id	summary	reporter	owner	description	type	status	priority	milestone	component	version	severity	resolution	keywords	cc
20558	allow wp_localize_script data to be added to existing objects	ryanve		"Re: WP_Scripts::localize() located in wp-includes/class.wp-scripts.php

Currently when `WP_Scripts::localize()` handles the printing of wp_localize_script data to JavaScript, it starts the string with a `var` declaration, like this:

{{{
$script = ""var $object_name = "" . json_encode($l10n) . ';';
}}}


Because this is printed in the global scope, it becomes a global variable regardless of whether it's preceded by `var`. As far as JavaScript is concerned the above string would be equivalent to:

{{{
$script = $object_name . ' = ' . json_encode($l10n) . ';';
}}}

or

{{{
$script = 'this.' . $object_name . ' = ' . json_encode($l10n) . 
';';
}}}

or

{{{
$script = 'window.' . $object_name . ' = ' . json_encode($l10n) . 
';';
}}}


But I suppose it's possible thru hooks to make it so that the localization data prints outside of the global scope, in which case you might want the `var` to be there (if it we're wrapped in a closure). So I think the '''overall best solution''' would to check if the `$object_name` contains a period `.` character. If it does, omit the `var`. In other words, make it so that:

{{{
wp_localize_script('myplugin', 'myPluginData', $object )
}}}

would print:

{{{
var myPluginData = {...};
}}}

but that:

{{{
`wp_localize_script('myplugin', 'myPlugin.data', $object )`
}}}

would print:

{{{
myPlugin.data = {...};
}}}

By default the localization data runs before any enqueued scripts, in which case `myPlugin` would not yet be defined, but we should leave that for the JavaScript dev work out. My point is that the flexiblity should be there. Another route would be to apply a filter on that line but I don't think a filter is necessary if the above change is made."	enhancement	new	normal	Awaiting Review	Performance	3.3	minor		dev-feedback reporter-feedback 2nd-opinion