get_post() returns bogus object for non-existing post IDs

[Sam_a]

It should return null or false instead.

var_dump( get_post( $dummy_id = -999 ));

returns

object(stdClass)(1) {
  ["ancestors"]=>
  array(0) {
  }
}

The object converts to boolean true, which can confuse things.

_get_post_ancestors($_post) is being called without checking that the previous query actually returned a post (in ​wp-includes/post.php).

[Sam_a]

get_post() returns &$null immediately for non-existing post IDs

[Sam_a]

Attached 6953.patch fixes the problem in 2.5.1 and trunk.

For non-existing post IDs, get_post() now returns &$null immediately and doesn't call _get_post_ancestors(), wp_cache_add().

[ryan]

(In [8173]) Don't get post ancestors if post not found. Props Sam_a. fixes #6953