help:bulk update requests

A bulk update request (abbreviated BUR) is a request to change one or more tags. You can request that a tag be aliased, renamed, combined with another tag, deprecated (locked so it can't be added to posts), or make it so that adding one tag automatically adds another tag (an implication).

To make a bulk update request, go to the forum and click "Request alias/implication" at the top of the page, or open the new request form directly. Making a bulk update request will create a new forum thread. You will need to enter a forum thread title, your request, and a reason for the request. You can look at other requests on the forum for examples of how to format your request.

There are 7 types of requests:

  • Aliases
  • Tag renames
  • Implications
  • Mass updates
  • Tag deprecations
  • Category changes
  • Nukes

Aliases

An alias is used to rename a tag, to combine two tags into one, or to add an alternate name for a tag. When a tag is aliased, anyone searching for the old tag will be redirected to the new tag. For example, aliasing tie to necktie would mean that anyone searching for tie would be redirected to necktie.

To request an alias, write this in your bulk update request:

  • create alias tie -> necktie

To request that an existing alias be removed, write this in your bulk update request:

  • remove alias tie -> necktie

Tag renames

A tag rename is used to rename a tag without creating a permanent alias. For example, renaming orange to orange (fruit) would move all posts currently tagged orange to orange (fruit). However, anyone searching for orange in the future wouldn't automatically be redirected to orange (fruit), like they would if the tag were aliased. This is appropriate when a tag is too ambiguous for an alias. For example, orange could equally mean the fruit or the color, so it wouldn't be safe to alias it to either one.

Renames are also sometimes used when a tag is too new, too small, or too little-used to warrant a permanent alias. However, if someone might try to search for the old tag, an alias should be used instead.

Please note that renames can only be submitted for tags with 200 or less posts.

To request a rename, write this in your bulk update request:

  • rename orange -> orange_(fruit)

Implications

An implication is used to make one tag automatically add another tag. For example, cat ears implies animal ears because cat ears are a type of animal ears. Adding the cat ears tag to a post will automatically add the animal ears tag too.

To request an implication, write this in your bulk update request:

  • create implication cat_ears -> animal_ears

To request that an existing implication be removed, write this in your bulk update request:

  • remove implication cat_ears -> animal_ears

Implications have a few rules:

  • Both tags in the implication request must have wiki pages. If a tag doesn't have a wiki page yet, you should create one.
  • Implications between different tag types aren't accepted. For example, implications from character tags to copyright or general tags aren't accepted.
  • The subtag must make up at least 0.1% of the main tag. For example, if a tag has 10k posts, then the subtag must have at least 10 posts to imply the main tag.
  • The subtag can't make up more than 90% of the main tag. For example, if a tag has 10k posts, and 9k of them are from a single subtag, then the subtag can't imply the main tag. In this case the tags are nearly the same, so an alias would probably be better.

Mass updates

A mass update is used to add or remove tags to all posts in a search. For example, you could add the Vocaloid tag to all posts tagged Hatsune Miku with mass update hatsune_miku -vocaloid -> vocaloid.

A mass update is like a search and add, or a mass tag script. The tags on the left are searched (in this example, hatsune_miku -vocaloid), then the tags on the right are added to every matching post (in this example, Vocaloid).

A mass update should not normally be used to rename or move a tag. Mass updates are for more advanced scenarios when you need to add or remove a set of tags to a set of posts.

To request a mass update, write this in your bulk update request:

  • mass update tag1 -> tag2

Tag deprecations

Deprecating a tag means the tag is locked and can't be added to new posts. This is used for ambiguous tags, tags that are being cleaned up before they're nuked, and tags that generally shouldn't be used.

To request a tag be deprecated, write this in your bulk update request:

  • deprecate tag_name

To undeprecate a tag, write:

  • undeprecate tag_name

Category changes

A category change is used to change the type of a tag. For example, you can change a copyright tag (a purple tag) to a general tag (a blue tag).

To request a category change, write this in your bulk update request:

  • category tag_name -> general

There are five category types:

  • Artist (red)
  • Copyright (purple)
  • Character (green)
  • General (blue)
  • Meta (yellow)

Nukes

A nuke is used to completely empty a tag or pool.

To request a nuke, write this in your bulk update request:

  • nuke tag
  • nuke pool:poolnumber