current_screen object lies because of unspecified post_type parameter

[nacin]

When editing a page, you don't usually end up with post_type in the URL. That should be fine. But in admin.php, we assume that if no post type is specified, then typenow and current_screen ends up with incorrect information, and it's difficult to properly detect what's going on.

One fix would be to detect the post type based on the ID. Or, we can force a redirect and force all URLs to contain the proper post_type parameter except for post_type = post.

[nacin]

Okay, this is then corrected in post.php. It won't work on the load-$pagenow hook, however.

[scribu]

Extracting the post type from the ID seems like the right way to go.

[mikeschinkel]

Replying to scribu:

Extracting the post type from the ID seems like the right way to go.

Agreed.

[nacin]

Another instance of the current_screen object being ill-informed.

The object on edit-tags.php provides no information about the parent screen. Specifically, the value of $typenow. But if $typenow isn't set it should default to 'post' on screens where that is indeed valid. For example, edit-tags.php?taxnomy=post_tag where post_type is omitted. This also makes it pretty much impossible to check $typenow unless of course you know the default. While the default isn't going to change, it also isn't intuitive.

I think we need to be more explicit in how this object's properties get set, and prevent the need for it to be manipulated later with more accurate information.

[nacin]

(In [15664]) Apply [15661] to the edit-tags.php screens. fixes #14959. see #14886 for current_screen.

[mikeschinkel]

Replying to nacin:

I think we need to be more explicit in how this object's properties get set, and prevent the need for it to be manipulated later with more accurate information.

A big +1.

The object on edit-tags.php provides no information about the parent screen. Specifically, the value of $typenow. But if $typenow isn't set it should default to 'post' on screens where that is indeed valid. For example, edit-tags.php?taxnomy=post_tag where post_type is omitted. This also makes it pretty much impossible to check $typenow unless of course you know the default. While the default isn't going to change, it also isn't intuitive.

I think pages like edit-tags.php should set $typenow to a known "not applicable" value. If we can trust null to always be set when not applicable then maybe null otherwise maybe something like n/a. It's important to be able to know that there is no post so that code that requires a post should not run on those pages.

-Mike

[jane]

@mikeschinkel: any chance you could take a stab at writing the patch to fix this bug, since you're interested and no one else has yet? Freeze is coming up, would be good to get it fixed for 3.1.

[nacin]

For reference, the top of post.php has a lot of code that corrects the current_screen object. We should either move that up and out, or well, I'm not really sure the best way to fix this. Someone will have to dig in.

[nacin]

(In [16249]) Use the name of the corresponding post type in the edit-tags column. TODO, typenow should be accessible from the current_screen object on edit-tags. see #14886 for current_screen, [15664] for previous TODO note.

[nacin]

(In [16249]) Use the name of the corresponding post type in the edit-tags column. TODO, typenow should be accessible from the current_screen object on edit-tags. see #14886 for current_screen, [15664] for previous TODO note.

[mikeschinkel]

Replying to jane:

@mikeschinkel: any chance you could take a stab at writing the patch to fix this bug, since you're interested and no one else has yet? Freeze is coming up, would be good to get it fixed for 3.1.

Sorry I was unable to look at this in v3.1 timeframe. Clients were demanding all my waking time around the time you posted that. Still are.

[garyc40]

1st attempt

[garyc40]

I must admit I'm not very familiar with how $current_screen works with other admin pages. But I'd like to get the ball rolling for this ticket.

I moved the correcting code in post.php to set_current_screen(), and set the default $typenow for edit-tag to post. Am I going in the right direction? Is there anything in this patch that I can improve?

Hopefully this will set the motion for this issue to get fixed in 3.2 .

[garyc40]

change the logic a bit to be more consistent with previous behavior

[ptahdunbar]

I refreshed garyc40's patch and fixed the bug :)

[nacin]

In [19043]:

Fix [16249]. $typenow is considered empty on edit-tags screens, rather than displaying the parent post type. Switch to the $post_type global for now, which is set in the terms list table constructor. see #14886.

[nacin]

In [19047]:

Use get_current_screen() rather than a $current_screen global reference. Remove unused global reference. see #14886.

[ryan]

screen.diff is nice.

[nacin]

18785.2.diff:ticket:18785​ fixes this ticket, and then some.

[nacin]

In [19052]:

Move WP_Screen to a full registry. Have convert_to_screen() return a WP_Screen object. Improve and verify values for post_type and taxonomy. see #18785. also fixes #14886.