comments_template needs a filter for $top_level_args

[thomaslhotta]

Hi,

I am making use of the comments_template_query_args filter to change the way comments are displayed. However the first comments page does not work correctly because $top_level_count is not calculated with the same changes I made in comments_template_query_args.

I can work around this using the WP_Comment_Query filters, but it would be a lot nicer if comments_template_query_args would also effect the calculation of $top_level_count.

[desrosj]

Thanks for this, @thomaslhotta. Are you able to create a patch?

[Howdy_McGee]

Adds new filter for Top Level Comment Query Args cleverly labelled comments_template_top_level_query_args

[SergeyBiryukov]

This was accidentally missed in the push for enhancements before 5.5 Beta 1, due to being classified as a bug.

Sorry for that, moving to 5.6.

[hellofromTonya]

Though it's a small patch, it would benefit from a refresh against src.

A new filter is being added. Needs a call-out in the Misc Dev Note.

Suggestion: consider guarding the returned filtered value to validate that it is the data type and value range expected. Adding needs-unit-tests for additional test case scenarios to validate the returned filtered value.

Adds a new filter to the comments_template function to allow changes to $top_level_args.

Trac ticket: https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/38074

[Howdy_McGee]

Thanks @dream-encode for the latest patch!

Via Test Scrub today:
It sounds like the latest patch via Github looks good. We just want to test the new filter against some basic dev and logical test cases. Questions that need answers:

• Are the reported use-case(s) for this filter valid?
• Does this filter pass all the necessary variables to make it useful for developers?

[davidbaumwald]

Replying to Howdy_McGee:

Thanks @dream-encode for the latest patch!

Via Test Scrub today:
It sounds like the latest patch via Github looks good. We just want to test the new filter against some basic dev and logical test cases. Questions that need answers:

• Are the reported use-case(s) for this filter valid?

I think so. When comments are paged, filtering comments_template_query_args alone leads to a potential mismatch in the offset parameter because there's a pre-query run to set the "top level" comments arguments. This new filter allows for the offset to also take into account any customizations to the main query the developer has in mind.

As mentioned by the reporter, WP_Comment_Query can be filtered as a last resort, and this new filter is a quality of life enhancement. I'd welcome a discussion of an alternate approach.

• Does this filter pass all the necessary variables to make it useful for developers?

Yes. The $top_level_args parameter is an array of multiple variables, including the post ID of the current post.

To test this in general, comments should be paged. Filter the comments_template_query_args args with something other than the default, filter the same arg in comments_template_top_level_query_args.

[garrett-eclipse]

Update the docblock to improve the descriptions and add a description to the array.

[garrett-eclipse]

Minor refresh in 38074.2.diff to follow the ​documentation standards and add a description to the array.

Trac ticket: https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/38074

• Applies patch 38074.2.diff
• Adds unit tests

All tests and checks for this PR pass.

The following test fails for _all new_ PRs:

1) Tests_HTTP_Functions::test_get_response_cookies_with_wp_http_cookie_object
Failed asserting that an array is not empty.
/var/www/tests/phpunit/tests/http/functions.php:140

[hellofromTonya]

Added unit tests to patch 38074.2 via ​PR 623.

Used the strategy @davidbaumwald laid out here

To test this in general, comments should be paged. Filter the comments_template_query_args args with something other than the default, filter the same arg in comments_template_top_level_query_args.

[garrett-eclipse]

Thanks @hellofromTonya for the unit tests, that's awesome nicely done. Things are looking and testing casually for me. Moving forward for commit.

[SergeyBiryukov]

In 49256:

Comments: Add a filter for top level comments query arguments in comments_template().

Props hellofromTonya, Howdy_McGee, garrett-eclipse, davidbaumwald, thomaslhotta.
Fixes #38074.

Merged in https://core.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/49256

Merged into WP Core in https://core.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/49256

[daisyo]

Dev note published: ​https://make.wordpress.org/core/2020/11/20/miscellaneous-developer-focused-changes-in-wordpress-5-6/