Return results of update_post_meta

[vahan889]

Hi Team!

I checked the return types of the update_post_meta function and this fact was interesting:

• false on failure or if the value passed to the function is the same as the one that is already in the database.

It would be great to see the difference between cases of failure and the same value, because there is no way to know if it failed (and maybe needs to try again) or just didn't update because it had the same value. I think that before any update using get_post_meta function to check for the same value is not the best way if it will happen for example in a big loop.

Thanks,
Vahan

[vineet2003]

I propose adding an optional $return_detailed parameter to the update_post_meta function. By default, it would retain the current behavior to ensure backward compatibility (false for failure or no change, true for success). When $return_detailed is set to true, the function could return a detailed array with a status and reason field, clearly distinguishing between failure, no change, and successful updates. This way, developers can opt into the enhanced feedback while existing implementations remain unaffected.

CC - @SergeyBiryukov @vahan889

#### Description:
This pull request proposes the addition of an optional $return_detailed parameter to the update_post_meta function in WordPress. This update aims to provide developers with more granular feedback on the status of metadata updates while maintaining backward compatibility for existing implementations.

#### Key Changes:

• New Optional Parameter:
  • Introduces a $return_detailed parameter to the update_post_meta function.
  • When set to true, this parameter will cause the function to return a detailed response in the form of an associative array containing:
    • status: A string indicating the outcome of the operation (e.g., success, failure, no_change).
    • reason: A string providing a more specific reason for the status (e.g., The value was not updated because it was the same).
  • When set to false (default), the function retains its current behavior, returning a simple true for success or false for failure.

• Backward Compatibility:
  • The default behavior of the update_post_meta function remains unchanged, ensuring no impact on existing codebases using this function without the $return_detailed parameter.

• Use Cases:
  • Developers can now choose to receive detailed feedback on metadata updates, allowing for easier debugging and more informed decision-making in complex use cases.
  • In cases where the metadata value is unchanged, the response will explicitly indicate no update occurred.

#### Example Usage:

// Using detailed feedback
$result = update_post_meta($post_id, 'meta_key', 'new_value', '', true);
if ($result['status'] === 'no_change') {
    // Handle the case where the metadata value is unchanged
}

#### Testing:

• Tested with Default Behavior: Ensures that setting $return_detailed to false keeps the original behavior (simple true/false return).
• Tested with $return_detailed set to true: Verifies the detailed array with the status and reason fields.
• Tested for Edge Cases: Includes tests where the metadata value is the same as the existing one, ensuring the reason for no change is correctly returned.

#### Additional Notes:

• This change provides more flexibility for developers to diagnose issues with metadata updates and ensures that the function's behavior remains predictable and backward-compatible.
• Developers can continue using update_post_meta as they did before, with the added option to enable enhanced feedback when needed.

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