Consider deprecating NUnitEqualityComparer.AreEqual optional bool parameter

[stevenaw]

The NUnitEqualityComparer contains an optional parameter in the public API to specify if the comparison is top-level or not.

nunit/src/NUnitFramework/framework/Constraints/NUnitEqualityComparer.cs

Line 157 in 8de9af1

public bool AreEqual(object x, object y, ref Tolerance tolerance, bool topLevelComparison = true)

This has been converted to separate overloads in a subsequent PR. #3406

That PR also gets the code to the point where the boolean parameter could be calculated (but doing so could break consumers who explicitly pass false).

We can't just remove it outright, since it's a part of the public API and could be used by consumers (ex: a custom wrapper over the comparer), but I think we should consider marking the overload with the bool as obsolete, to be removed in a later version.

[mikkelbu]

I think it is fine to mark it obsolete in the 3.13.x branch and then correct it on master.

[x789]

I would like to solve the issue. Can someone assign it to me?

@mikkelbu: Am I right that the baseline of the change and the target branch of the PR shall be v3.13-dev?

[stevenaw]

Welcome, and thanks @x789 !
That's right, v3.13-dev should be branched from/merged to to add the obsoletion message, and master should be branch from/merged to to remove it.
I'll assign you this issue. Thanks again!

[seanpoulter]

It appears to me that #3410 can now we be closed. What do you think? We've had two PRs merged in October that marked AsEqual as obsolete then removed it.

[mikkelbu]

@seanpoulter Thanks for the heads up. You are right. This should be closed by the two PRs.