WP_User has no method to access WP_User->data

[dd32]

While working on #24635 I noticed that the WP_User class doesn't have a method to access the data field, while it has magic getters and setters, plus a to_array() method.

It seems appropriate that we should have a getter for the entire data object to go along with them.

[scribu]

You can already do $user->data, since it's not actually private.

[nacin]

Seems like $user->data is probably good for now.

[barrykooij]

Added get_data method, in my opinion it's better to use getters/setters than public properties.

[barrykooij]

Talked this over with Nacin and my patch can be ignored/removed.

Although the $data property isn't private, it's not supposed to be public either. The guideline Nacin uses at the moment is changing properties that should be public to public, while leaving those that should be private or protected at var. The $data property in this case should be private, so creating a getter for it would give people the idea that it should be used publicly.

I suggest closing the ticket, agree dd32?