Cannot delete category if flat catalog index is enabled

Question

I am using the following code to delete a category from my Magento installation programmatically:

        $hostId = $model->getId()->getHost();
        $category = \Mage::getModel('catalog/category')
            ->loadByAttribute('jtl_erp_id', $hostId);

        if ($category) {
            \Mage::register('isSecureArea', true);
            $category->delete();
            \Mage::unregister('isSecureArea');
        }

This works fine unless the flat category index is enabled. If this is the case, the following exception is being thrown:

Fatal error:  Call to undefined method Mage_Catalog_Model_Resource_Category_Flat::isForbiddenToDelete() in /path/to/magento/app/code/core/Mage/Catalog/Model/Category.php on line 755

Any ideas? I am using Magento 1.9.0.1

Answer 1

You are not supposed to delete categories outside the Admin scope.
You can just simulate the admin environment and it should work

$appEmulation = Mage::getSingleton('core/app_emulation');
$initialEnvironmentInfo = $appEmulation->startEnvironmentEmulation(Mage_Core_Model_App::ADMIN_STORE_ID);

//YOUR CODE GOES HERE

// end admin store emulation
$appEmulation->stopEnvironmentEmulation($initialEnvironmentInfo);

Answer 2

I faced the same issue when flat_categories were enabled.

You can load the normal category model instad of the flat category and delete it to get around this issue

Mage::register('isSecureArea', true);
$category = Mage::getModel('catalog/category', array('disable_flat' => true))->load($categoryId);
$categoy->delete();

Referance: disable flat category and load