[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #63600: Enhancement: Add get_pages_args filter to allow full control over get_pages() arguments before parsing in get_pages()

[WordPress Trac]

#63600: Enhancement: Add get_pages_args filter to allow full control over
get_pages() arguments before parsing in get_pages()
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 Reporter:  vincent06                            |       Owner:  vincent06
     Type:  enhancement                          |      Status:  assigned
 Priority:  normal                               |   Milestone:  Awaiting
                                                 |  Review
Component:  Query                                |     Version:  6.8
 Severity:  normal                               |  Resolution:
 Keywords:  has-patch needs-docs reporter-       |     Focuses:  template
  feedback                                       |
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Comment (by vincent06):

 Replying to [comment:5 jorbin]:
 > Hi @vincent06, thanks for opening your first ticket on WordPress Core
 Trac.
 >
 > Can you explain the use cases that you think this solves that the
 existing `get_pages_query_args` filter doesn't?


 Thanks for the follow-up!

 The use case that prompted this enhancement is the need to modify
 arguments like `child_of` or `parent` when `get_pages()` is called by core
 or third-party plugins — for example, inside a `wp_dropdown_pages()`
 context — but before they are parsed and used to control hierarchical
 filtering.

 While `get_pages_query_args` allows customization of the arguments passed
 to `WP_Query`, it does not affect how `get_pages()` itself uses values
 like `child_of`, `number`, `offset`, or `parent`, since those are
 extracted from the original `$args` array *before* the actual
 `get_pages_query_args` filter is applied. So any attempt to override them
 via `get_pages_query_args` has no effect on the behavior of
 `get_page_children()` or pagination or some others variable hardcoded
 before.

 This becomes a problem in cases like:

 - A plugin calls `get_pages()` with `child_of => X`
 - A filter attempts to override `child_of` to a different page ID
 - The override in `get_pages_query_args` doesn't work, because `$child_of`
 is already extracted and used before the filter is applied

 Adding a `get_pages_args` filter (before `wp_parse_args()`) solves this
 cleanly and allows full control of all inputs, just like how
 `wp_list_pages()` and `shortcode_atts()` allow filtering the raw args
 before processing.

 It's backward-compatible, and doesn’t interfere with existing usage — it
 simply opens up a new level of flexibility for developers working with
 hierarchical pages.

 Happy to clarify further or provide additional examples if helpful!

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Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/63600#comment:6>
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