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Opened 17 years ago

Closed 16 years ago

Last modified 16 years ago

#5065 closed enhancement (duplicate)

Unify User-Agent strings

Reported by: docwhat's profile docwhat Owned by: jacobsantos's profile jacobsantos
Milestone: Priority: normal
Severity: normal Version:
Component: General Keywords: privacy user-agent
Focuses: Cc:

Description

In WordPress 2.3, there are either 10 or 11 places where User-Agent strings are created.

I would like to suggest adding a function, wp_user_agent() which would generate the base User-Agent including things like PHP version and bloginfo('url'). It could optionally take an array (in hash form) to append extra values, like Akismet version, etc.

Example Usage:

$http_response .= "User-Agent: ".wp_user_agent(Array('Akismet' => '2.0'));

This would prevent repetition of code and allow for admins or plugin developers to add or remove information they are not comfortable sending out.

Ciao!

Attachments (3)

wp-user-agent-filtered.diff (5.4 KB) - added by Otto42 17 years ago.
Filtered patch
wp-user-agent.patch (6.1 KB) - added by docwhat 17 years ago.
Best version - includes filter and akismet changes.
wp-free-agent.php (925 bytes) - added by docwhat 17 years ago.

Download all attachments as: .zip

Change History (22)

#1 @docwhat
17 years ago

I have attached patch. I tried to follow the coding style as best as I could.

I changed the way the bloginfo('url') is appended to the user agent because id didn't follow RFC 2068. I put it in a comment (parenthesis) instead. I don't think that's an issue because according to photomatt, it isn't being used yet.

Ciao!

#2 @docwhat
17 years ago

Also, my patch deliberately didn't change the Incutio and Snoopy UA strings, since they didn't seem to reflect anything. I don't actually understand when they are called, so I'm not sure what difference it makes.

Ciao!

#3 @docwhat
17 years ago

Okay, I just updated the patch because I missed the magpie stuff. I'm not quite sure about the code that adds a trailing ')' to the user-agent, but I don't think the output would be changed in anyway.

My only other concern is that the define at the top may be called too early for the wp_user_agent() function to be available.

Ciao!

#4 @docwhat
17 years ago

Added bug #5085, which is similar in spirit, though more complex.

#5 @docwhat
17 years ago

Okay, this isn't complete.

It needs some sort of filter hook thingy. I'm not familiar with doing that. Can someone point me at an example or suggest a mechanism to do this?

Otherwise, you cannot write a plugin to disable or change it. :-/

Ciao!

#6 @Otto42
17 years ago

Attaching the same patch with a filter on wp_user_agent output.

@Otto42
17 years ago

Filtered patch

#7 @docwhat
17 years ago

That was so easy. Neat! Thanks Otto42!

I thought the filter might have to be pre-registered or something.

I'm going to update the patch (mine) one more time to add the filter, and to add the missing akismet plugin patch (because that's needed too).

Then I'll attach the plugin to anonymize the ua.

Ciao!

@docwhat
17 years ago

Best version - includes filter and akismet changes.

#8 @docwhat
17 years ago

Alrighty!

Now how do we get it approved and into the svn tree?

Ciao!

#9 @foolswisdom
17 years ago

  • Keywords has-patch added
  • Milestone changed from 2.5 to 2.4

#10 @f00f
17 years ago

  • Milestone changed from 2.4 to 2.3.1

+1

#11 @foolswisdom
17 years ago

  • Milestone changed from 2.3.1 to 2.4

f00f, please don't change milestones. There is severe symptom that would justify putting this in a maint. release.

#12 @docwhat
17 years ago

Update:

I've been running this patch (with the plugin) for over a month with no problems.

Ciao!

#13 @DD32
17 years ago

I'm thinking a better method might be to wrap all outgoing http requests into a WP function. Currently theres a fair few fsockopen() scattered around the place, and theres Snoopy too, What would be better is a function such as:

function wp_get_remote($url,$headers=false){
...
$userAgent = apply_filters('useragent',get_the_useragent());
...
fsockopen()...
if(!$headers)
return $html;
else
return array($html,$headers);
}

(Similar to wp_get_http_headers())

Just makes more sense than changing the user agents in all these different locations to me, Why change the code in so many places when it could all just be consolidated in one swoop?, It would also help in adding Global Proxy support in.

(Probably new ticket material, infact, i swear there is one, i just cant find it).

#14 @santosj
17 years ago

Yeah. Maybe #4779 is what you were looking for DD32?

#15 @ffemtcj
17 years ago

  • Milestone changed from 2.5 to 2.6

With the changes in 2.5 is this still valid?

#16 @jacobsantos
16 years ago

  • Owner changed from anonymous to jacobsantos

#17 @jacobsantos
16 years ago

  • Status changed from new to assigned

#18 @santosj
16 years ago

  • Milestone 2.9 deleted
  • Resolution set to duplicate
  • Status changed from assigned to closed

This is mostly implemented in #4779. The API isn't used everywhere, but it eventually will be.

#19 @santosj
16 years ago

  • Keywords has-patch removed
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