Index: CHANGELOG.txt
=========================================================
--- CHANGELOG.txt	(revision 1.327)
+++ CHANGELOG.txt	Mon Aug 17 16:20:57 PDT 2009
@@ -101,6 +101,12 @@
       http://drupal.org/project/chameleon and http://drupal.org/project/pushbutton).
     * Added Stark theme to make analyzing Drupal's default HTML and CSS easier.
     * Added Seven theme as the default administration interface theme.
+    * Variable preprocessing of theme hooks prior to template rendering now goes 
+      through two phases: a 'preprocess' phase and a new 'process' phase. See 
+      http://api.drupal.org/api/function/theme/7 for details.
+    * Theme hooks implemented as functions (rather than as templates) can now 
+      also have preprocess (and process) functions. See 
+      http://api.drupal.org/api/function/theme/7 for details.
 - File handling:
     * Files are now first class Drupal objects with file_load(), file_save(),
       and file_validate() functions and corresponding hooks.
Index: includes/theme.inc
=========================================================
--- includes/theme.inc	(revision 1.504)
+++ includes/theme.inc	Mon Aug 17 17:36:30 PDT 2009
@@ -365,49 +365,53 @@
         }
         // Check for sub-directories.
         $result[$hook]['theme paths'][] = isset($info['path']) ? $info['path'] : $path;
+      }
-
+      
+      // Allow variable processors for all theming hooks, whether the hook is 
+      // implemented as a template or as a function. 
-        foreach ($template_phases as $phase_key => $template_phase) {
-          // Check for existing variable processors. Ensure arrayness.
-          if (!isset($info[$phase_key]) || !is_array($info[$phase_key])) {
-            $info[$phase_key] = array();
-            $prefixes = array();
-            if ($type == 'module') {
-              // Default variable processor prefix.
-              $prefixes[] = 'template';
-              // Add all modules so they can intervene with their own variable processors. This allows them
-              // to provide variable processors even if they are not the owner of the current hook.
-              $prefixes += module_list();
-            }
-            elseif ($type == 'theme_engine' || $type == 'base_theme_engine') {
-              // Theme engines get an extra set that come before the normally named variable processors.
-              $prefixes[] = $name . '_engine';
-              // The theme engine registers on behalf of the theme using the theme's name.
-              $prefixes[] = $theme;
-            }
-            else {
-              // This applies when the theme manually registers their own variable processors.
-              $prefixes[] = $name;
-            }
-            foreach ($prefixes as $prefix) {
+      foreach ($template_phases as $phase_key => $template_phase) {
+        // Check for existing variable processors. Ensure arrayness.
+        if (!isset($info[$phase_key]) || !is_array($info[$phase_key])) {
+          $info[$phase_key] = array();
+          $prefixes = array();
+          if ($type == 'module') {
+            // Default variable processor prefix.
+            $prefixes[] = 'template';
+            // Add all modules so they can intervene with their own variable processors. This allows them
+            // to provide variable processors even if they are not the owner of the current hook.
+            $prefixes += module_list();
+          }
+          elseif ($type == 'theme_engine' || $type == 'base_theme_engine') {
+            // Theme engines get an extra set that come before the normally named variable processors.
+            $prefixes[] = $name . '_engine';
+            // The theme engine registers on behalf of the theme using the theme's name.
+            $prefixes[] = $theme;
+          }
+          else {
+            // This applies when the theme manually registers their own variable processors.
+            $prefixes[] = $name;
+          }
+          foreach ($prefixes as $prefix) {
-              if (function_exists($prefix . '_' . $template_phase)) {
+            // Only use non-hook-specific variable processors for theming hooks implemented as templates.
+            // See comment of theme() for why.
+            if (isset($info['template']) && function_exists($prefix . '_' . $template_phase)) {
-                $info[$phase_key][] = $prefix . '_' . $template_phase;
-              }
-              if (function_exists($prefix . '_' . $template_phase . '_' . $hook)) {
-                $info[$phase_key][] = $prefix . '_' . $template_phase . '_' . $hook;
-              }
-            }
-          }
-          // Check for the override flag and prevent the cached variable processors from being used.
-          // This allows themes or theme engines to remove variable processors set earlier in the registry build.
-          if (!empty($info['override ' . $phase_key])) {
-            // Flag not needed inside the registry.
-            unset($result[$hook]['override ' . $phase_key]);
-          }
-          elseif (isset($cache[$hook][$phase_key]) && is_array($cache[$hook][$phase_key])) {
-            $info[$phase_key] = array_merge($cache[$hook][$phase_key], $info[$phase_key]);
-          }
-          $result[$hook][$phase_key] = $info[$phase_key];
+              $info[$phase_key][] = $prefix . '_' . $template_phase;
+            }
+            if (function_exists($prefix . '_' . $template_phase . '_' . $hook)) {
+              $info[$phase_key][] = $prefix . '_' . $template_phase . '_' . $hook;
+            }
+          }
+        }
+        // Check for the override flag and prevent the cached variable processors from being used.
+        // This allows themes or theme engines to remove variable processors set earlier in the registry build.
+        if (!empty($info['override ' . $phase_key])) {
+          // Flag not needed inside the registry.
+          unset($result[$hook]['override ' . $phase_key]);
+        }
+        elseif (isset($cache[$hook][$phase_key]) && is_array($cache[$hook][$phase_key])) {
+          $info[$phase_key] = array_merge($cache[$hook][$phase_key], $info[$phase_key]);
+        }
+        $result[$hook][$phase_key] = $info[$phase_key];
-        }
       }
     }
 
@@ -418,13 +422,15 @@
   // Let themes have variable processors even if they didn't register a template.
   if ($type == 'theme' || $type == 'base_theme') {
     foreach ($cache as $hook => $info) {
-      // Check only if it's a template and not registered by the theme or engine.
-      if (!empty($info['template']) && empty($result[$hook])) {
+      // Check only if not registered by the theme or engine.
+      if (empty($result[$hook])) {
         foreach ($template_phases as $phase_key => $template_phase) {
           if (!isset($info[$phase_key])) {
             $cache[$hook][$phase_key] = array();
           }
-          if (function_exists($name . '_' . $template_phase)) {
+          // Only use non-hook-specific variable processors for theming hooks implemented as templates.
+          // See comment of theme() for why.
+          if (isset($info['template']) && function_exists($name . '_' . $template_phase)) {
             $cache[$hook][$phase_key][] = $name . '_' . $template_phase;
           }
           if (function_exists($name . '_' . $template_phase . '_' . $hook)) {
@@ -474,6 +480,23 @@
 
   // Finally, hooks provided by the theme itself.
   _theme_process_registry($cache, $theme->name, 'theme', $theme->name, dirname($theme->filename));
+  
+  // Add 'alter functions' to each theme hook, so that we can run the equivalent 
+  // of drupal_alter() on theme output at the end of the theme() function, but 
+  // with better performance. Another benefit of storing these functions in the 
+  // registry is that modules implementing hook_theme_registry_alter() can adjust 
+  // them. This doesn't need to be built one at a time with _theme_process_registry(), 
+  // because we're only interested in modules implementing the alter hooks, since 
+  // that's the case with other uses of drupal_alter(). If someone comes up with 
+  // a convincing reason to let themes implement alter functions the way they 
+  // can implement preprocess functions, then this code would need to move to 
+  // _theme_process_registry().
+  foreach ($cache as $hook => $info) {
+    $cache[$hook]['alter functions'] = array();
+    foreach (module_implements('theme_' . $hook . '_alter') as $module) {
+      $cache[$hook]['alter functions'][] = $module . '_theme_' . $hook . '_alter';
+    }
+  }
 
   // Let modules alter the registry
   drupal_alter('theme_registry', $cache);
@@ -568,9 +591,6 @@
  * registry is checked to determine which implementation to use, which may
  * be a function or a template.
  *
- * If the implementation is a function, it is executed and its return value
- * passed along.
- *
  * If the implementation is a template, the arguments are converted to a
  * $variables array. This array is then modified by the module implementing
  * the hook, theme engine (if applicable) and the theme. The following
@@ -664,14 +684,46 @@
  * - THEME_process_HOOK(&$variables)
  *   The same applies from the previous function, but it is called for a
  *   specific hook.
- *
+ * 
- * There are two special variables that these hooks can set:
+ * If the implementation is a function, only the hook-specific preprocess
+ * and process functions (the ones ending in _HOOK) are called from the
+ * above list. There are two reason why the non-hook-specific preprocess
+ * and process functions (the ones not ending in _HOOK) are not called for
+ * function-implemented theme hooks:
+ * 
+ * 1. Function-implemented theme hooks need to be fast, and calling the
+ *    non-hook-specific preprocess and process functions on them would incur
+ *    a noticeable performance penalty.
+ * 
+ * 2. Function-implemented theme hooks can only make use of variables
+ *    declared as arguments within the hook_theme() function that registers
+ *    the theme hook, and cannot make use of additional generic variables.
+ *    For the most part, non-hook-specific preprocess and process functions
+ *    add/modify variables other than the theme hook's arguments, variables
+ *    that are potentially useful in template files, but unavailable to 
+ *    function implementations.
+ * 
+ * For template-implemented theme hooks, there are two special variables that 
+ * these preprocess and process functions can set:
  *   'template_file' and 'template_files'. These will be merged together
  *   to form a list of 'suggested' alternate template files to use, in
  *   reverse order of priority. template_file will always be a higher
  *   priority than items in template_files. theme() will then look for these
- *   files, one at a time, and use the first one
- *   that exists.
+ *   files, one at a time, and use the first one that exists. If none exist,
+ *   theme() will use the original registered file for the theme hook.
+ * 
+ * For function-implemented theme hooks, there are two special variables that 
+ * these preprocess and process functions can set:
+ *   'theme_function' and 'theme_functions'. These will be merged together
+ *   to form a list of 'suggested' alternate functions to use, in
+ *   reverse order of priority. theme_function will always be a higher
+ *   priority than items in theme_functions. theme() will then call the
+ *   highest priority function that exists. If none of the suggestions exist, 
+ *   theme() will call the original registered function for the theme hook.
+ * 
+ * Modules can alter the final output from the theme by implementing 
+ * - MODULE_theme_HOOK_alter(&$output, $variables, $hook)
+ * 
  * @param $hook
  *   The name of the theme function to call. May be an array, in which
  *   case the first hook that actually has an implementation registered
@@ -723,18 +775,79 @@
   }
   if (isset($info['function'])) {
     // The theme call is a function.
-    if (drupal_function_exists($info['function'])) {
+    
-      // If a theme function that does not expect a renderable array is called
-      // with a renderable array as the only argument (via drupal_render), then
-      // we take the arguments from the properties of the renderable array. If
-      // missing, use hook_theme() defaults.
-      if (isset($args[0]) && is_array($args[0]) && isset($args[0]['#theme']) && count($info['arguments']) > 1) {
-        $new_args = array();
-        foreach ($info['arguments'] as $name => $default) {
-          $new_args[] = isset($args[0]["#$name"]) ? $args[0]["#$name"] : $default;
-        }
-        $args = $new_args;
-      }
+    // If a theme function that does not expect a renderable array is called
+    // with a renderable array as the only argument (via drupal_render), then
+    // we take the arguments from the properties of the renderable array. If
+    // missing, use hook_theme() defaults.
+    if (isset($args[0]) && is_array($args[0]) && isset($args[0]['#theme']) && count($info['arguments']) > 1) {
+      $new_args = array();
+      foreach ($info['arguments'] as $name => $default) {
+        $new_args[] = isset($args[0]["#$name"]) ? $args[0]["#$name"] : $default;
+      }
+      $args = $new_args;
+    }
+    
+    // Invoke the variable processors, if any.
+    // We minimize the overhead for theming hooks that have no processors and are called
+    // many times per page request by caching '_no processors'. If we do have processors,
+    // then the overhead of calling them overshadows the overhead of calling empty().
+    // If we have 'alter functions', we need to create the $variables array, for use at
+    // the end of this function.
+    if (!isset($info['_no processors'])) {
+      if (!empty($info['preprocess functions']) || !empty($info['process functions']) || !empty($info['alter functions'])) {
+        $variables = array(
+          'theme_functions' => array(),
+        );
+        if (!empty($info['arguments'])) {
+          $count = 0;
+          foreach ($info['arguments'] as $name => $default) {
+            $variables[$name] = isset($args[$count]) ? $args[$count] : $default;
+            $count++;
+          }
+        }
+        // We don't want a poorly behaved process function changing $hook
+        $hook_clone = $hook;
+        foreach (array('preprocess functions', 'process functions') as $template_phase) {
+          foreach ($info[$template_phase] as $template_function) {
+            if (drupal_function_exists($template_function)) {
+              $template_function($variables, $hook_clone);
+            }
+          }
+        }
+        if (!empty($info['arguments'])) {
+          $count = 0;
+          foreach ($info['arguments'] as $name => $default) {
+            $args[$count] = $variables[$name];
+            $count++;
+          }
+        }
+        
+        // Get suggestions for alternate functions out of the variables
+        // that were set. This lets us dynamically choose a function
+        // from a list. The order is FILO, so this array is ordered from
+        // least appropriate functions to most appropriate last.
+        $suggestions = array();
+        if (isset($variables['theme_functions'])) {
+          $suggestions = $variables['theme_functions'];
+        }
+        if (isset($variables['theme_function'])) {
+          $suggestions[] = $variables['theme_function'];
+        }
+        foreach (array_reverse($suggestions) as $suggestion) {
+          if (drupal_function_exists($suggestion)) {
+            $info['function'] = $suggestion;
+            break;
+          }
+        }
+      }
+      else {
+        $hooks[$hook]['_no processors'] = TRUE;
+      }
+    }
+    
+    // Call the function.
+    if (drupal_function_exists($info['function'])) {
       $output = call_user_func_array($info['function'], $args);
     }
   }
@@ -810,6 +923,19 @@
   }
   // restore path_to_theme()
   $theme_path = $temp;
+  
+  // Let 'alter functions' alter the output. Similar to drupal_alter(), but using the
+  // registry as a performance optimization and for greater flexibility.
+  // Optimize for function-implemented theme hooks that don't have preprocess, process,
+  // or alter functions, by avoiding a more expensive call to empty() when a cheaper
+  // call to isset() gets us out of the block faster.
+  if (isset($variables) && !empty($info['alter functions'])) {
+    foreach ($info['alter functions'] as $alter_function) {
+      if (drupal_function_exists($alter_function)) {
+        $alter_function($output, $variables, $hook);
+      }
+    }
+  }
   return $output;
 }
 
