How to Update meta_key Names in WordPress Based on meta_value

Discover how to efficiently update `meta_key` names in WordPress if they have corresponding `meta_value`. This guide walks you through the SQL process step-by-step.
---
This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/67927820/ asked by the user 'BlueDogRanch' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/5853892/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/67953929/ provided by the user 'fubar' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/4604701/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

Visit these links for original content and any more details, such as alternate solutions, latest updates/developments on topic, comments, revision history etc. For example, the original title of the Question was: If a meta_key has a meta_value, update the meta_key name

Also, Content (except music) licensed under CC BY-SA https://meta.stackexchange.com/help/l...
The original Question post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... ) license, and the original Answer post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... ) license.

If anything seems off to you, please feel free to write me at vlogize [AT] gmail [DOT] com.
---
How to Update meta_key Names in WordPress Based on meta_value

Managing your WordPress database can sometimes be a daunting task, especially when you need to manipulate data from your tables. One common scenario that developers encounter is when they wish to update a meta_key in the wp_postmeta table, but only for those entries that have a corresponding non-empty meta_value. In this guide, we will show you how to achieve this using SQL.

The Problem

In the wp_postmeta table, suppose you have around 1,000 meta_keys with the specific name _wcj_custom_product_tabs_content_local_1. However, only a small fraction of these – about 100 – actually contain a meta_value. The task at hand is to update the meta_key name to something more concise, like custom_product_tab_content, but only for those that have data in meta_value.

The Solution

To solve this problem, we can utilize SQL queries to filter and update our data efficiently. Below are the steps involved in achieving this task.

Step 1: Identify Non-Empty meta_values

First, we need to ensure that we only target meta_keys that have a value. The following SQL query retrieves distinct meta_values where the meta_key matches our criteria:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Step 2: Combine Selection with Update

After confirming the existence of appropriate meta_values, the next step is to craft an UPDATE statement that incorporates our conditions from the SELECT query. Here's how you can structure your UPDATE command:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Breakdown of the SQL Update Statement

UPDATE wp_postmeta: This indicates which table we are modifying.

SET meta_key = 'custom_product_tab_content': This portion defines what we want the meta_key to be updated to.

WHERE meta_key = '_wcj_custom_product_tabs_content_local_1': This specifies which entries we want to change.

AND meta_value IS NOT NULL AND meta_value != '': These conditions ensure that we are only updating entries that contain a valid meta_value.

Conclusion

By using the combined query technique shown above, you can effectively update meta_key names in your WordPress database while ensuring that you only affect those keys that hold valid values. This method not only keeps your database clean but also optimizes your data management process.

Understanding how to manipulate your WordPress database can be tremendously beneficial for maintaining your site efficiently. Armed with this knowledge, you can now tackle similar challenges with confidence!