Documentation problem with theme_image

Why is the attributes value required now?

This has to be a bug, no?

attributes is definitely not required.

@pillarsdotnet: Prove to me that doing theme('image', array('path' => 'pathtofile.png')); causes a problem and that the theme system fails to merge in the default attributes variable of an empty array?

I tested this a little, and I'm not seeing notices for theme_image(). However, I am seeing a similar problem with theme_html_tag() as far as defaults not merging properly, so maybe there is a problem here that only happens under certain circumstances? This is what I tested with.

function mytheme_page_alter(&$page) {
  // Attributes is required here. Ok.
  $page['highlighted']['new_stuff'] = array(
    '#type' => 'container',
    '#attributes' => array('class' => 'my-container'),
  );
  // Attributes should be optional, but it's not working properly.
  $page['highlighted']['new_stuff']['heading'] = array(
    '#theme' => 'html_tag',
    '#tag' => 'h2',
    '#value' => t("I'm a Druplicon"),
    '#attributes' => array(), // Failure to include this throws the errors pasted below.
  );
  // No notice.
  $page['highlighted']['new_stuff']['image'] = array(
    '#theme' => 'image',
    '#path' => 'misc/druplicon.png',
    '#alt' => 'Druplicon',
  );
  // No notice this way either.
  $page['highlighted']['new_stuff']['imageasmarkup'] = array(
    '#markup' => theme('image', array('path' => 'misc/druplicon.png', 'alt' => 'Druplicon')),
  );

Notice: Undefined index: #attributes in theme_html_tag() (line 1904 of /Users/jacine/Sites/drupal-7/includes/theme.inc).
Recoverable fatal error: Argument 1 passed to drupal_attributes() must be an array, null given, called in /Users/jacine/Sites/drupal-7/includes/theme.inc on line 1904 and defined in drupal_attributes() (line 2253 of /Users/jacine/Sites/drupal-7/includes/common.inc).

@pillarsdotnet: You are incorrectly using the theme system. You call theme functions using the literal theme() function. Use theme('image', ...) and not theme_image(...).

@Jacine: Because html_tag is defined as render element, do the errors go away if you use '#type' => 'html_tag' rather than '#theme' => 'html_tag'?

Please read:

http://api.drupal.org/api/drupal/includes--theme.inc/function/theme/6 - "All requests for theme hooks must go through this function."

http://techylinguist.com/code-snippet/drupal-6-theming-functions-images-... - "Where's the call to theme_image()? We NEVER call theme functions directly."

This is duplicate in effect of this issue http://drupal.org/node/1001990. This isn't a bug this someone missusing the api.

Yes, if you can reproduce with latest 7.x-dev core with Standard or minimal install, and no contrib modules, that would be useful. Please also include what function/module calls theme('image') from your backtrace info.

@davereid, Yep, the errors do go away with type. Sorry, my bad. I didn't realize that theme function only works for render elements. Separate issue though, I guess. :)

FYI, I also tried printing directly in a template file, with theme_image() and still I'm not seeing any notices.

Please read this thread http://drupal.org/node/1001990 - the function already links to http://api.drupal.org/api/drupal/modules--system--theme.api.php/group/th... which explains that it is internal only. There is nothing to fix here.

The api page even gives an example - http://api.drupal.org/api/drupal/includes--theme.inc/function/theme_image/7

Therefore, this variable defaults to an empty string, but can be set to NULL for the attribute to be omitted. Usually, neither omission nor an empty string satisfies accessibility requirements, so it is strongly encouraged for code calling theme('image') to pass a meaningful value for this variable.

What it means for internal use? Do not have a solution?