Trash Module

Overview

The Trash module provides a safety net for content management by implementing soft delete functionality. Instead of permanently deleting content, it moves deleted items to a trash bin where they can be reviewed, restored, or permanently removed later.

What is the Trash Module?

The Trash module adds a trash bin for content entities in your YMCA Website Services site. When editors delete content, it isn’t immediately removed from the database. Instead, it’s moved to a trash storage area where it remains until either:

• An administrator permanently deletes (purges) it
• The automatic cleanup process removes it after the retention period expires

This feature helps prevent accidental data loss and provides an opportunity to recover content that was deleted by mistake.

Key Features

• Soft Delete: Content is hidden rather than permanently removed
• Restore Capability: Deleted content can be fully restored with all data intact
• Trash View: Dedicated interface to view and manage all trashed content
• Permanent Purge: Option to permanently delete content when needed
• Automatic Cleanup: Configure automatic purging of old trashed items
• Entity Support: Works with nodes (content), media, taxonomy terms, and other entities
• Permissions: Granular control over who can restore and purge content

Accessing the Trash

To view deleted content:

1. Log in to your site with appropriate permissions
2. Navigate to Content > Trash in the admin menu
3. Or go directly to /admin/content/trash

The trash view shows all deleted content with:

• Content title
• Content type
• Deletion date
• Action buttons (Restore, Purge)

Deleting Content

When you delete content using the normal “Delete” button:

1. The content is moved to trash (not permanently deleted)
2. The content disappears from normal content listings
3. The content is hidden from the website
4. The content appears in the Trash view

Nothing changes in how you delete content - the Trash module works automatically in the background.

Restoring Content

To restore deleted content:

1. Navigate to Content > Trash (/admin/content/trash)
2. Locate the content you want to restore
3. Click the Restore button in the Operations column
4. Confirm the restoration in the popup

Once restored:

• Content returns to the normal content listing
• All field values remain intact
• Content becomes visible on the website again
• Revision history is preserved

Permanently Deleting Content (Purge)

To permanently delete content from the trash:

1. Navigate to Content > Trash (/admin/content/trash)
2. Locate the content you want to purge
3. Click the dropdown arrow next to the “Restore” button
4. Select Purge from the dropdown
5. Confirm the purge operation

⚠️ Warning: Purging permanently removes content from the database. This action cannot be undone.

Bulk Operations

You can perform actions on multiple items at once:

1. Navigate to the Trash view
2. Check the boxes next to items you want to process
3. Select an action from the bulk operations dropdown:
   • Restore selected items
   • Purge selected items
4. Click “Apply” to execute the action
5. Confirm the operation

Permissions

The Trash module provides role-based access control:

Content Contributors

• Can view the trash
• Can restore deleted content

Site Administrators

• Can view the trash
• Can restore deleted content
• Can permanently purge content

To configure permissions:

1. Go to People > Permissions (/admin/people/permissions)
2. Find “Trash module” permissions
3. Assign appropriate permissions to roles

Configuration

To configure the Trash module:

1. Navigate to Configuration > Content authoring > Trash (/admin/config/content/trash)
2. Configure the following settings:

Entity Type Selection

Enable trash support for specific entity types:

• Content (nodes) - Enabled by default
• Media entities
• Taxonomy terms
• Other content entities

Retention Period

Set how long content remains in trash before automatic purging:

• Default: 30 days
• Can be customized based on your organization’s needs
• Set to 0 to disable automatic purging

Automatic Purging

Configure automatic cleanup via cron:

• Runs periodically to check for expired items
• Items older than the retention period are permanently deleted
• Can be triggered manually via Drush: drush trash:purge-expired

Content Preview

When viewing trashed content:

• Click the content title in the Trash view to preview
• Trashed items display with a reddish background
• This visual indicator helps identify content that’s in trash

Important Notes

What Gets Preserved

When content is trashed:

• ✓ All field values
• ✓ Metadata (author, date created, etc.)
• ✓ Entity relationships
• ✓ Revisions
• ✓ Moderation states (if using Content Moderation)

Limitations

• Trash is not a replacement for regular backups
• Trashed content doesn’t appear in entity usage reports
• Some custom code may need updates to work with trashed entities

Best Practices

• Set an appropriate retention period for your organization
• Regularly review trashed content before automatic purging
• Train content editors on restore procedures
• Maintain regular database backups as a safety net

Troubleshooting

Content Not Appearing in Trash

Problem: Deleted content doesn’t appear in the trash view

Solutions:

• Check that the entity type is enabled in Trash configuration
• Verify you have permission to view the trash
• Check if content was purged before you looked

Cannot Restore Content

Problem: Restore button doesn’t work or produces an error

Solutions:

• Verify you have restore permissions
• Check if there are any conflicts with existing content
• Review the error logs at /admin/reports/dblog

Trash View is Empty

Problem: The trash view shows “No entity types enabled”

Solutions:

• Go to /admin/config/content/trash
• Enable at least one entity type (usually “Content”)
• Save the configuration

Related Resources

• Drupal.org Trash Module Project
• Content Editing Basics
• Content Types