Title: WordPress Export exporting trashed items Last modified: March 30, 2023 --- # WordPress Export exporting trashed items * [shtv](https://wordpress.org/support/users/shtv/) * (@shtv) * [3 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-export-exporting-trashed-items/) * Hi there. Ive noticed that the wordpress export function is faulty because it is including trashed files in the final export file produced. This may be happening only when using the author filter in used in the export (Which i do on a daily basis). * This is a problem because… 1. The other website with the imported file will have this deleted file for no reason. This can cause confusion. There could be a file of the same name also( the correct version). Having a duplication can cause conflicts. 2. The user might not know a trashed file has been exported/imported because it would not be expected 3. If someone is exporting/importing files on a daily basis they will constantly see an error message saying “So and so post already exists”. That warning message does not specify the file is a trash file so the user could assume it is a normal“ published” one. For alot of users this would cause confusion. Viewing 9 replies - 1 through 9 (of 9 total) * Moderator [threadi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/threadi/) * (@threadi) * [3 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-export-exporting-trashed-items/#post-16615564) * What content are you exporting? Can you describe your export procedure step by step so that it can be reproduced? * Thread Starter [shtv](https://wordpress.org/support/users/shtv/) * (@shtv) * [3 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-export-exporting-trashed-items/#post-16634169) * Ok the site in question has 1000 posts and 2 users. User A and User B. * I have 10 posts created by user B and i want to use the wordpress export function in tools to export just posts created by that user. (I assume everyone has the ability to export only posts from a specific user). * If user B has recently deleted a post (lets call it “Post about Holiday”) and left it in the trash the wordpress export tool will include that file in the output. So you have 10 posts exported PLUS this trashed file that shouldnt be in there. (For people who dont know, exporting a post in wordpress creates an xml file. This can be useful as a quick backup or for migrating posts to another wordpress blog). * Everything will seem fine for the user until he/she decides to import the xml file in another wordpress site. After clicking on “import” in the tools folder the xml file appears to have been successfully incorporated into the new site. However a message comes up warning “Post about holiday already exists”. * Having done so many imports and exports over the years i managed to work out this problem only happens if a user has recently put a post in the trash and when only that user’s posts are filtered to be included in the export xml file - This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by [shtv](https://wordpress.org/support/users/shtv/). * Thread Starter [shtv](https://wordpress.org/support/users/shtv/) * (@shtv) * [3 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-export-exporting-trashed-items/#post-16635319) * i should point out the warning message of a duplication occurs because the exporter is including the same trash file in all future exports. This problem only stops if the trash files file expires in the original site or it it is manually deleted. Unfortunately for the user there is no information to show the file in question is a trash file and most people would not assume trash files are being included in an export. * Moderator [threadi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/threadi/) * (@threadi) * [3 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-export-exporting-trashed-items/#post-16636843) * The export function itself is only available to administrators unless you change the permissions on the roles (e.g. with a plugin like User Role Editor). * When exporting, you can choose to export only posts from a specific user. You can also choose the desired status. It looks like this: [https://imgur.com/a/ly6iXUV](https://imgur.com/a/ly6iXUV) * So a user who makes an export can choose himself what he exports. * When importing, it will of course be checked if a post to be imported already exists. If it is, it will be skipped for the import. Here is a script that changes this behavior so that an existing post is updated: [https://gist.github.com/terrillmoore/70f7fefde462dc632515db28cc78a07a](https://gist.github.com/terrillmoore/70f7fefde462dc632515db28cc78a07a) * Here is a simpler variant of it: [https://stackoverflow.com/questions/71007601/how-can-i-disable-duplicate-post-check-in-wordpress-importer](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/71007601/how-can-i-disable-duplicate-post-check-in-wordpress-importer) * Thread Starter [shtv](https://wordpress.org/support/users/shtv/) * (@shtv) * [3 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-export-exporting-trashed-items/#post-16636936) * Ok thankyou for looking into it but you havent addressed the bug where the wordpress exporter is exporting trashed posts? I would assume this was not intended because when doing a default export without any filters this does not happen. * Moderator [threadi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/threadi/) * (@threadi) * [3 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-export-exporting-trashed-items/#post-16637246) * As written above, you can select the status when exporting. Trashed is not there, but if you have selected “All”, “trash” is also taken into account as a status, so they are also exported – including their trash status. * This default behavior can also be influenced by hooks, e.g. you could influence the parameters for the export via [https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/hooks/export_args/](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/hooks/export_args/). * If you consider this a bug, feel free to report it in the core trac so that developers can address it: [https://core.trac.wordpress.org/newticket](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/newticket) * Thread Starter [shtv](https://wordpress.org/support/users/shtv/) * (@shtv) * [3 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-export-exporting-trashed-items/#post-16637416) * Is it possible to forward this issue to the wordpress team to fix. Because it slows things down when 99% of people do not want this to happen. Obviously because of its unexpected/hidden action alot of people would be unaware of this issue or would not understand the cause of duplicates. * The warning message is a bug in itself. it is saying a post exists when that post actually is a deleted post. * I thought i was being helpful taking the time to represent users that use the export function regularly. Most people would like common sense to prevail in software design and would definitely appreciate less clicks rather than more clicks in the execution of an action. They would also appreciate warning messages that do not confuse and that are accurate. - This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by [shtv](https://wordpress.org/support/users/shtv/). * Moderator [threadi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/threadi/) * (@threadi) * [3 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-export-exporting-trashed-items/#post-16638008) * I’ve already written you above where you can report what you consider a bug so developers can look at it and evaluate it. Here again the link to the Core Trac: [https://core.trac.wordpress.org/newticket](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/newticket) * Thread Starter [shtv](https://wordpress.org/support/users/shtv/) * (@shtv) * [3 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-export-exporting-trashed-items/#post-16638142) * You are implying this might not be a bug or an issue to worry about. If someone has deleted a post it means they no longer have a use for it. If a that post needs to be migrated/exported then they probably wouldnt delete it before exporting it. Does that make sense or not? * If i shouldnt be talking to you but instead should be reporting this as a bug elsewhere then can i ask why did you ask me to discuss it with you? * You asked me to explain the situation again but then showed little interest in the issue personally, little interest in whether it gets resolved or not. Maybe its not an issue that personally effects you. But that begs the question why choose to get involved in this support question? * Sure some people might only have a small 6 post website. People like myself have 6 websites which each have 1000s of posts. Having error messages and trying to find a needle in a haystack is the last thing a person needs to do when they are already under alot of pressure. * This apparent lack of understanding/dismissive nature with your response is probably not the positive outcome most people would hope to achieve here. - This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by [shtv](https://wordpress.org/support/users/shtv/). - This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by [shtv](https://wordpress.org/support/users/shtv/). - This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by [shtv](https://wordpress.org/support/users/shtv/). - This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by [shtv](https://wordpress.org/support/users/shtv/). - This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by [shtv](https://wordpress.org/support/users/shtv/). Viewing 9 replies - 1 through 9 (of 9 total) The topic ‘WordPress Export exporting trashed items’ is closed to new replies. ## Tags * [deleted files](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/deleted-files/) * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/) * 9 replies * 2 participants * Last reply from: [shtv](https://wordpress.org/support/users/shtv/) * Last activity: [3 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-export-exporting-trashed-items/#post-16638142) * Status: not resolved ## Topics ### Topics with no replies ### Non-support topics ### Resolved topics ### Unresolved topics ### All topics