Bulk Import Categories + Category Description WordPress

SRD comments:

Thanks. This does not import the category description, which is important in my scenario.

Fahad Murtaza comments:

OK try CSV importer. i,e

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/csv-importer/

Create fake posts in CSV with all categories i.e 1 post per one category.

Once the categories are imported, delete the fake posts in bulk using the bulk delete plugin

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/bulk-delete/

SRD comments:

Thanks. This plugin doesn't mention anything about category descriptions, nor do any of the example CSV files. Adding a test field for category description does not work either.

Fahad Murtaza comments:

OK then you need to get one developed. I can develop a solution for you.

SRD comments:

Thanks. Approximate cost?

Fahad Murtaza comments:

Please inbox me.

SRD comments:

It's simply a CSV with data corresponding to the following columns:
Region; City; Description

Where Region is the parent category, City is the sub-category, and Description is the category description of the City.

It is for a business directory.

John Cotton comments:

Are you prepared to bump up the prize? Make it $50 and I'll write you something this morning.

SRD comments:

Sounds fair, John.

John Cotton comments:

Great - you bump the prize, I'll write some code.

John Cotton comments:

[[LINK href="http://dynamicarray.co.uk/clients/csv-category-importer.zip"]]Try this[[/LINK]]

SRD comments:

Is this accessed through Tools > Category Import?

If so, I select the taxonomy type for import as category, and upload it.

I receive a message:
<blockquote>13 parent terms added.
418 child terms added.
3 child terms updated.</blockquote>

There are only 16 categories created, which are the parent categories. There are no subcategories created.

John Cotton comments:

<blockquote>13 parent terms added.
418 child terms added.
3 child terms updated.
</blockquote>
That means it worked....

Try adding a temporary category manually (you can delete it afterwards) to make sure your cache is showing the correct list.

SRD comments:

Adding a temp category manually didn't fix it, nor did clearing the cache and doing a hard refresh.

A search of the database in PHPMyAdmin says the subcategories are found in a table called wp_importtowns

John Cotton comments:

<blockquote>A search of the database in PHPMyAdmin says the subcategories are found in a table called wp_importtowns</blockquote>

??? What's that?

The plugin uses wp_insert_term/wp_update_term so, unless you've got a very odd set-up, then the data will go into wp_terms/wp_terms_relationships etc...

If you'r happy PMing me your login details, I'll take a quick look.

SRD comments:

Never seen it before. The filename of the first CSV I used was import_towns.csv, but this didn't work properly, I think because it had ; as field seperators.

I changed ; to , and saved this as import_towns2.csv.

I'll PM you some details. Note, the database table prefix is not the standard wp_, it is a custom prefix as a security precaution.

John Cotton comments:

<blockquote> it is a custom prefix as a security precaution</blockquote>
That's fine - mine aren't either.

SRD comments:

Thanks John

Your plugin has done the job.