How to bulk update entities using the Feeds module, without existing mappings to a "unique target"

Question

Importing new entities with feeds using a published csv file is very handy. I use Google Sheets to publish a csv file and use Feeds to create new nodes, which then can be updated based on a unique target field.

However, I have a number of sites that need their content to be bulk-updated in a similar fashion, but these entities were not imported through Feeds, so no unique target / hash check is present to update them.

Is there a way to make drupal import a feed and check for existing entities using the title field, and modify/populate the corresponding fields?

Answer 1

You could use a custom text field as unique target by using the "Unique values" validator of the Field validation module.

You could also implement hook_feeds_processor_targets_alter() in a custom module to add a "unique callback" to a target. In that callback you can implement your own logic for retrieving an existing entity.

See https://www.drupal.org/node/1307732#field_as_unique_id_7 for a list of steps for both solutions. See also feeds.api.php for more information about implementing "unique" callbacks.