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I'm trying to write a class that would allow for easy removal of all plugin-related data when the plugin is uninstalled. Specifically, I want it to remove plugin options, custom post type entries, and custom taxonomies and their terms.

What I have written mostly works, but the get_terms function returns an 'invalid_taxonomy' error. Looking into it further, I found that the global $wp_taxonomies does not recognize the custom taxonomies created by the plugin during the uninstall.php process.

So my question is: How does one remove custom taxonomy terms when a plugin is uninstalled?

Here is my code: http://pastebin.com/geH1wzRC

Bonus points if you can tell me how to avoid loading this class twice if two plugins contain it. I tried just wrapping the class in if( !class_exists( 'WP_Plugin_Janitor' ) ) { ... } but then the class never loaded.

EDIT I was able to prevent the class from loading more than once by putting the class in a separate file and wrapping the include_once statement in the if( !class_exists( statement.

Thanks in advance!

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  • PS: I'm surprised WP doesn't have a built-in function like this. It would give plugin developers a universal way of cleaning up after themselves...
    – Shaun Scovil
    Commented Dec 27, 2012 at 15:28
  • I think this is a rabbit hole, core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/11058
    – Wyck
    Commented Dec 27, 2012 at 16:01
  • Yeah...I see what you mean. It looks like there's more to removing a taxonomy than just unsetting it. That said, I still would love to know how to remove taxonomy terms during the uninstall.php process.
    – Shaun Scovil
    Commented Dec 27, 2012 at 16:16
  • Do you get a fatal error at get_terms or does it just not return anything?
    – s_ha_dum
    Commented Dec 27, 2012 at 16:33
  • No fatal error. If I do a var_dump on $terms, I get this: object(WP_Error)#246 (2) { ["errors"]=> array(1) { ["invalid_taxonomy"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(16) "Invalid taxonomy" } } ["error_data"]=> array(0) { } } object(WP_Error)#248 (2) { ["errors"]=> array(1) { ["invalid_taxonomy"]=> array(1) { [0]=> string(16) "Invalid taxonomy" } } ["error_data"]=> array(0) { } }
    – Shaun Scovil
    Commented Dec 27, 2012 at 16:37

1 Answer 1

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You should be using the register_deactivation_hook and/or register_uninstall_hooks. That may be why some functions don't work. I'd have to do some testing to be sure, but loading your method directly like WP_Plugin_Janitor::cleanup( $opt, $cpt, $tax ); seems like a pretty good way to skip over some of the WordPress load sequence or to run things out of order.

As far as loading the class twice, I have an answer, but that is a different question and not really WordPress specific. :)

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  • Thanks for the quick response! I'm actually putting this in the uninstall.php file, so it should behave the same as using register_uninstall_hook. Regarding the class loading twice question, I already resolved that...see my edit above. Thanks again!
    – Shaun Scovil
    Commented Dec 27, 2012 at 16:14

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