How do we exclude database tables in Prime Mover export?

Scope: Prime Mover PRO

Background

By default, Prime Mover includes all tables belonging to the site during export. In a single-site setup, this consists of all tables belonging to the site that match the site’s database prefix. In multisite, this only includes all tables belonging to the subsite that match the subsite DB prefix. Specifically, the subsite prefix is the table prefix with the blog ID of the subsite appended to it.

Since Prime Mover PRO 2.0.6 and later, it’s now possible to exclude database tables belonging to a site (either from a multisite subsite, main site, or single-site). Excluded database tables will not be included in the exported package SQL file and will not be present on the site when restored.

Requisites

Take note that this is a PRO feature and will only work for sites with an active PRO license. Before proceeding, please ensure that your site or sub-site (if it’s a multisite) has a valid license activated. Otherwise, this feature won’t work and will not be available for that site.

Why exclude tables?

There are many reasons to exclude tables:

• Exclude database tables created by unused, deactivated, or uninstalled plugins. This effectively reduces the database size and speeds up the export and import.
• Effectively restore a site without a specific plugin implementation. For example, if you want to export a site using Wordfence but you don’t need Wordfence in the target site/host. Instead, it uses another security plugin. You can exclude the Wordfence plugin from the export, and then exclude all Wordfence tables from the export. The result (after import) is a completely functioning site, identical to the source site, but without the specific plugin activated (e.g., Wordfence).

Scope of implementation

• It can only exclude custom database tables created by third-party plugins.
• It cannot exclude WordPress core tables, including both single-site and multisite core tables, which WordPress itself creates.
• It cannot exclude non-WordPress tables in general, such as those that do not use the specific WordPress database prefix. For example, if your database prefix is wp_, but you have a custom table name as this_is_my_custom_table instead of wp_this_is_my_custom_table. The non-prefixed table this_is_my_custom_table will not appear in the tables to be excluded or even included in the database SQL export.

Exclude tables (step by step)

• [Optional but recommended] Using phpMyAdmin or any MySQL database management software (e.g., DBeaver), list down all tables that would need to be excluded. This requires some planning to ensure that you do not remove tables that are still actively used by your site.
• [Optional but recommended] Search each table name in Google to check which plugins created them. This is to ensure that you are aware whether those plugins are still actively used on your site or have already been uninstalled. If that table belongs to a plugin that is still actively used on your site, don’t include it for exclusion. Otherwise, you will have a non-working site.
• Now that you have finalized the list of tables to be excluded, log in to your site as an administrator (or network administrator if you are using a multisite setup).
• Go to Prime Mover PRO -> Toolbox.
• [Multisite only] Enter the blog ID of the subsite for which you want some database tables to be excluded. Ensure you enter the correct blog ID of the site; otherwise, it will load the wrong site. You can refer to this tutorial to obtain the blog ID of your site in a multisite environment.
• Once the Toolbox settings are loaded, scroll down to *** Export-Import Utilities *** -> Excluded Tables.
• Click “Click to Expand“. You should all be able to view the custom database tables associated with that site/subsite.
• Now, using your list, check all the tables that you need to exclude from the export.
• Finally, once you have checked all the necessary tables to exclude, click “Save.”

Case example: Exclude Wordfence from backup or migration

Supposing you have a source site with the Wordfence plugin activated and fully running. And then you want to migrate or create a backup of this site without any Wordfence implementation. This is done by excluding the Wordfence plugin and its database tables from the export.

The purpose might be to migrate the site to another host or target site that uses a different security plugin. Or you want to create a backup without it for simplicity reasons.

Step 1. Exclude Wordfence Plugin from settings

With Prime Mover PRO, you can easily exclude any plugin from export. For example, to exclude the Wordfence plugin, check the plugin in the exclude settings.

Step 2. Find out all the Wordfence tables to exclude

Now that you have excluded the Wordfence plugin, it will not be restored in your backup or on your target site. However, your site database still contains a huge amount of Wordfence data (from its tables). You will need to exclude these tables from the backup so that they won’t get restored to your target site. These data are no longer required, as the Wordfence plugin is also excluded.

Googling, this page lists all Wordfence tables, and it all starts with wf.

Step 3. Exclude Wordfence tables in Prime Mover PRO settings

Finally, log in and go to Prime Mover PRO -> Toolbox -> enter blog ID of your subsite (IF MULTISITE), and then it will load the Toolbox settings for your site. Scroll down the exclude tables settings and check all tables belonging to Wordfence. All checked tables will appear in the text area above them. This is what it looks like:

Make sure to save all settings, and then you’re done.

What will happen next?

Next time you create an export via manual or automated (scheduled) backups, the excluded tables are implemented and not included in the database, as per the above case example.

FAQ on Excluded Tables feature

Do I need to exclude plugins before I can exclude tables?

No, you only need to exclude plugins if they are active on your site, and you also need to exclude their tables. Suppose the plugin is already deactivated or uninstalled. In that case, you can proceed to exclude its tables, provided you have conducted research on the correct tables to exclude and that this exclusion will not cause problems on your site.

Can a beginner blogger or someone not familiar with SQL databases or WordPress databases use this feature?

Although the user interface is straightforward to use (check the tables and save), it is not recommended for beginners or those unfamiliar with WordPress’s database. You must be a novice administrator with sufficient knowledge of the WordPress site database in order to exclude items when exporting.

If you are unfamiliar with this information, it is best not to use this feature.

What will happen if my license expires? Does this feature continue to work?

Once your license expires, the exclude table setting will no longer be enforceable during exports or automated backups.

Is this a global setting that applies to all sites?

No, the excluded tables are on a per-site basis. This means that your setting to exclude tables for a specific site should only apply to that site and not to any other site.

Will this setting break my site?

Yes, if you have incorrect settings. No, if the setting is appropriate. Incorrect settings mean you exclude tables that are still used by activated plugins, themes, or even third-party code on your site. Thoroughly review your excluded settings to ensure these are no longer in use by your site.

Ensure that you test your exported package on a development server before deploying it live.

I saw “No tables found” in the exclude tables settings. I don’t see any table to check. What does this mean?

It simply means the Prime Mover plugin does not detect any custom table implementation in your WordPress site database. And that all database tables on your site belong to WordPress core, which you cannot exclude by default.

This is very common for a new site installation or a site that has been newly reset to a fresh WordPress installation.