__ function returns Phrase object. Could this return string?

[apiuser]

Feature request from bentideswell, posted on GitHub Jun 22, 2016

The function returns a \Magento\Framework\Phrase object that when echo'd, is converted to a string via the toString method. This breaks several integrations I am working on and also doesn't work properly with json_encode (its saved as an object rather than a string).

Is it possible to have have this method return a string? The majority of time this method is used, it will be echo'd straight away, meaning the object isn't required anyway. A second function could be created that returns the object and the __ function could call this second function and cast the result to a string.

Here is a rough example:

function __O()
{
    $argc = func_get_args();

    $text = array_shift($argc);
    if (!empty($argc) && is_array($argc[0])) {
        $argc = $argc[0];
    }

    return new \Magento\Framework\Phrase($text, $argc);
}

function __()
{
    return (string)__(func_get_args())
}

This is needed as the __ function cannot be overwritten or extended like all other publicly available methods in Magento.

[rainbowtree]

I am also looking for an update! Would love to be able use the FishPig wordpress add-ons on Magento 2

[ws_development]

I also am looking for an update. These extensions are critical to the workflow of all sites built by my Agency.

I am starting to move forward into Magento2 - but with serious hesitation without these extensions. I need to be able to offer a quality end product and if the Phrase object is truly not being used in the core then it is a simple matter to change things around -> force __() to return a string in all instances and include a separate function for access to the Phrase if a developer needs to do something with it.

For the record -> changing the developer-expected flow for standard PHP functionality is typically a big no-no. I would seriously reconsider going back to doing this the proper way. Especially as it is not just WordPress integration that it affects -> ANY integration with a third-party CMS or Framework will have problems because of this.

[Kamil Szewczyk]

We're also looking at the problem presented in this thread, and we're also interested in any updates. Do you have any?

[masoud_doroodza]

use getText() after translation like 

__('Item number')->getText()

vendor/magento/framework/Phrase.php