This update will make the help method fall back to the English content, if it is available.

app/Helpers/Help/Help.php

@@ -14,7 +14,9 @@ namespace FireflyIII\Helpers\Help;
 
 use Cache;
 use League\CommonMark\CommonMarkConverter;
+use Log;
 use Requests;
+use Requests_Exception;
 use Route;
 
 /**
@@ -45,20 +47,28 @@ class Help implements HelpInterface
     public function getFromGithub(string $language, string $route): string
     {
 
-        $uri     = sprintf('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/firefly-iii/help/master/%s/%s.md', $language, $route);
+        $uri = sprintf('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/firefly-iii/help/master/%s/%s.md', $language, $route);
-        $content = '<p>' . strval(trans('firefly.route_has_no_help')) . '</p>';
+        Log::debug(sprintf('Trying to get %s...', $uri));
-        $result  = Requests::get($uri);
+        $content = '';
+        try {
+            $result = Requests::get($uri);
+        } catch (Requests_Exception $e) {
+            Log::error($e);
+
+            return '';
+        }
+
+
+        Log::debug(sprintf('Status code is %d', $result->status_code));
 
         if ($result->status_code === 200) {
-            $content = $result->body;
+            $content = trim($result->body);
         }
-
+        if (strlen($content) > 0) {
-
+            Log::debug('Content is longer than zero. Expect something.');
-        if (strlen(trim($content)) == 0) {
+            $converter = new CommonMarkConverter();
-            $content = '<p>' . strval(trans('firefly.route_has_no_help')) . '</p>';
+            $content   = $converter->convertToHtml($content);
         }
-        $converter = new CommonMarkConverter();
-        $content   = $converter->convertToHtml($content);
 
         return $content;
 
@@ -83,7 +93,16 @@ class Help implements HelpInterface
      */
     public function inCache(string $route, string $language):bool
     {
-        return Cache::has('help.' . $route . '.' . $language);
+        $result = Cache::has('help.' . $route . '.' . $language);
+        if ($result) {
+            Log::debug(sprintf('Cache has this entry: %s', 'help.' . $route . '.' . $language));
+        }
+        if (!$result) {
+            Log::debug(sprintf('Cache does not have this entry: %s', 'help.' . $route . '.' . $language));
+        }
+
+        return $result;
+
     }
 
     /**
@@ -96,6 +115,8 @@ class Help implements HelpInterface
      */
     public function putInCache(string $route, string $language, string $content)
     {
-        Cache::put('help.' . $route . '.' . $language, $content, 10080); // a week.
+        $key = 'help.' . $route . '.' . $language;
+        Log::debug(sprintf('Will store entry in cache: %s', $key));
+        Cache::put($key, $content, 10080); // a week.
     }
 }

app/Http/Controllers/HelpController.php

@@ -42,8 +42,9 @@ class HelpController extends Controller
     public function show(HelpInterface $help, string $route)
     {
 
-        $language = Preferences::get('language', config('firefly.default_language', 'en_US'))->data;
+        $language    = Preferences::get('language', config('firefly.default_language', 'en_US'))->data;
-        $content  = '<p>' . strval(trans('firefly.route_has_no_help')) . '</p>';
+        $content     = '<p>' . strval(trans('firefly.route_has_no_help')) . '</p>';
+        $alternative = false;
 
         if (!$help->hasRoute($route)) {
             Log::error('No such route: ' . $route);
@@ -60,6 +61,21 @@ class HelpController extends Controller
 
         $content = $help->getFromGithub($language, $route);
 
+        // get backup language content (try English):
+        if (strlen($content) === 0) {
+            $language    = 'en_US';
+            $content     = $help->getFromGithub($language, $route);
+            $alternative = true;
+        }
+
+        if ($alternative && strlen($content) > 0) {
+            $content = '<p><em>' . strval(trans('firefly.help_may_not_be_your_language')) . '</em></p>' . $content;
+        }
+
+        if (strlen($content) === 0) {
+            $content = '<p>' . strval(trans('firefly.route_has_no_help')) . '</p>';
+        }
+        
         $help->putInCache($route, $language, $content);
 
         return Response::json($content);

resources/lang/en_US/firefly.php

@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@ return [
     'flash_info_multiple'                        => 'There is one message|There are :count messages',
     'flash_error_multiple'                       => 'There is one error|There are :count errors',
     'net_worth'                                  => 'Net worth',
-    'route_has_no_help'                          => 'There is no help for this route, or there is no help available in your language.',
+    'route_has_no_help'                          => 'There is no help for this route.',
+    'help_may_not_be_your_language'              => 'This help text is in English. It is not yet available in your language',
     'two_factor_welcome'                         => 'Hello, :user!',
     'two_factor_enter_code'                      => 'To continue, please enter your two factor authentication code. Your application can generate it for you.',
     'two_factor_code_here'                       => 'Enter code here',