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Support nullable fields in reflected records #2

Description

@jkalias

Background

Every field of a reflected record is declared through one of the typed macros in include/reflection.hMEMBER_INT, MEMBER_REAL, MEMBER_TEXT, MEMBER_DATETIME, MEMBER_BOOL — and each expands to a concrete, always-present C++ type (int64_t, double, std::wstring, TimePoint, bool). There is no way to express that a field may have no value.

This is a real limitation: nullable columns are a normal part of relational schema design (an optional middle name, an as-yet-unset completion date, a price that is "unknown" rather than 0). Today every field is forced to carry a default-constructed value, so the model cannot distinguish "explicitly empty/zero" from "absent".

Current behavior

  • On the C++ side, a field always holds a value of its underlying type. There is no representation for SQL NULL, so a record round-tripped through the database can never report a missing field.
  • On the SQL side, column definitions are generated in CreateTableQuery::CustomizedColumnName (src/queries.cc) as simply <name> <TYPE> (plus PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT for id). No NOT NULL constraint is ever emitted, so the columns are physically nullable, but the library has no typed way to read or write a NULL into them. The two layers are out of sync: the schema permits NULL, the object model does not.

Goal

Allow a reflected field to be declared as nullable, so that:

  1. A nullable field can represent the absence of a value in C++ (the natural fit is std::optional<T>, which requires raising the project's minimum standard to C++17 — see note below — or otherwise a library-provided nullable wrapper for C++11).
  2. Saving a record with an unset nullable field writes SQL NULL (bound via sqlite3_bind_null), and fetching a row with a NULL column hydrates the field back to the empty/unset state.
  3. Non-nullable fields gain an explicit NOT NULL constraint in the generated CREATE TABLE, so the schema enforces the contract the object model already assumes.

Open questions / design notes

  • API surface. Options include new macros (e.g. MEMBER_TEXT_NULLABLE(name)) or a wrapping macro applied to existing declarations. The choice should keep the X-macro expansion in reflection.h readable and keep MemberMetadata aware of nullability so query generation and binding can branch on it.
  • C++ standard.std::optional is the obvious representation but is C++17. The README currently advertises a C++11 minimum, so this needs an explicit decision: raise the minimum, or ship a small Nullable<T> type for the C++11 build.
  • Predicates. Nullable fields imply IS NULL / IS NOT NULL tests in query_predicates.h; these should be considered as part of, or as a fast follow to, this work since Equal(&T::field, value) cannot express a NULL comparison in SQL.
  • Migration. Because tables are created with CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS, adding NOT NULL to existing non-nullable columns only affects newly created tables; pre-existing database files keep their current schema until migrated. This caveat mirrors the one already documented for AUTOINCREMENT in the README.

Acceptance criteria

  • A field can be declared nullable and round-trips an unset value as SQL NULL through save/fetch.
  • Non-nullable fields emit NOT NULL in CREATE TABLE.
  • IS NULL / IS NOT NULL predicate support is available (or tracked in a linked follow-up).
  • Tests cover save/fetch of both set and unset nullable fields of each storage class, and the README "Defining records" section documents the nullable macro(s) and the C++-standard requirement.

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      Support nullable fields in reflected records · Issue #2 · jkalias/sqlite-reflection · GitHub
      Skip to content

      Support nullable fields in reflected records #2

      Description

      @jkalias

      Background

      Every field of a reflected record is declared through one of the typed macros in include/reflection.hMEMBER_INT, MEMBER_REAL, MEMBER_TEXT, MEMBER_DATETIME, MEMBER_BOOL — and each expands to a concrete, always-present C++ type (int64_t, double, std::wstring, TimePoint, bool). There is no way to express that a field may have no value.

      This is a real limitation: nullable columns are a normal part of relational schema design (an optional middle name, an as-yet-unset completion date, a price that is "unknown" rather than 0). Today every field is forced to carry a default-constructed value, so the model cannot distinguish "explicitly empty/zero" from "absent".

      Current behavior

      • On the C++ side, a field always holds a value of its underlying type. There is no representation for SQL NULL, so a record round-tripped through the database can never report a missing field.
      • On the SQL side, column definitions are generated in CreateTableQuery::CustomizedColumnName (src/queries.cc) as simply <name> <TYPE> (plus PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT for id). No NOT NULL constraint is ever emitted, so the columns are physically nullable, but the library has no typed way to read or write a NULL into them. The two layers are out of sync: the schema permits NULL, the object model does not.

      Goal

      Allow a reflected field to be declared as nullable, so that:

      1. A nullable field can represent the absence of a value in C++ (the natural fit is std::optional<T>, which requires raising the project's minimum standard to C++17 — see note below — or otherwise a library-provided nullable wrapper for C++11).
      2. Saving a record with an unset nullable field writes SQL NULL (bound via sqlite3_bind_null), and fetching a row with a NULL column hydrates the field back to the empty/unset state.
      3. Non-nullable fields gain an explicit NOT NULL constraint in the generated CREATE TABLE, so the schema enforces the contract the object model already assumes.

      Open questions / design notes

      • API surface. Options include new macros (e.g. MEMBER_TEXT_NULLABLE(name)) or a wrapping macro applied to existing declarations. The choice should keep the X-macro expansion in reflection.h readable and keep MemberMetadata aware of nullability so query generation and binding can branch on it.
      • C++ standard.std::optional is the obvious representation but is C++17. The README currently advertises a C++11 minimum, so this needs an explicit decision: raise the minimum, or ship a small Nullable<T> type for the C++11 build.
      • Predicates. Nullable fields imply IS NULL / IS NOT NULL tests in query_predicates.h; these should be considered as part of, or as a fast follow to, this work since Equal(&T::field, value) cannot express a NULL comparison in SQL.
      • Migration. Because tables are created with CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS, adding NOT NULL to existing non-nullable columns only affects newly created tables; pre-existing database files keep their current schema until migrated. This caveat mirrors the one already documented for AUTOINCREMENT in the README.

      Acceptance criteria

      • A field can be declared nullable and round-trips an unset value as SQL NULL through save/fetch.
      • Non-nullable fields emit NOT NULL in CREATE TABLE.
      • IS NULL / IS NOT NULL predicate support is available (or tracked in a linked follow-up).
      • Tests cover save/fetch of both set and unset nullable fields of each storage class, and the README "Defining records" section documents the nullable macro(s) and the C++-standard requirement.

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          , 'i'); if (__m === '*' || __re.test(location.href)) { // Force GitHub README to respect dark mode (function() { var style = document.createElement('style'); style.textContent = ' .markdown-body { color-scheme: dark light; } .markdown-body pre { background: #161b22 !important; } .markdown-body code { background: rgba(110, 118, 129, 0.4) !important; } .markdown-body table th, .markdown-body table td { border-color: #30363d !important; } .markdown-body img { background: #0d1117; } .markdown-body blockquote { border-left-color: #8b949e; } .markdown-body hr { border-color: #30363d; } '; document.head.appendChild(style); })(); } } catch(__e) { console.warn('[Userscript:GitHub Dark Mode README Fix]', __e); } })(); (function(){ try { var __m = "*"; var __re = new RegExp('^' + ".*" + ' Support nullable fields in reflected records · Issue #2 · jkalias/sqlite-reflection · GitHub
          Skip to content

          Support nullable fields in reflected records #2

          Description

          @jkalias

          Background

          Every field of a reflected record is declared through one of the typed macros in include/reflection.hMEMBER_INT, MEMBER_REAL, MEMBER_TEXT, MEMBER_DATETIME, MEMBER_BOOL — and each expands to a concrete, always-present C++ type (int64_t, double, std::wstring, TimePoint, bool). There is no way to express that a field may have no value.

          This is a real limitation: nullable columns are a normal part of relational schema design (an optional middle name, an as-yet-unset completion date, a price that is "unknown" rather than 0). Today every field is forced to carry a default-constructed value, so the model cannot distinguish "explicitly empty/zero" from "absent".

          Current behavior

          • On the C++ side, a field always holds a value of its underlying type. There is no representation for SQL NULL, so a record round-tripped through the database can never report a missing field.
          • On the SQL side, column definitions are generated in CreateTableQuery::CustomizedColumnName (src/queries.cc) as simply <name> <TYPE> (plus PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT for id). No NOT NULL constraint is ever emitted, so the columns are physically nullable, but the library has no typed way to read or write a NULL into them. The two layers are out of sync: the schema permits NULL, the object model does not.

          Goal

          Allow a reflected field to be declared as nullable, so that:

          1. A nullable field can represent the absence of a value in C++ (the natural fit is std::optional<T>, which requires raising the project's minimum standard to C++17 — see note below — or otherwise a library-provided nullable wrapper for C++11).
          2. Saving a record with an unset nullable field writes SQL NULL (bound via sqlite3_bind_null), and fetching a row with a NULL column hydrates the field back to the empty/unset state.
          3. Non-nullable fields gain an explicit NOT NULL constraint in the generated CREATE TABLE, so the schema enforces the contract the object model already assumes.

          Open questions / design notes

          • API surface. Options include new macros (e.g. MEMBER_TEXT_NULLABLE(name)) or a wrapping macro applied to existing declarations. The choice should keep the X-macro expansion in reflection.h readable and keep MemberMetadata aware of nullability so query generation and binding can branch on it.
          • C++ standard.std::optional is the obvious representation but is C++17. The README currently advertises a C++11 minimum, so this needs an explicit decision: raise the minimum, or ship a small Nullable<T> type for the C++11 build.
          • Predicates. Nullable fields imply IS NULL / IS NOT NULL tests in query_predicates.h; these should be considered as part of, or as a fast follow to, this work since Equal(&T::field, value) cannot express a NULL comparison in SQL.
          • Migration. Because tables are created with CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS, adding NOT NULL to existing non-nullable columns only affects newly created tables; pre-existing database files keep their current schema until migrated. This caveat mirrors the one already documented for AUTOINCREMENT in the README.

          Acceptance criteria

          • A field can be declared nullable and round-trips an unset value as SQL NULL through save/fetch.
          • Non-nullable fields emit NOT NULL in CREATE TABLE.
          • IS NULL / IS NOT NULL predicate support is available (or tracked in a linked follow-up).
          • Tests cover save/fetch of both set and unset nullable fields of each storage class, and the README "Defining records" section documents the nullable macro(s) and the C++-standard requirement.

          Metadata

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          No one assigned

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              Skip to content

              Support nullable fields in reflected records #2

              Description

              @jkalias

              Background

              Every field of a reflected record is declared through one of the typed macros in include/reflection.hMEMBER_INT, MEMBER_REAL, MEMBER_TEXT, MEMBER_DATETIME, MEMBER_BOOL — and each expands to a concrete, always-present C++ type (int64_t, double, std::wstring, TimePoint, bool). There is no way to express that a field may have no value.

              This is a real limitation: nullable columns are a normal part of relational schema design (an optional middle name, an as-yet-unset completion date, a price that is "unknown" rather than 0). Today every field is forced to carry a default-constructed value, so the model cannot distinguish "explicitly empty/zero" from "absent".

              Current behavior

              • On the C++ side, a field always holds a value of its underlying type. There is no representation for SQL NULL, so a record round-tripped through the database can never report a missing field.
              • On the SQL side, column definitions are generated in CreateTableQuery::CustomizedColumnName (src/queries.cc) as simply <name> <TYPE> (plus PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT for id). No NOT NULL constraint is ever emitted, so the columns are physically nullable, but the library has no typed way to read or write a NULL into them. The two layers are out of sync: the schema permits NULL, the object model does not.

              Goal

              Allow a reflected field to be declared as nullable, so that:

              1. A nullable field can represent the absence of a value in C++ (the natural fit is std::optional<T>, which requires raising the project's minimum standard to C++17 — see note below — or otherwise a library-provided nullable wrapper for C++11).
              2. Saving a record with an unset nullable field writes SQL NULL (bound via sqlite3_bind_null), and fetching a row with a NULL column hydrates the field back to the empty/unset state.
              3. Non-nullable fields gain an explicit NOT NULL constraint in the generated CREATE TABLE, so the schema enforces the contract the object model already assumes.

              Open questions / design notes

              • API surface. Options include new macros (e.g. MEMBER_TEXT_NULLABLE(name)) or a wrapping macro applied to existing declarations. The choice should keep the X-macro expansion in reflection.h readable and keep MemberMetadata aware of nullability so query generation and binding can branch on it.
              • C++ standard.std::optional is the obvious representation but is C++17. The README currently advertises a C++11 minimum, so this needs an explicit decision: raise the minimum, or ship a small Nullable<T> type for the C++11 build.
              • Predicates. Nullable fields imply IS NULL / IS NOT NULL tests in query_predicates.h; these should be considered as part of, or as a fast follow to, this work since Equal(&T::field, value) cannot express a NULL comparison in SQL.
              • Migration. Because tables are created with CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS, adding NOT NULL to existing non-nullable columns only affects newly created tables; pre-existing database files keep their current schema until migrated. This caveat mirrors the one already documented for AUTOINCREMENT in the README.

              Acceptance criteria

              • A field can be declared nullable and round-trips an unset value as SQL NULL through save/fetch.
              • Non-nullable fields emit NOT NULL in CREATE TABLE.
              • IS NULL / IS NOT NULL predicate support is available (or tracked in a linked follow-up).
              • Tests cover save/fetch of both set and unset nullable fields of each storage class, and the README "Defining records" section documents the nullable macro(s) and the C++-standard requirement.

              Metadata

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              No one assigned

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                  Skip to content

                  Support nullable fields in reflected records #2

                  Description

                  @jkalias

                  Background

                  Every field of a reflected record is declared through one of the typed macros in include/reflection.hMEMBER_INT, MEMBER_REAL, MEMBER_TEXT, MEMBER_DATETIME, MEMBER_BOOL — and each expands to a concrete, always-present C++ type (int64_t, double, std::wstring, TimePoint, bool). There is no way to express that a field may have no value.

                  This is a real limitation: nullable columns are a normal part of relational schema design (an optional middle name, an as-yet-unset completion date, a price that is "unknown" rather than 0). Today every field is forced to carry a default-constructed value, so the model cannot distinguish "explicitly empty/zero" from "absent".

                  Current behavior

                  • On the C++ side, a field always holds a value of its underlying type. There is no representation for SQL NULL, so a record round-tripped through the database can never report a missing field.
                  • On the SQL side, column definitions are generated in CreateTableQuery::CustomizedColumnName (src/queries.cc) as simply <name> <TYPE> (plus PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT for id). No NOT NULL constraint is ever emitted, so the columns are physically nullable, but the library has no typed way to read or write a NULL into them. The two layers are out of sync: the schema permits NULL, the object model does not.

                  Goal

                  Allow a reflected field to be declared as nullable, so that:

                  1. A nullable field can represent the absence of a value in C++ (the natural fit is std::optional<T>, which requires raising the project's minimum standard to C++17 — see note below — or otherwise a library-provided nullable wrapper for C++11).
                  2. Saving a record with an unset nullable field writes SQL NULL (bound via sqlite3_bind_null), and fetching a row with a NULL column hydrates the field back to the empty/unset state.
                  3. Non-nullable fields gain an explicit NOT NULL constraint in the generated CREATE TABLE, so the schema enforces the contract the object model already assumes.

                  Open questions / design notes

                  • API surface. Options include new macros (e.g. MEMBER_TEXT_NULLABLE(name)) or a wrapping macro applied to existing declarations. The choice should keep the X-macro expansion in reflection.h readable and keep MemberMetadata aware of nullability so query generation and binding can branch on it.
                  • C++ standard.std::optional is the obvious representation but is C++17. The README currently advertises a C++11 minimum, so this needs an explicit decision: raise the minimum, or ship a small Nullable<T> type for the C++11 build.
                  • Predicates. Nullable fields imply IS NULL / IS NOT NULL tests in query_predicates.h; these should be considered as part of, or as a fast follow to, this work since Equal(&T::field, value) cannot express a NULL comparison in SQL.
                  • Migration. Because tables are created with CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS, adding NOT NULL to existing non-nullable columns only affects newly created tables; pre-existing database files keep their current schema until migrated. This caveat mirrors the one already documented for AUTOINCREMENT in the README.

                  Acceptance criteria

                  • A field can be declared nullable and round-trips an unset value as SQL NULL through save/fetch.
                  • Non-nullable fields emit NOT NULL in CREATE TABLE.
                  • IS NULL / IS NOT NULL predicate support is available (or tracked in a linked follow-up).
                  • Tests cover save/fetch of both set and unset nullable fields of each storage class, and the README "Defining records" section documents the nullable macro(s) and the C++-standard requirement.

                  Metadata

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                  No one assigned

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                      , 'i'); if (__m === '*' || __re.test(location.href)) { // Auto-enable theater mode on YouTube (function() { function tryTheater() { var btn = document.querySelector('button[aria-label="Theater mode"], ytd-player #player button[title="Theater mode"]'); if (btn && !btn.classList.contains('activated')) { btn.click(); } } // Try immediately tryTheater(); // Try after navigation (SPA) var lastUrl = location.href; setInterval(function() { if (location.href !== lastUrl) { lastUrl = location.href; setTimeout(tryTheater, 500); } }, 1000); // Also try on player load var observer = new MutationObserver(tryTheater); observer.observe(document.body, { childList: true, subtree: true }); })(); } } catch(__e) { console.warn('[Userscript:YouTube Theater Mode Default]', __e); } })(); (function(){ try { var __m = "*"; var __re = new RegExp('^' + ".*" + ' Support nullable fields in reflected records · Issue #2 · jkalias/sqlite-reflection · GitHub
                      Skip to content

                      Support nullable fields in reflected records #2

                      Description

                      @jkalias

                      Background

                      Every field of a reflected record is declared through one of the typed macros in include/reflection.hMEMBER_INT, MEMBER_REAL, MEMBER_TEXT, MEMBER_DATETIME, MEMBER_BOOL — and each expands to a concrete, always-present C++ type (int64_t, double, std::wstring, TimePoint, bool). There is no way to express that a field may have no value.

                      This is a real limitation: nullable columns are a normal part of relational schema design (an optional middle name, an as-yet-unset completion date, a price that is "unknown" rather than 0). Today every field is forced to carry a default-constructed value, so the model cannot distinguish "explicitly empty/zero" from "absent".

                      Current behavior

                      • On the C++ side, a field always holds a value of its underlying type. There is no representation for SQL NULL, so a record round-tripped through the database can never report a missing field.
                      • On the SQL side, column definitions are generated in CreateTableQuery::CustomizedColumnName (src/queries.cc) as simply <name> <TYPE> (plus PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT for id). No NOT NULL constraint is ever emitted, so the columns are physically nullable, but the library has no typed way to read or write a NULL into them. The two layers are out of sync: the schema permits NULL, the object model does not.

                      Goal

                      Allow a reflected field to be declared as nullable, so that:

                      1. A nullable field can represent the absence of a value in C++ (the natural fit is std::optional<T>, which requires raising the project's minimum standard to C++17 — see note below — or otherwise a library-provided nullable wrapper for C++11).
                      2. Saving a record with an unset nullable field writes SQL NULL (bound via sqlite3_bind_null), and fetching a row with a NULL column hydrates the field back to the empty/unset state.
                      3. Non-nullable fields gain an explicit NOT NULL constraint in the generated CREATE TABLE, so the schema enforces the contract the object model already assumes.

                      Open questions / design notes

                      • API surface. Options include new macros (e.g. MEMBER_TEXT_NULLABLE(name)) or a wrapping macro applied to existing declarations. The choice should keep the X-macro expansion in reflection.h readable and keep MemberMetadata aware of nullability so query generation and binding can branch on it.
                      • C++ standard.std::optional is the obvious representation but is C++17. The README currently advertises a C++11 minimum, so this needs an explicit decision: raise the minimum, or ship a small Nullable<T> type for the C++11 build.
                      • Predicates. Nullable fields imply IS NULL / IS NOT NULL tests in query_predicates.h; these should be considered as part of, or as a fast follow to, this work since Equal(&T::field, value) cannot express a NULL comparison in SQL.
                      • Migration. Because tables are created with CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS, adding NOT NULL to existing non-nullable columns only affects newly created tables; pre-existing database files keep their current schema until migrated. This caveat mirrors the one already documented for AUTOINCREMENT in the README.

                      Acceptance criteria

                      • A field can be declared nullable and round-trips an unset value as SQL NULL through save/fetch.
                      • Non-nullable fields emit NOT NULL in CREATE TABLE.
                      • IS NULL / IS NOT NULL predicate support is available (or tracked in a linked follow-up).
                      • Tests cover save/fetch of both set and unset nullable fields of each storage class, and the README "Defining records" section documents the nullable macro(s) and the C++-standard requirement.

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                      No one assigned

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                          Support nullable fields in reflected records #2

                          Description

                          @jkalias

                          Background

                          Every field of a reflected record is declared through one of the typed macros in include/reflection.hMEMBER_INT, MEMBER_REAL, MEMBER_TEXT, MEMBER_DATETIME, MEMBER_BOOL — and each expands to a concrete, always-present C++ type (int64_t, double, std::wstring, TimePoint, bool). There is no way to express that a field may have no value.

                          This is a real limitation: nullable columns are a normal part of relational schema design (an optional middle name, an as-yet-unset completion date, a price that is "unknown" rather than 0). Today every field is forced to carry a default-constructed value, so the model cannot distinguish "explicitly empty/zero" from "absent".

                          Current behavior

                          • On the C++ side, a field always holds a value of its underlying type. There is no representation for SQL NULL, so a record round-tripped through the database can never report a missing field.
                          • On the SQL side, column definitions are generated in CreateTableQuery::CustomizedColumnName (src/queries.cc) as simply <name> <TYPE> (plus PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT for id). No NOT NULL constraint is ever emitted, so the columns are physically nullable, but the library has no typed way to read or write a NULL into them. The two layers are out of sync: the schema permits NULL, the object model does not.

                          Goal

                          Allow a reflected field to be declared as nullable, so that:

                          1. A nullable field can represent the absence of a value in C++ (the natural fit is std::optional<T>, which requires raising the project's minimum standard to C++17 — see note below — or otherwise a library-provided nullable wrapper for C++11).
                          2. Saving a record with an unset nullable field writes SQL NULL (bound via sqlite3_bind_null), and fetching a row with a NULL column hydrates the field back to the empty/unset state.
                          3. Non-nullable fields gain an explicit NOT NULL constraint in the generated CREATE TABLE, so the schema enforces the contract the object model already assumes.

                          Open questions / design notes

                          • API surface. Options include new macros (e.g. MEMBER_TEXT_NULLABLE(name)) or a wrapping macro applied to existing declarations. The choice should keep the X-macro expansion in reflection.h readable and keep MemberMetadata aware of nullability so query generation and binding can branch on it.
                          • C++ standard.std::optional is the obvious representation but is C++17. The README currently advertises a C++11 minimum, so this needs an explicit decision: raise the minimum, or ship a small Nullable<T> type for the C++11 build.
                          • Predicates. Nullable fields imply IS NULL / IS NOT NULL tests in query_predicates.h; these should be considered as part of, or as a fast follow to, this work since Equal(&T::field, value) cannot express a NULL comparison in SQL.
                          • Migration. Because tables are created with CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS, adding NOT NULL to existing non-nullable columns only affects newly created tables; pre-existing database files keep their current schema until migrated. This caveat mirrors the one already documented for AUTOINCREMENT in the README.

                          Acceptance criteria

                          • A field can be declared nullable and round-trips an unset value as SQL NULL through save/fetch.
                          • Non-nullable fields emit NOT NULL in CREATE TABLE.
                          • IS NULL / IS NOT NULL predicate support is available (or tracked in a linked follow-up).
                          • Tests cover save/fetch of both set and unset nullable fields of each storage class, and the README "Defining records" section documents the nullable macro(s) and the C++-standard requirement.

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                              Skip to content

                              Support nullable fields in reflected records #2

                              Description

                              @jkalias

                              Background

                              Every field of a reflected record is declared through one of the typed macros in include/reflection.hMEMBER_INT, MEMBER_REAL, MEMBER_TEXT, MEMBER_DATETIME, MEMBER_BOOL — and each expands to a concrete, always-present C++ type (int64_t, double, std::wstring, TimePoint, bool). There is no way to express that a field may have no value.

                              This is a real limitation: nullable columns are a normal part of relational schema design (an optional middle name, an as-yet-unset completion date, a price that is "unknown" rather than 0). Today every field is forced to carry a default-constructed value, so the model cannot distinguish "explicitly empty/zero" from "absent".

                              Current behavior

                              • On the C++ side, a field always holds a value of its underlying type. There is no representation for SQL NULL, so a record round-tripped through the database can never report a missing field.
                              • On the SQL side, column definitions are generated in CreateTableQuery::CustomizedColumnName (src/queries.cc) as simply <name> <TYPE> (plus PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT for id). No NOT NULL constraint is ever emitted, so the columns are physically nullable, but the library has no typed way to read or write a NULL into them. The two layers are out of sync: the schema permits NULL, the object model does not.

                              Goal

                              Allow a reflected field to be declared as nullable, so that:

                              1. A nullable field can represent the absence of a value in C++ (the natural fit is std::optional<T>, which requires raising the project's minimum standard to C++17 — see note below — or otherwise a library-provided nullable wrapper for C++11).
                              2. Saving a record with an unset nullable field writes SQL NULL (bound via sqlite3_bind_null), and fetching a row with a NULL column hydrates the field back to the empty/unset state.
                              3. Non-nullable fields gain an explicit NOT NULL constraint in the generated CREATE TABLE, so the schema enforces the contract the object model already assumes.

                              Open questions / design notes

                              • API surface. Options include new macros (e.g. MEMBER_TEXT_NULLABLE(name)) or a wrapping macro applied to existing declarations. The choice should keep the X-macro expansion in reflection.h readable and keep MemberMetadata aware of nullability so query generation and binding can branch on it.
                              • C++ standard.std::optional is the obvious representation but is C++17. The README currently advertises a C++11 minimum, so this needs an explicit decision: raise the minimum, or ship a small Nullable<T> type for the C++11 build.
                              • Predicates. Nullable fields imply IS NULL / IS NOT NULL tests in query_predicates.h; these should be considered as part of, or as a fast follow to, this work since Equal(&T::field, value) cannot express a NULL comparison in SQL.
                              • Migration. Because tables are created with CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS, adding NOT NULL to existing non-nullable columns only affects newly created tables; pre-existing database files keep their current schema until migrated. This caveat mirrors the one already documented for AUTOINCREMENT in the README.

                              Acceptance criteria

                              • A field can be declared nullable and round-trips an unset value as SQL NULL through save/fetch.
                              • Non-nullable fields emit NOT NULL in CREATE TABLE.
                              • IS NULL / IS NOT NULL predicate support is available (or tracked in a linked follow-up).
                              • Tests cover save/fetch of both set and unset nullable fields of each storage class, and the README "Defining records" section documents the nullable macro(s) and the C++-standard requirement.

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                              No one assigned

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                                enhancementNew feature or request

                                Projects

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                                  No milestone

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