Multiple URL alias for a node in pathauto - drupal 7

   As we discussed in my previous post, clean URL is one of the option to improve SEO. We've module called pathauto to clean URLs in drupal 7. It can allow us to set alias for content types, files, users & taxonomies. But we can set only one URL alias for a content type in drupal 7. You can set URL alias for a content type at admin/config/search/path/patterns. It looks like below image:

   Suppose you need two path for a content. For instance, the URL alias for a article need to node title and also article/node-title. Is it possible to set multiple path alias for a content type in drupal 7? Yes it is possible in drupal 7. We can set multiple URL alias for a conten type programmatically using pathauto module in drupal 7. We need to insert our path alias into the "url_alias" table while inserting & updating a node and remove path alias When delete a node.

Add URL alias programmatically when insert and update a node using pathauto module in drupal 7:

    For instance, I've choosen article content type. We need to insert & update a URL alias into the "url_alias" table using hook_node_insert() & hook_node_update() in drupal 7.

/**
 * Implements hook_node_insert()
 */
function phponwebsites_node_insert($node) {
  if ($node->type == 'article') {
    //save node alias
    _phponwebsites_insert_update_alias($node);
  }
}

/**
 * Implements hook_node_update()
 */
function phponwebsites_node_update($node) {
  if ($node->type == 'article') {
    //update node alias
    _phponwebsites_insert_update_alias($node);
  }
}

/**
 * Insert and update alias for course
 */
function _phponwebsites_insert_update_alias($node) {
  module_load_include('inc', 'pathauto');
  $title = pathauto_cleanstring($node->title);

  $values['source'] = 'node/' . $node->nid . '/article';
  $values['alias'] = 'article/' . $title;

  $all_values = array($values);

  foreach ($all_values as $all) {
    $query = db_merge('url_alias')
      ->fields(array('source' => $all['source'], 'alias' => $all['alias'], 'language' => LANGUAGE_NONE))
      ->key(array('source' => $all['source']))
      ->execute();
  }
}

Where,
 pathauto_cleanstring is obey the pathatuo module's rules which is mentioned at admin/config/search/path/settings. To know more details of pathauto_cleanstring, please visit http://www.drupalcontrib.org/api/drupal/contributions!pathauto!pathauto.inc/function/pathauto_cleanstring/7

After added the above code into your custome module(clear cache), you will create a article. You just test your url at admin/config/search/path in the pathauto's list. It looks like below image:

Now you could access the article by both node-title as well as article/node-title.

Delete URL alias programmatically when delete a node using pathauto module in drupal 7:

     We've inserted 2 URL alias for a node. So we need to delete those from "url_alias" table when delete a node. We can trigger it using hook_node_delete() in drupal 7. Consider the below code:

/**
 * Implements hook_node_delete()
 */
function arep_node_delete($node) {
  if ($node->type == 'article') {
    //delete node alias for ceu and non-ceu course
    module_load_include('inc', 'pathauto');
    $source[0] = 'node/' . $node->nid . '/article';

    foreach ($source as $s) {
      $path = path_load(
        array('source' => $s)
      );
      path_delete($path['pid']);
    }

  }
}

Where,
  path_load returns the details of a URL alias like source, alias, path id  & language. To know more details of path_load(), please visit https://api.drupal.org/api/drupal/includes!path.inc/function/path_load/7.x.

After added the above code into your customer module(clear cache), you will delete a node and check your URL alias at admin/config/search/path. Now tt should not be displayed here.

Now I've hope you know how to set multiple URL alias for a content type.

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Clear views cache when insert, update and delete a node in Drupal 7

This blog describes how to clear views cache while inserting, updating and deleting a node in Drupal 7. If we want to improve site performance, then views caching is one of the options.

   For example, you have views which display list of records. It will update occasionally. Then we can render views data from cache rather than server if we set cache for views. We can set views cache at its settings page. Suppose you have cached views for 5 mins. Then it didn't display updated data until 5 mins even if new node is added to that views. It displays updated data only after 5 mins because the views is cached for 5 mins. In that situation, the user can't view new data in cached views. So we need to clear views cache when add , update and delete a node. So only we can see new data in views and also data is rendered from cache.

Clear views cache when insert a new node in Drupal 7:

   The newly added node has not been displayed in views list if the cache is applied to a views. So we need to clear views cache when insert a new node using hook_node_insert(). Lets see the code for clear views cache while inserting a node:

 <?php
 /**
  * Imeplement hook_node_insert().
  */
 function phponwebsites_node_insert($node) {
   if ($node->type == 'tasks') {
     //clear views cache
     $viewsname = 'activity';
     cache_clear_all($viewsname, 'cache_views_data', TRUE);
   }
 }

Clear views cache when update a node in Drupal 7:

   When you tried to update a node, the updated data in that node has not been displayed in views. So we need to clear views cache when update a node using hook_node_update(). Lets see the code for clear views cache while updating a node:

 <?php
 /**
  * Imeplement hook_node_update().
  */
 function phponwebsites_node_update($node) {
   if ($node->type == 'article') {
     //clear views cache
     $viewsname = 'articles';
     cache_clear_all($viewsname, 'cache_views_data', TRUE);
   }
 }

Clear views cache when delete a node in Drupal 7:

   After delete a node, you could see the deleted node is displayed in the views. So we need to clear views when delete a node using hook_node_delete(). Lets see the code for clear views cache while deleting a node:

 <?php
 /**
  * Imeplement hook_node_delete().
  */
 function phponwebsites_node_delete($node) {
   if ($node->type == 'article') {
     //clear views cache
     $viewsname = 'articles';
     cache_clear_all($viewsname, 'cache_views_data', TRUE);
   }
 }

   You can see the performance of views page will be increased and you can see changes in your views. Now I've hope you know how to clear views cache when insert, update and delete a node in Drupal 7.

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