PHP 8 deprecation in wp-includes/category-template.php uasort() helper

[Webrocker]

category-template.php, line 1089 ff:

function _wp_object_count_sort_cb( $a, $b ) {
        return ( $a->count > $b->count );
}

This throws a Deprecation warning with PHP 8: "Deprecated: uasort(): Returning bool from comparison function is deprecated, return an integer less than, equal to, or greater than zero in wp-includes/category-template.php

changing the above code to

function _wp_object_count_sort_cb( $a, $b ) {
        return ( $a->count - $b->count );
}

fixes the warning for me, while still sorting as before.

[SergeyBiryukov]

Hi there, welcome to WordPress Trac! Thanks for the ticket, moving to 6.2 for review.

[jrf]

@jigar-bhanushali Thanks for working on this. Unfortunately, your patch cannot be accepted as you are using PHP 7.0+ syntax, while WordPress still supports PHP 5.6.

Change return value from boolean to int less, equal or greater than zero as requited by php 8. Using substraction instead of the spaceship operator (<=>) for php 5.6 compat

Trac ticket: https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/57358

@iamwebrocker Can you please update the PR title to Fix PHP 8 deprecation warning in category-template.php?

@mukeshpanchal27 thanks for the catch :)

Added a quick commit to address a tiny typo in the docblock ;)

[costdev]

This ticket was discussed during the bug scrub. Feedback on the PR has been addressed and this is ready for commit consideration. Adding the appropriate keyword.

Additional props: @audrasjb

Just wondering if there are tests for this function and if not, if now would be a good time to add those ?

I'd suggest to secure this bugfix for 6.2 and to open a new ticket for complete test coverage, since test fixes can be committed anytime during the beta cycle. What do you think @costdev ?

@audrasjb Yes that sounds good to me!

@jrfnl Do you have any thoughts on datasets, beyond sorting 4, 3, 2, 1 ->1, 2, 3, 4 and 3, 1, 4, 2 -> 1, 2, 3, 4?

[audrasjb]

In 55214:

Fix a PHP 8 deprecation warning in category-template.php uasort() helper.

Props Webrocker, jigar-bhanushali, jrf, audrasjb, costdev.
Fixes #57358.
See #56790.

Committed in https://core.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/55214

@jrfnl Do you have any thoughts on datasets, beyond sorting 4, 3, 2, 1 -> 1, 2, 3, 4 and 3, 1, 4, 2 -> 1, 2, 3, 4?

Well, what about 2, 1, 2, 1 ? Or -2, -1, -3 ,-2 ?

Also: the function contains a lot of assumptions....

• The function doesn't have any type declarations, but does include a presumption that an object will be passed, though it doesn't specify which type of object _(IIRC I know why, and that's why an interface should be added)_...
• ... and that the passed object will have a count property.
• ... and that this count property is publicly accessible.
• ... and that this count property will actually be set.
• ... and that the data type stored in the count property will always be numeric or at least a scalar (juggleable to int).

Want me to go on ? I can think of plenty of other ways to break this function.... 😈

@costdev Does this give you enough inspiration ?

[SergeyBiryukov]

In 55222:

Docs: Use consistent format for the @return tags in _wp_object_name_sort_cb() and _wp_object_count_sort_cb().

Both functions are used as a callback for uasort().

Follow-up to [36013], [55214].

See #57358, #56792.

[SergeyBiryukov]

#57727 was marked as a duplicate.

[costdev]

#56838 was marked as a duplicate.