Network Admin + Ajax requests

[dd32]

Currently there is no Network admin based ajax handler, forcing plugins which exist solely within the Network Admin to either use wp-admin/admin-ajax.php or using the load-{$page_hook} hook to perform any actions.

This is primarily a problem when the plugin only includes code on a conditional such as is_network_admin(), which would be false for a /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php request, as a result, only the load-{$page_hook} option above is viable for those.
As a work around, plugins can include code on is_network_admin() || DOING_AJAX to allow the usage of admin-ajax.php.

Of course, the User Admin also suffers the same issue.

I didn't see any previous tickets, and kind of want to say the existing 'workaround' is appropriate, but recording it here so we can at least close it as wontfix if appropriate.

[scribu]

I don't think the workaround is appropriate; it's a hack.

We should have a dedicated /wp-admin/network/admin-ajax.php file, which contains all the network-specific ajax handlers.

[TroyDesign]

+1 I have same problem.
I wrote a small workaroud:

if (defined('DOING_AJAX') && DOING_AJAX && is_multisite() && preg_match('#^'.network_admin_url().'#i',$_SERVER['HTTP_REFERER'])) {
	define('WP_NETWORK_ADMIN',true);
}

[danieliser]

Any news on this? Currently my hack includes passing a salted token with request and verifying it in the normal admin ajax hook to ensure its network admin. Definitely seems there should be a better / native alternative.

[jeremyfelt]

If anyone wants to patch this, I'd be interested in taking a look at that patch for 4.6. :)

Some examples of plugins that are hacking together a wp-admin/admin-ajax.php solution would be good so we know what the target audience is.

[thomaswm]

Adds a wp-admin/network/admin-ajax.php file

[thomaswm]

22589.diff​ adds a wp-admin/network/admin-ajax.php file and wp_network_ajax(_nopriv)_ actions.

[danieliser]

@thomaswm - Awesome, wonder if we can get this tested and push for it to be included in 4.6.

[flixos90]

22589.2.diff​ has some minor adjustments:

• if not a multisite, bail, similar like in other network areas
• do not include the ajax-actions.php file since it is not required at this point; if Core starts using the network AJAX functionality itself, we can either re-add the file or (what I'd prefer) create a separate network-ajax-actions.php file for this
• some docs adjustments (version numbers, "network AJAX")

[jeremyfelt]

22589.3.diff​:

• Fixes require() for wp-load.php
• Updates a few areas to match code standards.
• Adds the JS global var networkajaxurl on admin-header.php if is_network_admin().

Does networkajaxurl make sense?

[flixos90]

Replying to jeremyfelt:

Does networkajaxurl make sense?

It's a really long lower-case term, so not sure if it could have a better name. On the other hand it matches ajaxurl.

What we could also do to improve the infrastructure is to add a JS function for making network AJAX requests (or adjust the existing wp.ajax.post(). Probably a separate ticket though.

[danieliser]

Just a thought as I have been following this for a bit, could a plugin dev not just fire a request to ajaxurl with a network=true argument?

With that argument redirect the request any way you need, but leaves one endpoint to maintain, and JS can easily switch between network and single mode.

Just a thought that may simplify things.

[jeremyfelt]

I know we're close, but I'm going to punt this to a future release. There is room for more conversation here about the approach.

[jeremyfelt]

I didn't see any previous tickets, and kind of want to say the existing 'workaround' is appropriate, but recording it here so we can at least close it as wontfix if appropriate.

I kind of like this.

One question: is an admin-ajax.php flow still desirable or is it nicer now to register REST route instead?

[johnjamesjacoby]

Replying to jeremyfelt:

I didn't see any previous tickets, and kind of want to say the existing 'workaround' is appropriate, but recording it here so we can at least close it as wontfix if appropriate.

I kind of like this.

One question: is an admin-ajax.php flow still desirable or is it nicer now to register REST route instead?

I've always been fine with the work-arounds, and most likely would not update my network-only plugins to maintain both approaches to cover the supported WP version spread.

New plugins, I could see admin-ajax.php being desirable in situations where a whole new REST route may not be.

I think we should add support for user admin at the same time we do network admin here, or create a new ticket and cross-reference them in back-to-back'ish commits.