Create your extension with it's own layout file and block that adds links to the top menu.
Let's call that Easylife_Locale. You will need the following files:
app/etc/modules/Easylife_Locale.xml - the declaration file
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<config>
<modules>
<Easylife_Locale>
<codePool>local</codePool>
<active>true</active>
<depends>
<Mage_Core />
</depends>
</Easylife_Locale>
</modules>
</config>
app/code/local/Easylife/Locale/etc/config.xml - the configuration file
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<config>
<modules>
<Easylife_Locale>
<version>1.0.0</version>
</Easylife_Locale>
</modules>
<global>
<blocks>
<easylife_locale>
<class>Easylife_Locale_Block</class>
</easylife_locale>
</blocks>
</global>
<frontend>
<layout>
<updates>
<easylife_locale>
<file>easylife_locale.xml</file>
</easylife_locale>
</updates>
</layout>
</frontend>
</config>
app/design/frontend/base/default/layout/easylife_locale.xml - the frontend layout file
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<layout>
<default>
<reference name="top.links">
<block type="easylife_locale/stores" name="stores_links">
<action method="addStoreLinks"></action>
</block>
</reference>
</default>
</layout>
app/code/local/Easylife/Locale/Block/Stores.php - the block that adds the links to the top.
<?php
class Easylife_Locale_Block_Stores extends Mage_Page_Block_Switch {
public function addStoreLinks() {
$parentBlock = $this->getParentBlock();
if ($parentBlock) {
$position = 200; //start position
foreach ($this->getStores() as $store) {
$params = null;
if ($store->getId() == $this->getCurrentStoreId()) {
$params = 'class="current-store"';
//if you want to skip the current store view just uncomment the next line
//continue;
}
//Print the language code (en, fr)
$text = substr(Mage::app()->getLocale()->getLocaleCode(), 0, 2);
//if your want to display the store name comment the line above and uncomment the one below
//$text = $store->getName();
$title = $store->getName();
$parentBlock->addLink($text, $store->getCurrentUrl(), $title, false, array(), $position, null, $params);
$position += 10;
}
}
return $this;
}
}
Clear the cache and try it out.
As mentioned before you can edit your local.xml file.
It should be in your theme folder e.g.:
app/design/frontend/yourpackage/yourversion/layout/local.xml
If it´s not there you can create it. It`s a very good way to edit the layout xml for a theme.
Remove "My Account" for the default handle
<default>
<reference name="top.links">
<action method="removeLinkByUrl">
<url helper="customer/getAccountUrl"/>
</action>
</reference>
</default>
Add "Register" for the logged out handle
<customer_logged_out>
<reference name="top.links">
<action method="addLink" translate="label title">
<label>Register</label>
<url helper="customer/getLogInUrl"/>
<prepare/>
<urlParams/>
</action>
</reference>
</customer_logged_out>
Add "My Account" for the logged in handle
<customer_logged_in>
<reference name="top.links">
<action method="addLink" translate="label title">
<label>Your Account</label>
<url helper="customer/getAccountUrl" />
<prepare/>
<urlParams/>
<liParams>
<id>header-account-link</id>
</liParams>
<aParams/>
<beforeText/>
<afterText/>
</action>
</reference>
</customer_logged_in>
In app/design/frontend/base/default/layout/customer.xml you can find the possible handles and url helper etc.
Best Answer
You can also remove some of the top links in your local.xml by referencing them and removing them by name.
This only work if the top link was created with a name like this:
For the log in and log out, since they aren't called with a "name", you can't remove it this way.