Why is print_r returning $classObj->userObj in several places on site

Question

I'm trying to learn how to interpret results from print_r for a bridge plugin I'm developing.

Background

My first issue was setting editor capabilities receiving administrator capabilities. While working on it, I realized that only the first two capabilities in the array were being added. This is now fixed. However,

Moving Forward

I've now started to go back and look at the calls being made and inserting in wp_die, var_dump, and print_r in places to see if the results are as expected.

Now comes the question. The results are not as expected and maybe someone can explain why.

The Code

A file includes the function get_userdata( $user_id ). Within this file, there is a check for is_numeric, empty, and if !$user_id return false. Next, if !$user then to call a class which a method called fillUserData.

The fillUserData is as follows:

    public static function fillUserData($visitor, $classObj, $user_id) {
    if( $user_id != 0 ) {

        global $XF;

        $userModel = $XF->getModelFromCache('XenForo_Model_User');

        $user = $userModel->getUserById($user_id, array('join' => XenForo_Model_User::FETCH_USER_FULL));

        $classObj->userObj = $user;

            echo '<pre>';
            echo $user_id;
            print_r( $classObj->userObj[username] );
            echo '</pre>';
            //die();

        if( $user_id == $visitor->get('user_id') ) {


            // doing stuff

            return $classObj;

        } else {

            // doing stuff

            return $classObj;

        }
    } 

    // return false;
    echo 'This is a mess';

}   

At this point I'm confused. I was expecting only one array returned. But several are returned within the theme (including default themes, etc).

This first one shows at the top left of the theme and is absolutely the one I expected. [Update: To clarify, this array is definitely for the currently logged in user]

    Array
(
[user_id] => 3
[username] => Albert
[email] => [email protected]
[gender] => 
[custom_title] => 
[language_id] => 1
[style_id] => 0
[timezone] => Europe/London
[visible] => 1

This next one is above the first post done by a different user. This totally is not what I was expecting. [Update: This array shows even when no one is logged into the site]

    Array
(
[user_id] => 1
[username] => LPH
[email] => [email protected]
[gender] => 
[custom_title] => 
[language_id] => 1
[style_id] => 0
[timezone] => Europe/London
[visible] => 1
[user_group_id] => 2

These arrays are being returned above another post done by a different user .... and not what I expected since there is a if ( $user_id != 0 ) conditional.

If I go into a single page then the print_r shows for that author of the post and not the user I'm logged in as ...

My question are:

Am I using $classObj->userObj = $user wrong? Why is the author of WordPress blog posts showing in a print_r when $user conditional suggests it should not?

Hopefully that is enough information for someone to explain to me why this is not working as expected. My knowledge is very weak (at best). Of course, if I should not be calling the class within a pluggable function then please suggest a better method.

Thank you!

Answer 1

get_userdata can be, and is, used to get data about different users in different contexts. You seem to expect it to return data about only one "expected" user but I'm not sure why. What you are seeing is the dumped data from several of these different contexts-- for example, for the logged in user, for the post author, etc. as get_userdata is used to retrieve information about each of these in turn.

If you look at the Codex, get_userdata can be passed a user ID. If used in that way-- say by a plugin or a theme--, it will return data about whatever user ID was passed to it. get_userdata is also used numerous time by the Core to get data about different users-- not always the currently logged in user (if that is even what you are asking).

If you expect it always to return the same user then you are using it incorrectly. It is hard to say exactly how as you have posted things so out of context. You might be looking for get_currentuserinfo(), which is also pluggable.