Create user_can, refactor current_user_can, author_can, current_user_can_for_blog

[simonwheatley]

Currently we have no function to pass a user ID and a capability/rolewhich will return whether the user can perform that role or has that capability. Further, the functions current_user_can, author_can, and current_user_can_for_blog have some code duplication.

I suggest adding a new function user_can, which accepts any user_ID or a user object and a capability, and returns a boolean. The other *_can* functions can then be refactored to use the new function.

See attached patch.

[simonwheatley]

Looking at the current patch I wonder whether the is_int check in the first line of the new user_can function ought to be more like this:

function user_can( $user, $capability ) {
	if ( ! is_object( $user ) )
		$user = new WP_User( (int) $user );
	
	if ( ! $user || ! $user->ID )
		return false;

	$args = array_slice( func_get_args(), 2 );
	$args = array_merge( array( $capability ), $args );

	return call_user_func_array( array( &$user, 'has_cap' ), $args );
}

[scribu]

Looking good. +1

[scribu]

But I think you should drop the * @author Simon Wheatley from the docblock.

[simonwheatley]

Replying to scribu:

Looking good. +1

Should the user_can function be using get_userdata rather than instantiating a new WP_User object every time, so it takes advantage of the cache?

[simonwheatley]

Now using ! is_object() instead of is_int

[scribu]

Replying to simonwheatley:

Replying to scribu:

Looking good. +1

Should the user_can function be using get_userdata rather than instantiating a new WP_User object every time, so it takes advantage of the cache?

No, because WP_User calls get_userdata() internally.

[ryan]

I think each of these functions still need to get the args, slice, merge, and call_user_func_array() so that the extra args aren't dropped. After doing all that has_cap should be called directly rather than going through user_can() and doing the same thing again.

[automattor]

(In [16209]) Introduce user_can(). Props simonwheatley. fixes #14602