wp_dashboard_right_now() emits debug notices on unregistered core post types

[johnjamesjacoby]

When you unregister a core 'post' or 'page' post type (I know... I know...) if they have posts in the database, the dashboard "Right Now" widget will output a debug notice for each unregistered type:

Undefined property: stdClass::$publish; wp-admin/includes/dashboard.php:270

This is because the code inside of wp_dashboard_right_now() always expects a WP_Post_Status object as the return type of each wp_count_posts() key, however a stdClass return type is also possible when no registered type or status is currently registered at the time the widget is rendered.

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Unregistering "built in" post types is normally considered to "void the warranty" and the unregister_post_type() function explicitly throws an error when you try, but the patch I'm about to attach is a small and bit of code hardening that prevents filling debug logs for those of us that frequently work with out-of-warranty installation types.

[SergeyBiryukov]

Related: #36208

[johnjamesjacoby]

Add empty() checks to $num_posts variable to avoid debug notices

[johnjamesjacoby]

Attached patch very simply avoids debug notices by removing the assumption that $num_posts->publish will exist on a potential stdClass return type.

To paint my own bike-shed, this could be part of a bigger effort to support unregistering _built_in post types, but I don't think there is a ton of interest in that at the moment, so this is a small way to clean something up that (I think) should probably be done regardless.

[pento]

I'm honestly surprised that this is the only notice thrown when post or page is unregistered. 😄

I'm not wild about adding special handling for post types that shouldn't be unregistered, but I'd certainly be open to revisiting #33714, which would also fix this issue.

[johnjamesjacoby]

I'm honestly surprised that this is the only notice thrown when post or page is unregistered.

🤫

I will find more places if I keep lookin, buuuuuut… 😝