Uncaught PHP_CodeSniffer\Exceptions\RuntimeException: trim(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($string)

[Tobias-Keller]

Bug Description

When i want run the phpcbf i get the following error:
PHP Fatal error: Uncaught PHP_CodeSniffer\Exceptions\RuntimeException: trim(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($string) of type string is deprecated in /somePath/vendor/wp-coding-standards/wpcs/WordPress/Sniffs/NamingConventions/PrefixAllGlobalsSniff.php on line 280

Minimal Code Snippet

The issue happens when running this command:

vendor/bin/phpcbf --standard=WordPress someFilePath.php

... over a file containing this code:

// All PHP Code Files

Error Code

PHP Fatal error: Uncaught PHP_CodeSniffer\Exceptions\RuntimeException: trim(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($string) of type string is deprecated in /somePath/vendor/wp-coding-standards/wpcs/WordPress/Sniffs/NamingConventions/PrefixAllGlobalsSniff.php on line 280

Environment

Question	Answer
PHP version	PHP 8.1.4 (cli)
PHP_CodeSniffer version	PHP_CodeSniffer version 3.6.2
WPCS version	2.3.0
WPCS install type	Composer project local

Additional Context (optional)

Tested Against develop branch?

• I have verified the issue still exists in the develop branch of WPCS.

[jrfnl]

This has already been fixed long ago in develop. The last WPCS release does not support PHP 8.0 or 8.1. Either run it on PHP < 8.0 or use develop for the time being until the next release.

[clintonb]

@jrfnl what is the release cadence/when can we expect a new release? I'm encountering the same issue, but would like to know when I can stop using the develop branch?

Also, the recommendation to use develop seems to conflict with this recommendation to not use develop: squizlabs/PHP_CodeSniffer#3110 (comment).

[jrfnl]

@jrfnl what is the release cadence/when can we expect a new release? I'm encountering the same issue, but would like to know when I can stop using the develop branch?

@clintonb "When it's ready". Either run PHPCS on PHP < 8.0 or use develop for now if you must run it on PHP 8.0+.

Work on the 3.0.0 release is currently actively ongoing, but I'm not making any promises for release dates.

Also, the recommendation to use develop seems to conflict with this recommendation to not use develop: squizlabs/PHP_CodeSniffer#3110 (comment).

That was in response to a different question, different issue.

[smileBeda]

In which case all users who run latest composer will run into PHP Fatal error: Composer detected issues in your platform: Your Composer dependencies require a PHP version ">= 8.1.0". You are running 7.4.30. in .../.composer/vendor/composer/platform_check.php on line 24

Is there any way to resolve that easily?

Thank you!

[jrfnl]

@smileBeda The platform check is triggered by one of your other dependencies, not by WPCS, Nothing to do with the latest Composer either, Composer has contained a platform check for a long time.

You could run Composer with --ignore-platform-reqs=php to get round it, but again: you'd be getting round a requirement of one of your other dependencies. This is unrelated to WPCS.

[smccafferty]

Leaving this for others that have went searching for this error.

Looking at the error, this is due to a deprecation message getting bubbled up. While it is a workaround, if the error reporting level is set to ignore deprecated messages, it will no longer display throw this error. For instance phpcs -d error_reporting=24575 would execute PHPCS with error_reporting = E_ALL & ~E_DEPRECATED

[jrfnl]

As the values of the E_* constants can vary depending on the PHP version used, better to use phpcs -d error_reporting="E_ALL&~E_DEPRECATED"

[matthewmcvickar]

As the values of the E_* constants can vary depending on the PHP version used, better to use phpcs -d error_reporting="E_ALL&~E_DEPRECATED"

To apply this flag in a phpcs.xml configuration file rather than on the command line, you'd want to add the following:

<!--
Prevent errors caused by WordPress Coding Standards not supporting PHP 8.0+.
See https://github.com/WordPress/WordPress-Coding-Standards/issues/2035
-->
<ini name="error_reporting" value="E_ALL &#38; ~E_DEPRECATED" />

(Note that the & is an escaped & (ampersand); the & character must be escaped in XML documents.)