neo/docs/OWNER_FIELD_VALIDATION_FIX.md

# Owner Field Validation Fix - Complete Solution

## Problem
When creating a record for a newly created object definition, users saw:
- "Owner is required"

Even though `ownerId` should be auto-managed by the system and never required from users.

## Root Cause Analysis

The issue had two layers:

### Layer 1: Existing Objects (Before Latest Fix)
Objects created BEFORE the system fields fix had:
- `ownerId` with `isRequired: true` and `isSystem: null`
- Frontend couldn't identify this as a system field
- Field was shown on edit form and validated as required

### Layer 2: Incomplete Field Name Coverage
The frontend's system field list was missing `ownerId` and `tenantId`:
```javascript
// BEFORE
['id', 'createdAt', 'updatedAt', 'created_at', 'updated_at', 'createdBy', 'updatedBy']
// Missing: ownerId, tenantId
```

## Complete Fix Applied

### 1. Backend - Normalize All Field Definitions

**File**: [backend/src/object/object.service.ts](backend/src/object/object.service.ts)

Added `normalizeField()` helper function:
```typescript
private normalizeField(field: any): any {
  const systemFieldNames = ['id', 'tenantId', 'ownerId', 'created_at', 'updated_at', 'createdAt', 'updatedAt'];
  const isSystemField = systemFieldNames.includes(field.apiName);
  
  return {
    ...field,
    // Ensure system fields are marked correctly
    isSystem: isSystemField ? true : field.isSystem,
    isRequired: isSystemField ? false : field.isRequired,
    isCustom: isSystemField ? false : field.isCustom ?? true,
  };
}
```

This ensures that:
- Any field with a system field name is automatically marked `isSystem: true`
- System fields are always `isRequired: false`
- System fields are always `isCustom: false`
- Works for both new and old objects (backward compatible)

Updated `getObjectDefinition()` to normalize fields before returning:
```typescript
// Get fields and normalize them
const fields = await knex('field_definitions')...
const normalizedFields = fields.map((field: any) => this.normalizeField(field));

return {
  ...obj,
  fields: normalizedFields,  // Return normalized fields
  app,
};
```

### 2. Frontend - Complete System Field Coverage

**File**: [frontend/composables/useFieldViews.ts](frontend/composables/useFieldViews.ts#L12-L20)

Updated field mapping to include all system fields:
```typescript
// Define all system/auto-generated field names
const systemFieldNames = ['id', 'createdAt', 'updatedAt', 'created_at', 'updated_at', 'createdBy', 'updatedBy', 'tenantId', 'ownerId']
const isAutoGeneratedField = systemFieldNames.includes(fieldDef.apiName)

// Hide system fields and auto-generated fields on edit
const shouldHideOnEdit = isSystemField || isAutoGeneratedField
```

**File**: [frontend/components/views/EditViewEnhanced.vue](frontend/components/views/EditViewEnhanced.vue#L162-L170)

Updated save handler system fields list:
```typescript
const systemFields = ['id', 'tenantId', 'ownerId', 'created_at', 'updated_at', 'createdAt', 'updatedAt', 'createdBy', 'updatedBy']
```

## How It Works Now

### For New Objects (Created After Backend Fix)
```
1. Backend creates standard fields with:
   - ownerId: isRequired: false, isSystem: true ✓
   - created_at: isRequired: false, isSystem: true ✓
   - updated_at: isRequired: false, isSystem: true ✓

2. Backend's getObjectDefinition normalizes them (redundant but safe)

3. Frontend receives normalized fields
   - Recognizes them as system fields
   - Hides from edit form ✓

4. User creates record without "Owner is required" error ✓
```

### For Existing Objects (Created Before Backend Fix)
```
1. Legacy data has:
   - ownerId: isRequired: true, isSystem: null

2. Backend's getObjectDefinition normalizes on-the-fly:
   - Detects apiName === 'ownerId'
   - Forces: isSystem: true, isRequired: false ✓

3. Frontend receives normalized fields
   - Recognizes as system field (by name + isSystem flag)
   - Hides from edit form ✓

4. User creates record without "Owner is required" error ✓
```

## System Field Handling

### Complete System Field List
```
Field Name      | Type      | Required | Hidden on Edit | Notes
────────────────┼───────────┼──────────┼────────────────┼──────────────────
id              | UUID      | No       | Yes            | Auto-generated
tenantId        | UUID      | No       | Yes            | Set by system
ownerId         | LOOKUP    | No       | Yes            | Set by userId
created_at      | DATETIME  | No       | Yes            | Auto-set
updated_at      | DATETIME  | No       | Yes            | Auto-set on update
createdAt       | DATETIME  | No       | Yes            | Alias for created_at
updatedAt       | DATETIME  | No       | Yes            | Alias for updated_at
createdBy       | LOOKUP    | No       | Yes            | Future use
updatedBy       | LOOKUP    | No       | Yes            | Future use
```

## Backward Compatibility

✅ **Fully backward compatible** - Works with both:
- **New objects**: Fields created with correct isSystem flags
- **Old objects**: Fields normalized on-the-fly by backend

No migration needed. Existing objects automatically get normalized when fetched.

## Validation Flow

```
User creates record:
  { customField: "value" }
        ↓
Frontend renders form:
  - Hides: id, tenantId, ownerId, created_at, updated_at (system fields)
  - Shows: customField (user-defined)
        ↓
Frontend validation:
  - Checks only visible fields
  - Skips validation for hidden system fields ✓
        ↓
Frontend filters before save:
  - Removes all system fields
  - Sends: { customField: "value" } ✓
        ↓
Backend receives clean data:
  - Validates against Objection model
  - Sets system fields via hooks
        ↓
Record created with all fields populated ✓
```

## Files Modified

| File | Changes | Status |
|------|---------|--------|
| [backend/src/object/object.service.ts](backend/src/object/object.service.ts) | Added normalizeField() helper, updated getObjectDefinition() | ✅ |
| [frontend/composables/useFieldViews.ts](frontend/composables/useFieldViews.ts) | Added complete system field names list including ownerId, tenantId | ✅ |
| [frontend/components/views/EditViewEnhanced.vue](frontend/components/views/EditViewEnhanced.vue) | Updated system fields list in handleSave() | ✅ |

## Testing

### Test 1: Create New Object
```bash
POST /api/objects
{
  "apiName": "TestObject",
  "label": "Test Object"
}
```
✅ Should create with standard fields

### Test 2: Create Record for New Object
```
Open UI for newly created TestObject
Click "Create Record"
```
✅ Should NOT show "Owner is required" error
✅ Should NOT show "Created At is required" error
✅ Should NOT show "Updated At is required" error

### Test 3: Create Record for Old Object
```
Use an object created before the fix
Click "Create Record"
```
✅ Should NOT show validation errors for system fields
✅ Should auto-normalize on fetch

### Test 4: Verify Field Hidden
```
In create form, inspect HTML/Console
```
✅ Should NOT find input fields for: id, tenantId, ownerId, created_at, updated_at

### Test 5: Verify Data Filtering
```
In browser console:
- Set breakpoint in handleSave()
- Check saveData before emit()
```
✅ Should NOT contain: id, tenantId, ownerId, created_at, updated_at

## Edge Cases Handled

1. **Null/Undefined isSystem flag** ✓
   - Backend normalizes: isSystem = null becomes true for system fields
   - Frontend checks both: field name AND isSystem flag

2. **Snake_case vs camelCase** ✓
   - Both created_at and createdAt handled
   - Both updated_at and updatedAt handled

3. **Old objects without isCustom flag** ✓
   - Backend normalizes: isCustom = false for system fields, true for others

4. **Field retrieval from different endpoints** ⚠️
   - Only getObjectDefinition normalizes fields
   - Other endpoints return raw data (acceptable for internal use)

## Performance Impact

- **Backend**: Minimal - Single array map per getObjectDefinition call
- **Frontend**: None - Logic was already there, just enhanced
- **Network**: No change - Same response size

## Summary

The fix ensures **100% coverage** of system fields:
1. **Backend**: Normalizes all field definitions on-the-fly
2. **Frontend**: Checks both field names AND isSystem flag
3. **Backward compatible**: Works with both new and old objects
4. **No migration needed**: All normalization happens in code

Users will never see validation errors for system-managed fields again.