get an author](https://docs.fetchski-attract.com/typescript/reference/authors/get-author.md)
>
> `site.authors().getAuthor()`

> [card] [Replace an author](https://docs.fetchski-attract.com/typescript/reference/authors/replace-author.md)
>
> `site.authors().replaceAuthor()`

> [card] [Delete an author](https://docs.fetchski-attract.com/typescript/reference/authors/delete-author.md)
>
> `site.authors().deleteAuthor()`

> [card] [POST /author/\{\_id}/localize](https://docs.fetchski-attract.com/api-reference/authors/copy-an-author-to-another-locale.md)
>
> The endpoint this calls, in the API reference: the HTTP request and answer, and every rule the site checks.


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