Data type of deprecated parameter of load_plugin_textdomain function should be bool and not string

[sudar]

The second parameter of the load_plugin_textdomain function has been deprecated. The default value of this parameter is set to false and if we pass anything other than false, then a deprecated notice is triggered.

<?php
        if ( false !== $plugin_rel_path ) {
                $path = WP_PLUGIN_DIR . '/' . trim( $plugin_rel_path, '/' );
        } elseif ( false !== $deprecated ) {
                _deprecated_argument( __FUNCTION__, '2.7.0' );
                $path = ABSPATH . trim( $deprecated, '/' );
        } else {
                $path = WP_PLUGIN_DIR;
        }

But in the phpdoc block of this function the second parameter is still specified as string. But in practise the only value that can be passed to this function that does not trigger a deprecated warning is false.

This generates a error in lot of static code analysers/services like scrutinizer that deduces the data type of the parameter from phpdoc block.

The data type of the parameter should be changed to either bool or should be explicitly stated as false (even better)

[sudar]

Patch to fix the phpdoc blcok

[hardik2221]

I have made changes to existing patch.

[sudar]

@hardik2221 Any specific reason for changing it from false to bool?

Also in your patch the @param statements are not aligned.

[hardik2221]

I think it is the parameter type bool where it will take the value true or false.

[swissspidy]

It's still possible to pass a string to $deprecated, so the docblock is technically correct. It's just so that in WordPress we often use false as a default value when we expect other data types otherwise.

If anything I'd annotate it as string|false, but I don't see it as a pressing problem.

[sudar]

@swissspidy

If anything I'd annotate it as string|false,

I have added a new patch that changes the param type to string|false instead of just false.

but I don't see it as a pressing problem.

Here is a usecase that prompted me to create this ticket and also submit the patch.

I am using load_plugin_textdomain function in a plugin and I have to use set a value for the 3rd parameter, which means I have to explicitly set the second parameter to false.

Now when I set the second parameter to false both the IDE and static code analyser starts to flag the function call saying that a bool value is passed to string parameter.

I agree that it may not be a pressing problem, but it is still a minor annoyance for all the developers who have to use the call the function and specify the 3rd parameter.

[SergeyBiryukov]

In 45254:

Docs: Correct @param type for $deprecated and $plugin_rel_path arguments of load_plugin_textdomain().

Props sudar.
Fixes #43304.