BuddyPress.org

Hi @sundev

Have you tried using bp_core_remove_nav_item( 'slug' )? There is also a function available in BP to remove sub-nav items bp_core_remove_subnav_item( 'slug', 'subnav-slug' )

For renaming things, the recommended practice is to use a language file:

Customizing Labels, Messages, and URLs

If you make a lot of changes, you should use that approach.

The ‘counting bubble’ is filled using sprintf.
You’re missing that call from your change.
You could try
$bp->bp_nav['messages']['name']='Mails <span>%d</span>';
But I’d be surprised if it works.

Here’s another method, that you can paste in your functions.php:

function sundev_change_buddypress_profile_tabs( $translated, $original_text, $domain ) {

    if ( 'buddypress' !== $domain )  {
        return $translated; 
    }

    switch ( $original_text ) {
    
        case 'Messages <span>%d</span>':
            return 'Mails <span>%d</span>';

        case 'Messages':
            return 'Mails';
            			
        default:
            return $translated;
    }
}
add_filter( 'gettext', 'sundev_change_buddypress_profile_tabs', 10, 3 );

Untested, but that should change the label in both a profile and the buddy-bar.

@henrywright – Obmerk makes an excellent argument.

But whatever works for each person.

I like filtering gettext because it’s faster than the poedit dance.