get_children() returns false when no children are found

[Denis-de-Bernardy]

It should return an empty array instead.

[Denis-de-Bernardy]

Found while doing the following query in the loop:

$images = get_children(array(
	'post_parent' => $post->post_parent,
	'post_type' => 'attachment',
	'post_mime_type' => 'image',
	'order_by' => 'menu_order ASC, ID ASC',
	));

[Denis-de-Bernardy]

on a non-image attachment page, even.

[Denis-de-Bernardy]

so, basically, the patch makes it return a variable initialized to array() instead of false. checked the WP code, and it's not expecting a value of false anywhere.

this makes the behavior of get_children() consistent with that of get_posts()

[scribu]

This can wait until 2.9, no?

[scribu]

By the way, doesn't get_posts() also return false when no posts are found? We should be consistent about this.

You usually have to do something different when you don't find any items, and it's easier to check if ( $children ) than if ( empty($children) ).

[Denis-de-Bernardy]

It can definitely wait, yes. :-)

(bool) array() returns false and is faster than empty(array()).

[scribu]

Yes, but it's still not faster than $boolean == false. :P

[Denis-de-Bernardy]

uploading a slightly improved patch in a sec. it is harmless for WP. on the contrary, it:

• actually enhances get_media_items()
• prevents a potential warning in adjacent_image_link()
• prevents a potential warning in get_children() itself (false is constant, rather than a reference to a variable)

[markjaquith]

(In [11756]) Return an empty array instead of false for get_children() when no children found. props Denis-de-Bernardy. fixes #10053