Magento2: What is this line of code for?

[maxbucknell]

In Magento\Catalog\Block\Category\View, there is an orphan block created, for no obvious reason. My guess is it could be removed, since after this call, the block is totally inaccessible.

That said, I don't know if some edge case depends on a side-effect of createBlock that necessitates an abstract block being created?

    /**
     * @return $this
     */
    protected function _prepareLayout()
    {
        parent::_prepareLayout();
        $this->getLayout()->createBlock('Magento\Catalog\Block\Breadcrumbs');

        // ....
    }

[veloraven]

@maxbucknell is this issue still actual?

[redboxdigital-m2]

@veloraven It's still there in the develop branch (link in the original issue comment), so yes. It may or may not be an issue, but it's still weird.

[TomashKhamlai]

This line is used to initialize creation of Breadcrumbs.

[orlangur]

@maxbucknell just check implementation of \Magento\Catalog\Block\Breadcrumbs::_prepareLayout. The line you mentioned leads to _prepareLayout method execution which fills named block <block class="Magento\Theme\Block\Html\Breadcrumbs" name="breadcrumbs" as="breadcrumbs"/> with proper data.

[veloraven]

According to contributor guide, tickets without response for two weeks should be closed.
If this issue still reproducible please feel free to create the new one: format new issue according to the Issue reporting guidelines: with steps to reproduce, actual result and expected result and specify Magento version.

[korostii]

Hi @veloraven,
I couldn't help but notice: your responses on this ticket made no sense whatsoever (well, there's one exception: closing it was reasonable, but for totally unrelated reasons).
There was no information to request from the topic-starter and there's nothing to get reproduced. As if you didn't even read the discussion.

Who knows, maybe @veloraven _is_ just an account for the bot sending out automated responses.

Anyway, just passing by. Have a nice day, everyone!

[orlangur]

@korostii yeah, agree on that, generating this sort of responses manually looks like a waste. Mass closing tickets with "needs update" label automatically after 2 weeks would make more sense as to me and would not confuse.

@maxbucknell, hope you're satisfied with my answer? 😉