Node export

This module allows users to export nodes and then import it into another Drupal installation, or on the same site. The idea is similar to the way you export/import Views or Content Types.

Using this module you can save yourself a lot of time setting up new websites that have similar nodes to websites you've already made, migrating nodes to new Drupal versions, or between development/staging/production sites.

You will need the same content types for the imports to work, and ideally relevant compatibility with content fields, and related modules.

How to use Node export

There are several ways to use Node export:

• Through a tab that appears on the node page
• Using update options on the Content page
• In conjunction with the Views Bulk Operations module
• In a command line using Drush (From Drupal 6 onwards)

Nodes exported with Node export can be imported:

• Using the form at Node export: import under Content management (moved to "Create content" in 6.x-3.x, and "Add content" in 7.x-3.x)
• In a command line using Drush (From Drupal 6 onwards)

Node export formats

The 2.x branch uses a customised array to export/import nodes. As of the 3.x branch the format to export with is configurable, and the Node export package comes with the following formats:

• Node code - The backwards compatible customised array, enabled by default.
• CSV - RFC4180 compliant CSV code. Ideal for viewing in Windows software, and editing data as spreadsheets.
• Serialize - Very robust, though not human readable, representation through Serialization using the PHP serialize function.
• XML - XML 1.0 representation which is good for machine-readability and human-readability.

These new formats were added very recently - please use them with caution!

Migrating nodes between Drupal versions

To migrate nodes from Drupal 5 to Drupal 6 use versions 5.x-2.x and 6.x-2.x.
Imports in versions 6.x-3.x and 7.x-3.x are intended to be backwards compatible with code exported from 5.x-2.x and 6.x-2.x. However, Drupal 7's node API has changed significantly and the node objects themselves are not compatible. There is a module available to help migration, but it does not fix CCK and taxonomy fields.

Images and files

Node export comes with a module from James Andres to assist with exporting files/images (From Drupal 6 onwards).

References, relationships, structures, hierarchies, etc...

People have assumed this module will allow you to export the structure of a whole site and keep things like menu links, authors, node references, book hierarchy, etc.. BUT NO IT DOESN'T. The reason is that the ID values that are used to identify the connections between these entities can get changed around during an import. There are a number of open issues regarding finding solutions to these limitations.

UUID

Future versions of Node export will require installation of the Universally Unique IDentifier module. This will pave the way for solving issues related to references, relationships, structure, hierarchies, etc.... as mentioned above.