wp_default_scripts()

[ZappoMan]

Can someone explain to me how wordpress decides which JS files to include? I can not figure out this code in wp_default_scripts()

In particular... you add all these scripts, many of which aren't needed on many pages, and somehow they don't get included when they aren't needed...  how does the core decide what is needed and what is not needed?

Why do I want to know? Well on my development environment for some reason the post.js script is being included on the link.php page... which really messes up that page. But somehow in production it works correctly...

REALLY BLOWING MY BRAINS!

[ron_r]

When the scripts are "enqueued", there is a parameter indicating what page they apply to.

[Luke]

Examples:

Code:

<?php
wp_enqueue_script( 'jquery' ); // include jquery;
wp_enqueue_script( 'luke-dashboard', '/wp-admin/js/luke-dashboard.js'); // include custom js;
?>

[ZappoMan]

So here's the thing I still haven't been able to figure out...

When can you call this and be certain that it will add your script?
It looks like there's also a version for stylesheets.... what are the rules for that?

So the classic example is a plugin, that say, adds a widget. I'd rather that the JS and CSS not show up unless the widget is actually being instantiated... but the rules of engagement seem kinda sticky here.

I might not know I'm being instantiated until well after the header has been rendered... so what's a good coder to do?

[ron_r]

The default filters code adds the wp_print_scripts function to wp_head.

If necessary, I embed the script/css in the widget in the plugin. Ex. recently to restyle some extra sign-up fields I included the style before the fields.

[Luke]

I included the style before the fields

Validate much?

Honestly, I wouldn't worry about it. Hooking into the head for an additional style, stylesheet, script, or js file is just fine.

You can hook into admin_head for the admin area as well.

[ron_r]

Didn't have much choice because the styles I was overriding were also in the body of the signup form.