trickle -> $size = elgg_extract('size', $vars, 'tiny');

@Dhrup, how and where would I pass 'size' to the elgg_list_entities() function? I know that starting from elgg_view_entity(), size will be picked up from $vars, but my question was referring to the whole call chain from elgg_list_entities() down to the actual entity icon view.

Seems like either I have to refrain from using elgg_list_entities, or conditionally override the entity or icon view on my pages. It would be nice if the list functions would be able to pass some variables through the whole function call chain, though.

you can override the icon size using a theme, for example in views/default/annotation/generic_comment.php on line 26:

$commenter_icon = elgg_view_entity_icon($commenter, 'small');

change to

$commenter_icon = elgg_view_entity_icon($commenter, 'medium');

There's no need to override anything. When you are listing users you can just pass 'size' to the elgg_list_entities*().

$users = elgg_list_entities(array(
    'type' => 'user',
    'size' => 'medium',
));

(Note that all entity types do not support the parameter.)

@Juho thanks, that's it! Great news. Didn't know that query options can contain additional information for the views.

it's all just part of the magic global $vars = array() which elgg_extract() [via elgg_list_entities] picks up.

t's all just part of the magic global $vars = array() which elgg_extract($vars) [via elgg_list_entities] picks up. i thought you'd have done your (xdebug) variable xref to trace that thread ;)