How do you delete a content type's URL aliases in bulk?

Question

I have a content type where I want to delete all of its URL aliases in bulk. Currently the pathauto url alias page only has the option to delete all content url aliases regardless of what type it is.

How can you delete url aliases in bulk matching only a specific content type?

Also would it be okay to delete the url_aliases via phpmyadmin? I'm not sure if the url_aliases table is linked to something else.

Answer 1

I'd go with Views Bulk Operations.

• set the pathauto path for the content type to the default you want, but don't bulk update
• create simple view for the content type you're interested in
• add the field Bulk Opertations: Content
• Under Bulk Operations Settings check Enable "Select all items on all pages"
• select Update Node Alias
• add filters as required

navigate to the view page, select all, uncheck any special cases, and give it a whirl

but maybe backup first

Answer 2

I'd do it as an SQL query. Run as a SELECT first, to verify that all is well:

 SELECT alias FROM node n JOIN url_alias u ON CONCAT('node/', n.nid) =
 u.source WHERE n.type='my_type'

then edit it to make it a DELETE:

 DELETE u  FROM node n JOIN url_alias u ON CONCAT('node/', n.nid) =
 u.source WHERE n.type='my_type'