Automatic Nodetitles Bug Fixed in Backdrop and Backported to Drupal 7

A persistent bug in the Automatic Nodetitles module that caused duplicate titles to default to "ant" has been fixed, first in Backdrop CMS and then backported to Drupal 7. The issue affected content workflows for years, especially in multilingual environments, and occasionally resulted in overwritten revision histories.

Originally reported in 2015, the bug triggered when nodes were created with duplicate titles or when language mismatches occurred between content and the interface. Despite multiple community discussions and patches, the root cause remained elusive. Users like Paul Brohn, known as "broon," and Dan Wilga, known as "gribnif" helped keep the issue active by documenting detailed behavior patterns and pushing for resolution.

Backdrop core committer Herbdool implemented a working fix, and Jonathan DeLaigle, CTO of Zivtech adapted it for Drupal. The patch draws from several years of investigation and user input, making this a clear example of effective cross-project collaboration.

The fix reflects the strength of open source communities and the shared value of maintaining compatibility between forks. Both Backdrop and Drupal users can now benefit from a more reliable title generation process.

For details and access to the patch, visit: https://www.drupal.org/project/auto_nodetitle/issues/2592915#comment-16128996