[tl] Post Batch Update

A Post Batch Update is a powerful administrative tool in the XenForo 2 forum software. It allows forum administrators and moderators with the correct permissions to mass-edit a large number of posts based on specific search criteria.

What It’s Used For:

This tool is designed for efficiency when managing large forums. Instead of editing hundreds or thousands of posts one by one, an admin can use a batch update to apply changes to all of them at once.

Common use cases include:

• Changing Post Status: Moving all posts from a specific user or thread to “Approved,” “Unapproved,” or “Soft-Deleted” state.

• Managing Content: Adding a prefix, changing the discussion type, or applying a specific tag to a large group of posts.

• Moving Content: Relocating all posts from one forum (node) to another.

• Bulk Cleanup: Mass-deleting spam posts or old content that matches a filter (e.g., posts older than a certain date).

How It Works (General Process):

1. Search Criteria: The admin first uses the robust Post Search feature to find the exact set of posts they want to modify (e.g., “posts by user X,” “posts in forum Y,” “posts containing keyword Z”).

2. Batch Update Action: After the search results are returned, the admin selects the Batch Update action.

3. Choose Operations: A menu appears with options for what to do with the selected posts. The admin chooses the desired operation (like “Change author,” “Delete posts,” etc.).

4. Apply Changes: The system processes the update. This action is typically irreversible for large batches, so caution is required.

Important Warnings for Administrators:

• Test First: It is highly recommended to run a test on a small, controlled set of posts (like 2-3) to ensure the search criteria and update action work as expected.

• No Undo: There is usually no “undo” for a batch update that affects thousands of posts.

• Permissions: This is a sensitive administrative function. Access should be restricted to trusted senior staff only.