Consider using ElggBatch automatically with getter funtions

[ewinslow]

That is, I want to be able to say elgg_get_entities(array('limit' => 'whatever')); and have that work w/out oom errors and without doing any extra fancies like "new ElggBatch".

Since ElggBatch expects these functions, we might run into a chicken and egg problem, but the solution would be to rename the current functions to something else and then elgg_get_entities* would simply be wrappers that use ElggBatch on these new functions.

Good idea? Bad idea?

[cash]

I prefer keeping it simple for the typical uses cases and pushing the complexity to those who need to do out of the ordinary stuff.

[brettp]

I intended ElggBatch primarily to be used only internal for mass operations (like deleting all the metadata on an entity or sending notifications) or in upgrades. I don't think it should be the primary getter interface.

That said, I would still like to eventually (2.0) switch to something closer to ElggBatch....ElggRecordset() or something to let you do:

$constraints = array('type' => 'object', 'subtype' => 'blog');
$results = new ElggRecordset('entities', $constraints);
foreach ($results as $blog) {
    // code
}

[ewinslow]

I didn't mean it would be the primary getter interface. elgg_get_entities* would still be the API functions for grabbing stuff. They would just use ElggBatch internally to keep the OOM fanciness away from plugin authors.

But anyways -- sounds like we want this kind of thing to wait for 2.0.

[cash]

I'm not convinced or maybe this ticket is going in a different direction than the original post.

[cash]

Needing to grab every instance of something is the exception rather than the norm. I think it is fine that we require plugin developers to explicitly use ElggBatch when working with large numbers of objects. The amount of work needed to rewrite the elgg_get_entities/ElggBatch so that ElggBatch does not depend on the elgg_get_entities is to much to justify the small gain of doing so.