Bump

- remove MagicNumber
- add MissingJavadocType
- remove rules about contents of javadocs

.circleci/adjust-pom-version.sh

@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ fi
 
 if [ "$CIRCLE_BRANCH" == "dev" ] || [ "$CIRCLE_BRANCH" == "staging" ] || [ "$CIRCLE_BRANCH" == "main" ] || [ \! -z $(echo "$CIRCLE_TAG" | grep "^version-") ]; then
    echo "On a primary branch or tag [${CIRCLE_BRANCH}${CIRCLE_TAG}] - will not edit the pom version.";
+   echo "(or do we need to do this for dev...?)"
+   echo "(maybe we do this if the current version is a SNAPSHOT?)"
    exit 0;
 fi
 
@@ -17,7 +19,9 @@ else
 fi
 
 POM=$(dirname $0)/../pom.xml
+UNIQ=$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S)-$(git rev-parse --short HEAD)
+SLUG="${SLUG}-${UNIQ}"
 
-echo "Updating $POM <revision> to: $SLUG-SNAPSHOT"
-sed -i "s/<revision>.*/<revision>$SLUG-SNAPSHOT<\/revision>/" $POM
+echo "Updating $POM <revision> to: $SLUG"
+sed -i "s/<revision>.*/<revision>$SLUG<\/revision>/" $POM
 git diff $POM

.github/actions/install_asciidoctor/action.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+name: install_asciidoctor
+runs:
+  using: composite
+  steps:
+  - uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.0
+  - name: Install asciidoctor
+    run: |-
+      sudo apt-get update
+      sudo apt install -y asciidoctor
+    shell: bash

.github/actions/install_java17/action.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+name: install_java17
+runs:
+  using: composite
+  steps:
+  - name: Install Java 17
+    run: |-
+      sudo apt-get update
+      sudo apt install -y openjdk-17-jdk
+      sudo rm /etc/alternatives/java
+      sudo ln -s /usr/lib/jvm/java-17-openjdk-amd64/bin/java /etc/alternatives/java
+    shell: bash
+  - name: Install html2text
+    run: |-
+      sudo apt-get update
+      sudo apt-get install -y html2text
+    shell: bash

.github/actions/mvn_jar_deploy/action.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+name: mvn_jar_deploy
+runs:
+  using: composite
+  steps:
+  - uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.0
+  - name: Adjust pom version
+    run: ".circleci/adjust-pom-version.sh"
+    shell: bash
+  - name: restore_cache
+    uses: actions/cache@v3.3.2
+    with:
+      key: v1-dependencies-{{ checksum "pom.xml" }}
+      path: UPDATE_ME
+      restore-keys: v1-dependencies-{{ checksum "pom.xml" }}
+  - name: Run Maven Jar Deploy
+    run: mvn -s .circleci/mvn-settings.xml -T4 flatten:flatten jar:jar deploy:deploy
+    shell: bash
+  - name: save_cache
+    uses: actions/cache@v3.3.2
+    with:
+      path: "~/.m2"
+      key: v1-dependencies-{{ checksum "pom.xml" }}

.github/actions/mvn_verify/action.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+name: mvn_verify
+runs:
+  using: composite
+  steps:
+  - uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.0
+  - name: restore_cache
+    uses: actions/cache@v3.3.2
+    with:
+      key: v1-dependencies-{{ checksum "pom.xml" }}
+      path: UPDATE_ME
+      restore-keys: v1-dependencies-{{ checksum "pom.xml" }}
+  - name: Write .env
+    run: echo "RDBMS_PASSWORD=$RDBMS_PASSWORD" >> qqq-sample-project/.env
+    shell: bash
+  - name: Run Maven Verify
+    run: mvn -s .circleci/mvn-settings.xml -T4 verify
+    shell: bash
+  - uses: "./.github/actions/store_jacoco_site"
+    with:
+      module: qqq-backend-core
+  - uses: "./.github/actions/store_jacoco_site"
+    with:
+      module: qqq-backend-module-filesystem
+  - uses: "./.github/actions/store_jacoco_site"
+    with:
+      module: qqq-backend-module-rdbms
+  - uses: "./.github/actions/store_jacoco_site"
+    with:
+      module: qqq-backend-module-api
+  - uses: "./.github/actions/store_jacoco_site"
+    with:
+      module: qqq-middleware-api
+  - uses: "./.github/actions/store_jacoco_site"
+    with:
+      module: qqq-middleware-javalin
+  - uses: "./.github/actions/store_jacoco_site"
+    with:
+      module: qqq-middleware-picocli
+  - uses: "./.github/actions/store_jacoco_site"
+    with:
+      module: qqq-middleware-slack
+  - uses: "./.github/actions/store_jacoco_site"
+    with:
+      module: qqq-language-support-javascript
+  - uses: "./.github/actions/store_jacoco_site"
+    with:
+      module: qqq-sample-project
+  - name: Save test results
+    run: |-
+      mkdir -p ~/test-results/junit/
+      find . -type f -regex ".*/target/surefire-reports/.*xml" -exec cp {} ~/test-results/junit/ \;
+    if: always()
+    shell: bash
+  - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4.1.0
+    with:
+      path: "~/test-results"
+  - name: save_cache
+    uses: actions/cache@v3.3.2
+    with:
+      path: "~/.m2"
+      key: v1-dependencies-{{ checksum "pom.xml" }}

.github/actions/run_asciidoctor/action.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+name: run_asciidoctor
+runs:
+  using: composite
+  steps:
+  - name: Run asciidoctor
+    run: |-
+      cd docs
+      asciidoctor -a docinfo=shared index.adoc
+    shell: bash

.github/actions/store_jacoco_site/action.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+name: store_jacoco_site
+inputs:
+  module:
+    required: false
+runs:
+  using: composite
+  steps:
+  - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4.1.0
+    with:
+      path: "${{ inputs.module }}/target/site/jacoco/index.html"
+  - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4.1.0
+    with:
+      path: "${{ inputs.module }}/target/site/jacoco/jacoco-resources"

.github/actions/upload_docs_site/action.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+name: upload_docs_site
+runs:
+  using: composite
+  steps:
+  - name: scp html to justinsgotskinnylegs.com
+    run: |-
+      cd docs
+      scp index.html dkelkhoff@45.79.44.221:/mnt/first-volume/dkelkhoff/nginx/html/justinsgotskinnylegs.com/qqq-docs.html
+    shell: bash

.github/workflows/codacy.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+# This workflow uses actions that are not certified by GitHub.
+# They are provided by a third-party and are governed by
+# separate terms of service, privacy policy, and support
+# documentation.
+
+# This workflow checks out code, performs a Codacy security scan
+# and integrates the results with the
+# GitHub Advanced Security code scanning feature.  For more information on
+# the Codacy security scan action usage and parameters, see
+# https://github.com/codacy/codacy-analysis-cli-action.
+# For more information on Codacy Analysis CLI in general, see
+# https://github.com/codacy/codacy-analysis-cli.
+
+name: Codacy Security Scan
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: [ "security" ]
+  pull_request:
+    # The branches below must be a subset of the branches above
+    branches: [ "security" ]
+  schedule:
+    - cron: '26 5 * * 4'
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
+jobs:
+  codacy-security-scan:
+    permissions:
+      contents: read # for actions/checkout to fetch code
+      security-events: write # for github/codeql-action/upload-sarif to upload SARIF results
+      actions: read # only required for a private repository by github/codeql-action/upload-sarif to get the Action run status
+    name: Codacy Security Scan
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      # Checkout the repository to the GitHub Actions runner
+      - name: Checkout code
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      # Execute Codacy Analysis CLI and generate a SARIF output with the security issues identified during the analysis
+      - name: Run Codacy Analysis CLI
+        uses: codacy/codacy-analysis-cli-action@d840f886c4bd4edc059706d09c6a1586111c540b
+        with:
+          # Check https://github.com/codacy/codacy-analysis-cli#project-token to get your project token from your Codacy repository
+          # You can also omit the token and run the tools that support default configurations
+          project-token: ${{ secrets.CODACY_PROJECT_TOKEN }}
+          verbose: true
+          output: results.sarif
+          format: sarif
+          # Adjust severity of non-security issues
+          gh-code-scanning-compat: true
+          # Force 0 exit code to allow SARIF file generation
+          # This will handover control about PR rejection to the GitHub side
+          max-allowed-issues: 2147483647
+
+      # Upload the SARIF file generated in the previous step
+      - name: Upload SARIF results file
+        uses: github/codeql-action/upload-sarif@v2
+        with:
+          sarif_file: results.sarif

.github/workflows/codeql.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+# For most projects, this workflow file will not need changing; you simply need
+# to commit it to your repository.
+#
+# You may wish to alter this file to override the set of languages analyzed,
+# or to provide custom queries or build logic.
+#
+# ******** NOTE ********
+# We have attempted to detect the languages in your repository. Please check
+# the `language` matrix defined below to confirm you have the correct set of
+# supported CodeQL languages.
+#
+name: "CodeQL"
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: [ "security" ]
+  pull_request:
+    branches: [ "security" ]
+  schedule:
+    - cron: '31 10 * * 3'
+
+jobs:
+  analyze:
+    name: Analyze (${{ matrix.language }})
+    # Runner size impacts CodeQL analysis time. To learn more, please see:
+    #   - https://gh.io/recommended-hardware-resources-for-running-codeql
+    #   - https://gh.io/supported-runners-and-hardware-resources
+    #   - https://gh.io/using-larger-runners (GitHub.com only)
+    # Consider using larger runners or machines with greater resources for possible analysis time improvements.
+    runs-on: ${{ (matrix.language == 'swift' && 'macos-latest') || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
+    timeout-minutes: ${{ (matrix.language == 'swift' && 120) || 360 }}
+    permissions:
+      # required for all workflows
+      security-events: write
+
+      # required to fetch internal or private CodeQL packs
+      packages: read
+
+      # only required for workflows in private repositories
+      actions: read
+      contents: read
+
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        include:
+        - language: java-kotlin
+          build-mode: none # This mode only analyzes Java. Set this to 'autobuild' or 'manual' to analyze Kotlin too.
+        # CodeQL supports the following values keywords for 'language': 'c-cpp', 'csharp', 'go', 'java-kotlin', 'javascript-typescript', 'python', 'ruby', 'swift'
+        # Use `c-cpp` to analyze code written in C, C++ or both
+        # Use 'java-kotlin' to analyze code written in Java, Kotlin or both
+        # Use 'javascript-typescript' to analyze code written in JavaScript, TypeScript or both
+        # To learn more about changing the languages that are analyzed or customizing the build mode for your analysis,
+        # see https://docs.github.com/en/code-security/code-scanning/creating-an-advanced-setup-for-code-scanning/customizing-your-advanced-setup-for-code-scanning.
+        # If you are analyzing a compiled language, you can modify the 'build-mode' for that language to customize how
+        # your codebase is analyzed, see https://docs.github.com/en/code-security/code-scanning/creating-an-advanced-setup-for-code-scanning/codeql-code-scanning-for-compiled-languages
+    steps:
+    - name: Checkout repository
+      uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+    # Initializes the CodeQL tools for scanning.
+    - name: Initialize CodeQL
+      uses: github/codeql-action/init@v3
+      with:
+        languages: ${{ matrix.language }}
+        build-mode: ${{ matrix.build-mode }}
+        # If you wish to specify custom queries, you can do so here or in a config file.
+        # By default, queries listed here will override any specified in a config file.
+        # Prefix the list here with "+" to use these queries and those in the config file.
+
+        # For more details on CodeQL's query packs, refer to: https://docs.github.com/en/code-security/code-scanning/automatically-scanning-your-code-for-vulnerabilities-and-errors/configuring-code-scanning#using-queries-in-ql-packs
+        # queries: security-extended,security-and-quality
+
+    # If the analyze step fails for one of the languages you are analyzing with
+    # "We were unable to automatically build your code", modify the matrix above
+    # to set the build mode to "manual" for that language. Then modify this step
+    # to build your code.
+    # ℹ️ Command-line programs to run using the OS shell.
+    # 📚 See https://docs.github.com/en/actions/using-workflows/workflow-syntax-for-github-actions#jobsjob_idstepsrun
+    - if: matrix.build-mode == 'manual'
+      shell: bash
+      run: |
+        echo 'If you are using a "manual" build mode for one or more of the' \
+          'languages you are analyzing, replace this with the commands to build' \
+          'your code, for example:'
+        echo '  make bootstrap'
+        echo '  make release'
+        exit 1
+
+    - name: Perform CodeQL Analysis
+      uses: github/codeql-action/analyze@v3
+      with:
+        category: "/language:${{matrix.language}}"

.github/workflows/deploy.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+name: Kingsrook/qqq/deploy
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+    - release
+jobs:
+  mvn_deploy:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.0
+    - uses: "./.github/actions/install_java17"
+    - uses: "./.github/actions/mvn_verify"
+    - uses: "./.github/actions/mvn_jar_deploy"
+  publish_asciidoc:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.0
+    - uses: "./.github/actions/install_asciidoctor"
+    - uses: "./.github/actions/run_asciidoctor"
+    - uses: "./.github/actions/upload_docs_site"

.github/workflows/test_only.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+name: Kingsrook/qqq/test_only
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+    - release
+jobs:
+  mvn_test:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.0
+    - uses: "./.github/actions/install_java17"
+    - uses: "./.github/actions/mvn_verify"

.gitignore

@@ -35,3 +35,5 @@ hs_err_pid*
 *.swp
 .flattened-pom.xml
 dependency-reduced-pom.xml
+/.env.local
+/.cache/

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -0,0 +1,144 @@
+# Contributing to QQQ
+
+First off, thanks for taking the time to contribute! ❤️
+
+All types of contributions are encouraged and valued. See the [Table of Contents](#table-of-contents) for different ways to help and details about how this project handles them. Please make sure to read the relevant section before making your contribution. It will make it a lot easier for us maintainers and smooth out the experience for all involved. The community looks forward to your contributions. 🎉
+
+> And if you like the project, but just don't have time to contribute, that's fine. There are other easy ways to support the project and show your appreciation, which we would also be very happy about:
+> - Star the project
+> - Tweet about it
+> - Refer this project in your project's readme
+> - Mention the project at local meetups and tell your friends/colleagues
+
+
+## Table of Contents
+
+- [Code of Conduct](#code-of-conduct)
+- [I Have a Question](#i-have-a-question)
+- [I Want To Contribute](#i-want-to-contribute)
+- [Reporting Bugs](#reporting-bugs)
+- [Suggesting Enhancements](#suggesting-enhancements)
+- [Your First Code Contribution](#your-first-code-contribution)
+- [Improving The Documentation](#improving-the-documentation)
+- [Styleguides](#styleguides)
+- [Commit Messages](#commit-messages)
+- [Join The Project Team](#join-the-project-team)
+
+
+## Code of Conduct
+
+We do not have a published Code of Conduct at this time.  
+Lacking that, please just follow the [Golden Rule](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Rule)
+
+
+## I Have a Question
+
+> If you want to ask a question, we assume that you have read the available [Documentation](https://justinsgotskinnylegs.com/qqq-docs.html).
+
+Before you ask a question, it is best to search for existing [Issues](/issues) that might help you. In case you have found a suitable issue and still need clarification, you can write your question in this issue. It is also advisable to search the internet for answers first.
+
+If you then still feel the need to ask a question and need clarification, we recommend the following:
+
+- Open an [Issue](/issues/new).
+- Provide as much context as you can about what you're running into.
+- Provide project and platform versions, depending on what seems relevant.
+
+We will then take care of the issue as soon as possible.
+
+
+
+## I Want To Contribute
+
+> ### Legal Notice 
+> When contributing to this project, you must agree that you have authored 100% of the content, that you have the necessary rights to the content and that the content you contribute may be provided under the project license.
+
+### Reporting Bugs
+
+
+#### Before Submitting a Bug Report
+
+A good bug report shouldn't leave others needing to chase you up for more information. Therefore, we ask you to investigate carefully, collect information and describe the issue in detail in your report. Please complete the following steps in advance to help us fix any potential bug as fast as possible.
+
+- Make sure that you are using the latest version.
+- Determine if your bug is really a bug and not an error on your side e.g. using incompatible environment components/versions (Make sure that you have read the [documentation](https://justinsgotskinnylegs.com/qqq-docs.html). If you are looking for support, you might want to check [this section](#i-have-a-question)).
+- To see if other users have experienced (and potentially already solved) the same issue you are having, check if there is not already a bug report existing for your bug or error in the [bug tracker](issues?q=label%3Abug).
+- Also make sure to search the internet (including Stack Overflow) to see if users outside of the GitHub community have discussed the issue.
+- Collect information about the bug:
+  - Stack trace
+  - OS, Platform and Version (Windows, Linux, macOS, x86, ARM)
+  - Version of the interpreter, compiler, SDK, runtime environment, package manager, depending on what seems relevant.
+  - Possibly your input and the output
+  - Can you reliably reproduce the issue? And can you also reproduce it with older versions?
+
+
+#### How Do I Submit a Good Bug Report?
+
+> You must never report security related issues, vulnerabilities or bugs including sensitive information to the issue tracker, or elsewhere in public. Instead sensitive bugs must be sent by email to <contact@kingsrook.com>.
+
+
+We use GitHub issues to track bugs and errors. If you run into an issue with the project:
+
+- Open an [Issue](/issues/new). (Since we can't be sure at this point whether it is a bug or not, we ask you not to talk about a bug yet and not to label the issue.)
+- Explain the behavior you would expect and the actual behavior.
+- Please provide as much context as possible and describe the *reproduction steps* that someone else can follow to recreate the issue on their own. This usually includes your code. For good bug reports you should isolate the problem and create a reduced test case.
+- Provide the information you collected in the previous section.
+
+Once it's filed:
+
+- The project team will label the issue accordingly.
+- A team member will try to reproduce the issue with your provided steps. If there are no reproduction steps or no obvious way to reproduce the issue, the team will ask you for those steps and mark the issue as `needs-repro`. Bugs with the `needs-repro` tag will not be addressed until they are reproduced.
+- If the team is able to reproduce the issue, it will be marked `needs-fix`, as well as possibly other tags (such as `critical`), and the issue will be left to be [implemented by someone](#your-first-code-contribution).
+
+
+
+
+### Suggesting Enhancements
+
+This section guides you through submitting an enhancement suggestion for QQQ, **including completely new features and minor improvements to existing functionality**. Following these guidelines will help maintainers and the community to understand your suggestion and find related suggestions.
+
+
+#### Before Submitting an Enhancement
+
+- Make sure that you are using the latest version.
+- Read the [documentation](https://justinsgotskinnylegs.com/qqq-docs.html) carefully and find out if the functionality is already covered, maybe by an individual configuration.
+- Perform a [search](/issues) to see if the enhancement has already been suggested. If it has, add a comment to the existing issue instead of opening a new one.
+- Find out whether your idea fits with the scope and aims of the project. It's up to you to make a strong case to convince the project's developers of the merits of this feature. Keep in mind that we want features that will be useful to the majority of our users and not just a small subset. If you're just targeting a minority of users, consider writing an add-on/plugin library.
+
+
+#### How Do I Submit a Good Enhancement Suggestion?
+
+Enhancement suggestions are tracked as [GitHub issues](/issues).
+
+- Use a **clear and descriptive title** for the issue to identify the suggestion.
+- Provide a **step-by-step description of the suggested enhancement** in as many details as possible.
+- **Describe the current behavior** and **explain which behavior you expected to see instead** and why. At this point you can also tell which alternatives do not work for you.
+- You may want to **include screenshots and animated GIFs** which help you demonstrate the steps or point out the part which the suggestion is related to. You can use [this tool](https://www.cockos.com/licecap/) to record GIFs on macOS and Windows, and [this tool](https://github.com/colinkeenan/silentcast) or [this tool](https://github.com/GNOME/byzanz) on Linux. 
+- **Explain why this enhancement would be useful** to most QQQ users. You may also want to point out the other projects that solved it better and which could serve as inspiration.
+
+
+
+### Your First Code Contribution
+
+Unfortunately, we are not prepared at this time for accepting external code contributions in any meaningful way.  We don't have process in place for reviewing pull requests.  So, the best we can do right now would be to accept suggestions via issues, as referenced above.
+
+### Improving The Documentation
+
+Unfortunately, we are not prepared at this time for accepting external documentation contributions in any meaningful way.  We don't have process in place for reviewing pull requests.  So, the best we can do right now would be to accept suggestions via issues, as referenced above.
+
+
+## Styleguides
+
+To be documented at a point when we become ready to accept code contributions.
+
+### Commit Messages
+
+To be documented at a point when we become ready to accept code contributions.
+
+## Join The Project Team
+
+To be documented at a point when we become ready to accept more team members.
+
+
+## Attribution
+This guide is based on the **contributing.md**. [Make your own](https://contributing.md/)!
+

LICENSE.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,619 @@
+                    GNU AFFERO GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
+                       Version 3, 19 November 2007
+
+ Copyright (C) 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc. <https://fsf.org/>
+ Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies
+ of this license document, but changing it is not allowed.
+
+                            Preamble
+
+  The GNU Affero General Public License is a free, copyleft license for
+software and other kinds of works, specifically designed to ensure
+cooperation with the community in the case of network server software.
+
+  The licenses for most software and other practical works are designed
+to take away your freedom to share and change the works.  By contrast,
+our General Public Licenses are intended to guarantee your freedom to
+share and change all versions of a program--to make sure it remains free
+software for all its users.
+
+  When we speak of free software, we are referring to freedom, not
+price.  Our General Public Licenses are designed to make sure that you
+have the freedom to distribute copies of free software (and charge for
+them if you wish), that you receive source code or can get it if you
+want it, that you can change the software or use pieces of it in new
+free programs, and that you know you can do these things.
+
+  Developers that use our General Public Licenses protect your rights
+with two steps: (1) assert copyright on the software, and (2) offer
+you this License which gives you legal permission to copy, distribute
+and/or modify the software.
+
+  A secondary benefit of defending all users' freedom is that
+improvements made in alternate versions of the program, if they
+receive widespread use, become available for other developers to
+incorporate.  Many developers of free software are heartened and
+encouraged by the resulting cooperation.  However, in the case of
+software used on network servers, this result may fail to come about.
+The GNU General Public License permits making a modified version and
+letting the public access it on a server without ever releasing its
+source code to the public.
+
+  The GNU Affero General Public License is designed specifically to
+ensure that, in such cases, the modified source code becomes available
+to the community.  It requires the operator of a network server to
+provide the source code of the modified version running there to the
+users of that server.  Therefore, public use of a modified version, on
+a publicly accessible server, gives the public access to the source
+code of the modified version.
+
+  An older license, called the Affero General Public License and
+published by Affero, was designed to accomplish similar goals.  This is
+a different license, not a version of the Affero GPL, but Affero has
+released a new version of the Affero GPL which permits relicensing under
+this license.
+
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README.md

@@ -5,21 +5,34 @@ This is the top-level/parent project of qqq.
 QQQ is a Low-code Application Framework for Engineers.
 
 ## Artifacts
-QQQ can be used with a single bundle or smaller fine grained jars.
-The bundle contains all of the sub-jars.  It is named:
+*Note, this information - well, I'd say it's out of date, but honestly, I don't
+think this was ever accurate, lol.  Either way, it needs re-written, please.
+Should refrence the bom-pom, and there is no "bundle" concept at present.*
 
-```qqq-${version}.jar```
+> QQQ can be used with a single bundle or smaller fine grained jars.
+> The bundle contains all of the sub-jars.  It is named:
+> 
+> ```qqq-${version}.jar```
+> 
+> You can also use fine-grained jars:
+> - `qqq-backend-core`: The core module.  Useful if you're developing other modules.
+> - `qqq-backend-module-rdbms`: Backend module for working with Relational Databases.
+> - `qqq-backend-module-filesystem`: Backend module for working with Filesystems (including AWS S3).
+> - `qqq-middleware-javalin`: Middleware http server.  Procivdes REST API, and/or backing for a web frotnend.
+> - `qqq-middleware-picocli`: Middleware (actually, a front-end, innint?) Command Line interface.
 
-You can also use fine-grained jars:
-- `qqq-backend-core`: The core module.  Useful if you're developing other modules.
-- `qqq-backend-module-rdbms`: Backend module for working with Relational Databases.
-- `qqq-backend-module-filesystem`: Backend module for working with Filesystems (including AWS S3).
-- `qqq-middleware-javalin`: Middleware http server.  Procivdes REST API, and/or backing for a web frotnend.
-- `qqq-middleware-picocli`: Middleware (actually, a front-end, innint?) Command Line interface.
+## Framework Developer Tools/Resources
+### IntelliJ
+There are a few useful IntelliJ settings files, under `qqq-dev-tools/intellij`:
+- Kingsrook_Code_Style.xml
+- Kingsrook_Copyright_Profile.xml
+
+One will likely also want the [Kingsrook Commentator
+Plugin](https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/19325-kingsrook-commentator).
 
 ## License
 QQQ - Low-code Application Framework for Engineers. \
-Copyright (C) 2022.  Kingsrook, LLC \
+Copyright (C) 2020-2024.  Kingsrook, LLC \
 651 N Broad St Ste 205 # 6917 | Middletown DE 19709 | United States \
 contact@kingsrook.com | https://github.com/Kingsrook/
 
@@ -35,3 +48,5 @@ GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
 
 You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
 along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+

SECURITY.md

@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# Security Policy
+
+## Supported Versions
+
+Use this section to tell people about which versions of your project are
+currently being supported with security updates.
+
+| Version | Supported          |
+| ------- | ------------------ |
+| 5.1.x   | :white_check_mark: |
+| 5.0.x   | :x:                |
+| 4.0.x   | :white_check_mark: |
+| < 4.0   | :x:                |
+
+## Reporting a Vulnerability
+
+Use this section to tell people how to report a vulnerability.
+
+Tell them where to go, how often they can expect to get an update on a
+reported vulnerability, what to expect if the vulnerability is accepted or
+declined, etc.

checkstyle/config.xml

@@ -213,18 +213,6 @@
          <property name="tokens" value="VARIABLE_DEF"/>
          <property name="allowSamelineMultipleAnnotations" value="true"/>
       </module>
-      <module name="NonEmptyAtclauseDescription"/>
-      <!-- <module name="JavadocTagContinuationIndentation"/> -->
-      <!--
-      <module name="SummaryJavadoc">
-         <property name="forbiddenSummaryFragments" value="^@return the *|^This method returns |^A [{]@code [a-zA-Z0-9]+[}]( is a )"/>
-      </module>
-      -->
-      <!-- <module name="JavadocParagraph"/> -->
-      <module name="AtclauseOrder">
-         <property name="tagOrder" value="@param, @return, @throws, @deprecated"/>
-         <property name="target" value="CLASS_DEF, INTERFACE_DEF, ENUM_DEF, METHOD_DEF, CTOR_DEF, VARIABLE_DEF"/>
-      </module>
       <module name="JavadocMethod">
          <property name="allowMissingParamTags" value="true"/>
          <property name="allowMissingReturnTag" value="true"/>
@@ -233,23 +221,14 @@
       <module name="MissingJavadocMethod">
          <property name="scope" value="private"/>
       </module>
+      <module name="MissingJavadocType">
+         <property name="scope" value="private"/>
+      </module>
       <module name="MethodName">
          <property name="format" value="^[a-z][a-zA-Z0-9_]*$"/>
          <message key="name.invalidPattern"
           value="Method name ''{0}'' must match pattern ''{1}''."/>
       </module>
-      <module name="SingleLineJavadoc">
-         <property name="ignoreInlineTags" value="false"/>
-      </module>
-
-      <module name="MagicNumber">
-         <property name="severity" value="info"/>
-         <property name="tokens" value="NUM_DOUBLE, NUM_FLOAT, NUM_INT"/>
-         <property name="ignoreNumbers" value="0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8"/>
-         <property name="ignoreFieldDeclaration" value="true"/>
-         <property name="ignoreAnnotation" value="true"/>
-      </module>
-
       <module name="EmptyCatchBlock">
          <property name="exceptionVariableName" value="expected"/>
       </module>

docs/metaData/Fields.adoc

@@ -117,3 +117,19 @@ new QTableMetaData().withName("flights").withFields(List.of(
       .withBehavior(new DateTimeDisplayValueBehavior()
          .withDefaultZoneId("UTC"))
 ----
+
+===== CaseChangeBehavior
+A field can be made to always go through a toUpperCase or toLowerCase transformation, both before it is stored in a backend,
+and after it is read from a backend, by adding a CaseChangeBehavior to it:
+
+[source,java]
+.Examples of using CaseChangeBehavior
+----
+new QTableMetaData().withName("item").withFields(List.of(
+
+   new QFieldMetaData("sku", QFieldType.STRING)
+      .withBehavior(CaseChangeBehavior.TO_UPPER_CASE)),
+
+   new QFieldMetaData("username", QFieldType.STRING)
+      .withBehavior(CaseChangeBehavior.TO_LOWER_CASE)),
+----

docs/metaData/Joins.adoc

@@ -2,16 +2,57 @@
 == Joins
 include::../variables.adoc[]
 
-#TODO#
+A `QJoinMetaData` is a meta-data object that tells QQQ, essentially “it is possible for these 2 tables to join, here’s how to do it”.
+
+Joins can be used then, in an application, in a number of possible ways:
+
+* In a {link-table}, we can specify joins to be “exposed”, e.g., made available to users on a query screen
+* Also in a Table, as part of an “Association”, which sets up one table as a “parent” of another,
+such that you can store (and fetch) the child-records at the same time as the parent
+** A common use-case here may be an order & lineItem table -
+such that QQQ can generate an API uses to allow you to post an order and its lines in a single request, and they get stored all together
+* In defining the security field (record lock) on a table,
+sometimes, it isn’t a field directly on the table, but instead comes from a joined table (possibly even more than just 1 table away).
+** For example, maybe a lineItem table, doesn't have a clientId, but needs secured by that field
+- so its recordLock can specify a “joinNameChain” that describes how to get from lineItem to order.clientId
+* The `QueryAction` can take (through its QueryInput object) zero or more QueryJoin objects,
+which must make a reference (implicitly or explicitly) to a QJoinMetaData.
+See the section on <<QueryJoin,QueryJoins>> for more details.
 
 === QJoinMetaData
 Joins are defined in a QQQ Instance in a `*QJoinMetaData*` object.
 
-#TODO#
+In this object, we have the concept of a "leftTable" and a "rightTable".
+There isn't generally anything special about which table is on the "left" and which is on the "right".
+But the remaining pieces of the QJoinMetaData do all need to line-up with these sides.
+
+For example:
+
+* The Type (one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-one) - where the leftTable comes first, and rightTable comes second
+(e.g., a one-to-many means 1-row in leftTable has many-rows in rightTable associated with it)
+* In a JoinOn object, the 1st field name given is from the leftTable;
+the second fieldName from the rightTable.
 
 *QJoinMetaData Properties:*
 
-* `name` - *String, Required* - Unique name for the join within the QQQ Instance. #todo infererences or conventions?#
-
-#TODO#
+* `name` - *String, Required* - Unique name for the join within the QQQ Instance.
+** One convention is to name joins based on (leftTable + "Join" + rightTable).
+** If you do not wish to define join names yourself, the method `withInferredName()`
+can be called (which defers to
+`public static String makeInferredJoinName(String leftTable, String rightTable)`),
+to create a name for the join following the (leftTable + "Join" + rightTable) convention.
+* `leftTable` - *String, Required* - Name of a {link-table} in the {link-instance}.
+* `rightTable` - *String, Required* - Name of a {link-table} in the {link-instance}.
+* `type` - *enum, Required* - cardinality between the two tables in the join.
+** e.g., `ONE_TO_ONE`, `ONE_TO_MANY` (indicating 1 record in the left table may join
+to many records in the right table), or `MANY_TO_ONE` (vice-versa).
+** Note that there is no MANY_TO_MANY option, as a many-to-many is built as multiple QJoinMetaData's
+going through the intermediary (intersection) table.
+* `joinOns` - *List<JoinOn>, Required* - fields used to join the tables.
+Note: In the 2-arg JoinOn constructor, the leftTable's field comes first.
+Alternatively, the no-arg constructor can be used along with `.withLeftField().withRightField()`
+* `orderBys` - *List<QFilterOrderBy>* - Optional list of order-by objects,
+used in some framework-generated queries using the join.
+The field names are assumed to come from the rightTable.
 
+#TODO# what else do we need here?

docs/metaData/Processes.adoc

@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ Processes are defined in a QQQ Instance in a `*QProcessMetaData*` object.
 In addition to directly building a `QProcessMetaData` object setting its properties directly, there are a few common process patterns that provide *Builder* objects for ease-of-use.
 See StreamedETLWithFrontendProcess below for a common example
 
+[#_QProcessMetaData_Properties]
 *QProcessMetaData Properties:*
 
 * `name` - *String, Required* - Unique name for the process within the QQQ Instance.
@@ -30,12 +31,13 @@ See below for details.
 * `permissionRules` - *QPermissionRules object* - define the permission/access rules for the process.
 See {link-permissionRules} for details.
 * `steps` and `stepList` - *Map of String → <<QStepMetaData>>* and *List of QStepMetaData* - Defines the <<QFrontendStepMetaData,screens>> and <<QBackendStepMetaData,backend code>> that makes up the process.
-** `stepList` is the list of steps in the order that they will by default be executed.
-** `steps` is a map, including all steps from `stepList`, but which may also include steps which can used by the process if its backend steps make the decision to do so, at run-time.
+** `stepList` is the list of steps in the order that they will be executed
+(that is to say - this is the _default_ order of execution - but it can be customized - see <<_custom_process_flow>> for details).
+** `steps` is a map, including all steps from `stepList`, but which may also include steps which can used by the process if its backend steps make the decision to do so, at run-time (e.g., using <<_custom_process_flow>>).
 ** A process's steps are normally defined in one of two was:
 *** 1) by a single call to `.withStepList(List<QStepMetaData>)`, which internally adds each step into the `steps` map.
 *** 2) by multiple calls to `.addStep(QStepMetaData)`, which adds a step to both the `stepList` and `steps` map.
-** If a process also needs optional steps, they should be added by a call to `.addOptionalStep(QStepMetaData)`, which only places them in the `steps` map.
+** If a process also needs optional steps (for a <<_custom_process_flow>>), they should be added by a call to `.addOptionalStep(QStepMetaData)`, which only places them in the `steps` map.
 * `schedule` - *<<QScheduleMetaData>>* - set up the process to run automatically on the specified schedule.
 See below for details.
 * `minInputRecords` - *Integer* - #not used...#
@@ -188,8 +190,8 @@ To improve this programmer-interface, an inner `Builder` class exists within `St
 
 *StreamedETLWithFrontendProcess.Builder methods:*
 
-* `withName(String name) - Set the name for the process.
-* `withLabel(String label) - Set the label for the process.
+* `withName(String name)` - Set the name for the process.
+* `withLabel(String label)` - Set the label for the process.
 * `withIcon(QIcon icon)` - Set an {link-icon} to be display with the process in the UI.
 * `withExtractStepClass(Class<? extends AbstractExtractStep>)` - Define the Extract step for the process.
 If no special extraction logic is needed, `ExtractViaQuery.class` is often a reasonable default.
@@ -214,3 +216,112 @@ But for some cases, doing page-level transactions can reduce long-transactions a
 * `withFields(List<QFieldMetaData> fieldList)` - Adds additional input fields to the preview step of the process.
 * `withBasepullConfiguration(BasepullConfiguration basepullConfiguration)` - Add a <<BasepullConfiguration>> to the process.
 * `withSchedule(QScheduleMetaData schedule)` - Add a <<QScheduleMetaData>> to the process.
+
+[#_custom_process_flow]
+==== Custom Process Flow
+As referenced in the definition of the <<_QProcessMetaData_Properties,QProcessMetaData Properties>>, by default, a process
+will execute each of its steps in-order, as defined in the `stepList` property.
+However, a Backend Step can customize this flow #todo - write more clearly here...
+
+There are generally 2 method to call (in a `BackendStep`) to do a dynamic flow:
+
+* `RunBackendStepOutput.setOverrideLastStepName(String stepName)`
+** QQQ's `RunProcessAction` keeps track of which step it "last" ran, e.g., to tell it which one to run next.
+However, if a step sets the `OverrideLastStepName` property in its output object,
+then the step named in that property becomes the effective "last" step,
+thus determining which step comes next.
+
+* `RunBackendStepOutput.updateStepList(List<String> stepNameList)`
+** Calling this method changes the process's runtime definition of steps to be executed.
+Thus allowing a completely custom flow.
+It should be noted, that the "last" step name (as tracked by QQQ within `RunProcessAction`)
+does need to be found in the new `stepNameList` - otherwise, the framework will not know where you were,
+for figuring out where to go next.
+
+[source,java]
+.Example of a defining process that can use a flexible flow:
+----
+// for a case like this, it would be recommended to define all step names in constants:
+public final static String STEP_START = "start";
+public final static String STEP_A     = "a";
+public final static String STEP_B     = "b";
+public final static String STEP_C     = "c";
+public final static String STEP_1     = "1";
+public final static String STEP_2     = "2";
+public final static String STEP_3     = "3";
+public final static String STEP_END   = "end";
+
+// also, to define the possible flows (lists of steps) in constants as well:
+public final static List<String> LETTERS_STEP_LIST = List.of(
+  STEP_START, STEP_A, STEP_B, STEP_C, STEP_END);
+
+public final static List<String> NUMBERS_STEP_LIST = List.of(
+  STEP_START, STEP_1, STEP_2, STEP_3, STEP_END);
+
+// when we define the process's meta-data, we only give a "skeleton" stepList -
+// we must at least have our starting step, and we may want at least one frontend step
+// for the UI to show some placeholder(s):
+QProcessMetaData process = new QProcessMetaData()
+   .withName(PROCESS_NAME)
+   .withStepList(List.of(
+      new QBackendStepMetaData().withName(STEP_START)
+         .withCode(new QCodeReference(/*...*/)),
+      new QFrontendStepMetaData()
+         .withName(STEP_END)
+   ));
+
+// the additional steps get added via `addOptionalStep`, which only puts them in
+// the process's stepMap, not its stepList!
+process.addOptionalStep(new QFrontendStepMetaData().withName(STEP_A));
+process.addOptionalStep(new QBackendStepMetaData().withName(STEP_B)
+   .withCode(new QCodeReference(/*...*/)));
+process.addOptionalStep(new QFrontendStepMetaData().withName(STEP_C));
+
+process.addOptionalStep(new QBackendStepMetaData().withName(STEP_1)
+   .withCode(new QCodeReference(/*...*/)));
+process.addOptionalStep(new QFrontendStepMetaData().withName(STEP_2));
+process.addOptionalStep(new QBackendStepMetaData().withName(STEP_3)
+   .withCode(new QCodeReference(/*...*/)));
+
+----
+
+[source,java]
+.Example of a process backend step adjusting the process's runtime flow:
+----
+/***************************************************************************
+** look at the value named "which". if it's "letters", then make the process
+** go through the stepList consisting of letters; else, update the step list
+** to be the "numbers" steps.
+**
+** Also - if the "skipSomeSteps" value is give as true, then set the
+** overrideLastStepName to skip again (in the letters case, skip past A, B
+** and C; in the numbers case, skip past 1 and 2).
+***************************************************************************/
+public static class StartStep implements BackendStep
+{
+  @Override
+  public void run(RunBackendStepInput runBackendStepInput, RunBackendStepOutput runBackendStepOutput) throws QException
+  {
+     Boolean skipSomeSteps = runBackendStepInput.getValueBoolean("skipSomeSteps");
+
+     if(runBackendStepInput.getValueString("which").equals("letters"))
+     {
+        runBackendStepOutput.updateStepList(LETTERS_STEP_LIST);
+        if(BooleanUtils.isTrue(skipSomeSteps))
+        {
+           runBackendStepOutput.setOverrideLastStepName(STEP_C);
+        }
+     }
+     else
+     {
+        runBackendStepOutput.updateStepList(NUMBERS_STEP_LIST);
+        if(BooleanUtils.isTrue(skipSomeSteps))
+        {
+           runBackendStepOutput.setOverrideLastStepName(STEP_2);
+        }
+     }
+  }
+}
+----
+
+

docs/misc/ProcessBackendSteps.adoc

@@ -128,15 +128,15 @@ These steps are:
 ** The Extract step is called before the Preview, Validate, and Result screens, though for the Preview screen, it is set to only extract a small number of records (10).
 * *Transform* - a subclass of `AbstractTransformStep` - is responsible for applying the majority of the business logic of the process.
 In ETL terminology, this is the "Transform" action - which means applying some type of logical transformation an input record (found by the Extract step) to generate an output record (stored by the Load step).
-** A Transform step's `run` method will be called, potentially, multiple times, each time with a page of records in the `runBackendStepInput` parameter.
+** A Transform step's `runOnePage` method will be called, potentially, multiple times, each time with a page of records in the `runBackendStepInput` parameter.
 ** This method is responsible for adding records to the `runBackendStepOutput`, which will then be passed to the *Load* step.
 ** This class is also responsible for implementing the method `getProcessSummary`, which provides the data to the *Validate* screen.
-** The run method will generally update ProcessSummaryLine objects to facilitate this functionality.
+** The `runOnePage` method will generally update ProcessSummaryLine objects to facilitate this functionality.
 ** The Transform step is called before the Preview, Validate, and Result screens, consuming all records selected by the Extract step.
 * *Load* - a subclass of `AbstractLoadStep` - is responsible for the Load function of the ETL job.
 _A quick word on terminology - this step is actually doing what we are more likely to think of as storing data - which feels like the opposite of “loading” - but we use the name Load to keep in line with the ETL naming convention…_
 ** The Load step is ONLY called before the Result screen is presented (possibly after Preview, if the user chose to skip validation, otherwise, after validation).
-** Similar to the Transform step, the Load step's `run` method will be called potentially multiple times, with pages of records in its input.
+** Similar to the Transform step, the Load step's `runOnePage` method will be called potentially multiple times, with pages of records in its input.
 ** As such, the Load step is generally the only step where data writes should occur.
 *** e.g., a Transform step should not do any writes, as it will be called when the user is going to the Preview & Validate screens - e.g., before the user confirmed that they want to execute the action!
 ** A common pattern is that the Load step just needs to insert or update the list of records output by the Transform step, in which case the QQQ-provided `LoadViaInsertStep` or `LoadViaUpdateStep` can be used, but custom use-cases can be built as well.

pom.xml

@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
    <packaging>pom</packaging>
 
    <modules>
+      <module>qqq-bom</module>
       <module>qqq-backend-core</module>
       <module>qqq-backend-module-api</module>
       <module>qqq-backend-module-filesystem</module>
@@ -45,16 +46,15 @@
    </modules>
 
    <properties>
-      <revision>0.20.0-SNAPSHOT</revision>
+      <revision>0.21.0-SNAPSHOT</revision>
 
       <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
       <project.reporting.outputEncoding>UTF-8</project.reporting.outputEncoding>
-      <maven.compiler.source>17</maven.compiler.source>
-      <maven.compiler.target>17</maven.compiler.target>
+      <maven.compiler.release>17</maven.compiler.release>
       <maven.compiler.showDeprecation>true</maven.compiler.showDeprecation>
       <maven.compiler.showWarnings>true</maven.compiler.showWarnings>
       <coverage.haltOnFailure>true</coverage.haltOnFailure>
-      <coverage.instructionCoveredRatioMinimum>0.75</coverage.instructionCoveredRatioMinimum>
+      <coverage.instructionCoveredRatioMinimum>0.80</coverage.instructionCoveredRatioMinimum>
       <coverage.classCoveredRatioMinimum>0.95</coverage.classCoveredRatioMinimum>
       <plugin.shade.phase>none</plugin.shade.phase>
    </properties>
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@
                <dependency>
                   <groupId>com.puppycrawl.tools</groupId>
                   <artifactId>checkstyle</artifactId>
-                  <version>9.0</version>
+                  <version>10.16.0</version>
                </dependency>
             </dependencies>
             <executions>
@@ -167,6 +167,7 @@
                      <violationSeverity>warning</violationSeverity>
                      <excludes>**/target/generated-sources/*.*</excludes>
                      <!-- <linkXRef>false</linkXRef> -->
+                     <includeTestSourceDirectory>true</includeTestSourceDirectory>
                   </configuration>
                   <goals>
                      <goal>check</goal>
@@ -208,6 +209,7 @@
                   <productionBranch>main</productionBranch>
                   <developmentBranch>dev</developmentBranch>
                   <versionTagPrefix>version-</versionTagPrefix>
+                  <releaseBranchPrefix>rel/</releaseBranchPrefix>
                </gitFlowConfig>
                <skipFeatureVersion>true</skipFeatureVersion> <!-- Keep feature names out of versions -->
                <postReleaseGoals>install</postReleaseGoals>  <!-- Let CI run deploys -->

qodana.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------#
+#               Qodana analysis is configured by qodana.yaml file               #
+#             https://www.jetbrains.com/help/qodana/qodana-yaml.html            #
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------#
+version: "1.0"
+
+#Specify inspection profile for code analysis
+profile:
+  name: qodana.starter
+
+#Enable inspections
+#include:
+#  - name: <SomeEnabledInspectionId>
+
+#Disable inspections
+#exclude:
+#  - name: <SomeDisabledInspectionId>
+#    paths:
+#      - <path/where/not/run/inspection>
+
+projectJDK: 17 #(Applied in CI/CD pipeline)
+
+#Execute shell command before Qodana execution (Applied in CI/CD pipeline)
+#bootstrap: sh ./prepare-qodana.sh
+
+#Install IDE plugins before Qodana execution (Applied in CI/CD pipeline)
+#plugins:
+#  - id: <plugin.id> #(plugin id can be found at https://plugins.jetbrains.com)
+
+#Specify Qodana linter for analysis (Applied in CI/CD pipeline)
+linter: jetbrains/qodana-jvm:latest

qqq-backend-core/pom.xml

@@ -192,6 +192,13 @@
          <version>2.3.2</version>
       </dependency>
 
+      <!-- bring in a newer version of this lib, which quartz transitively loads through c3p0 -->
+      <dependency>
+         <groupId>com.mchange</groupId>
+         <artifactId>mchange-commons-java</artifactId>
+         <version>0.3.0</version>
+      </dependency>
+
       <!-- Many of the deps we bring in use slf4j.  This dep maps slf4j to our logger, log4j -->
       <dependency>
          <groupId>org.apache.logging.log4j</groupId>

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/ActionHelper.java

@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.QInstance;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.session.QSession;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.modules.authentication.QAuthenticationModuleDispatcher;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.modules.authentication.QAuthenticationModuleInterface;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.PrefixedDefaultThreadFactory;
 
 
 /*******************************************************************************
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ public class ActionHelper
    /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
    private static Integer         CORE_THREADS    = 8;
    private static Integer         MAX_THREADS     = 500;
-   private static ExecutorService executorService = new ThreadPoolExecutor(CORE_THREADS, MAX_THREADS, 60L, TimeUnit.SECONDS, new SynchronousQueue<>());
+   private static ExecutorService executorService = new ThreadPoolExecutor(CORE_THREADS, MAX_THREADS, 60L, TimeUnit.SECONDS, new SynchronousQueue<>(), new PrefixedDefaultThreadFactory(ActionHelper.class));
 
 
 

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/QBackendTransaction.java

@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.modules.backend.QBackendModuleInterface;
  **
  ** Note:  One would imagine that this class shouldn't ever implement Serializable...
  *******************************************************************************/
-public class QBackendTransaction
+public class QBackendTransaction implements AutoCloseable
 {
 
    /*******************************************************************************

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/async/AsyncJobManager.java

@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.state.InMemoryStateProvider;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.state.StateProviderInterface;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.state.StateType;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.state.UUIDAndTypeStateKey;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.PrefixedDefaultThreadFactory;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.StringUtils;
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.Level;
 import static com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.LogUtils.logPair;
@@ -65,7 +66,7 @@ public class AsyncJobManager
    /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
    private static Integer         CORE_THREADS    = 8;
    private static Integer         MAX_THREADS     = 500;
-   private static ExecutorService executorService = new ThreadPoolExecutor(CORE_THREADS, MAX_THREADS, 60L, TimeUnit.SECONDS, new SynchronousQueue<>());
+   private static ExecutorService executorService = new ThreadPoolExecutor(CORE_THREADS, MAX_THREADS, 60L, TimeUnit.SECONDS, new SynchronousQueue<>(), new PrefixedDefaultThreadFactory(AsyncJobManager.class));
 
 
    private String forcedJobUUID = null;

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/async/AsyncRecordPipeLoop.java

@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.QLogger;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.SleepUtils;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.lambdas.UnsafeFunction;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.lambdas.UnsafeSupplier;
+import static com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.LogUtils.logPair;
 
 
 /*******************************************************************************
@@ -185,8 +186,7 @@ public class AsyncRecordPipeLoop
 
       if(recordCount > 0)
       {
-         LOG.info(String.format("Processed %,d records", recordCount)
-            + String.format(" at end of job [%s] in %,d ms (%.2f records/second).", jobName, (endTime - jobStartTime), 1000d * (recordCount / (.001d + (endTime - jobStartTime)))));
+         LOG.info("End of job summary", logPair("recordCount", recordCount), logPair("jobName", jobName), logPair("millis", endTime - jobStartTime), logPair("recordsPerSecond", 1000d * (recordCount / (.001d + (endTime - jobStartTime)))));
       }
 
       return (recordCount);

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/automation/AutomationStatus.java

@@ -127,7 +127,6 @@ public enum AutomationStatus implements PossibleValueEnum<Integer>
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
-   @SuppressWarnings("checkstyle:indentation")
    public String getInsertOrUpdate()
    {
       return switch(this)

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/automation/RecordAutomationStatusUpdater.java

@@ -344,6 +344,9 @@ public class RecordAutomationStatusUpdater
 
 
 
+   /***************************************************************************
+    **
+    ***************************************************************************/
    private record Key(QTableMetaData table, TriggerEvent triggerEvent) {}
 
 }

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/customizers/AbstractPreInsertCustomizer.java

@@ -55,10 +55,10 @@ public abstract class AbstractPreInsertCustomizer implements TableCustomizerInte
 
 
 
-   /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-   // allow the customizer to specify when it should be executed as part of the   //
-   // insert action.  default (per method in this class) is AFTER_ALL_VALIDATIONS //
-   /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+   /***************************************************************************
+    ** allow the customizer to specify when it should be executed as part of the
+    ** insert action.  default (per method in this class) is AFTER_ALL_VALIDATIONS
+    ***************************************************************************/
    public enum WhenToRun
    {
       BEFORE_ALL_VALIDATIONS,

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/customizers/ChildInserterPostInsertCustomizer.java

@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import java.util.Iterator;
 import java.util.List;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.tables.InsertAction;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.tables.UpdateAction;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.context.QContext;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QRuntimeException;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.insert.InsertInput;
@@ -49,6 +50,9 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.CollectionUtils;
  *******************************************************************************/
 public abstract class ChildInserterPostInsertCustomizer extends AbstractPostInsertCustomizer
 {
+   /***************************************************************************
+    **
+    ***************************************************************************/
    public enum RelationshipType
    {
       PARENT_POINTS_AT_CHILD,
@@ -97,7 +101,7 @@ public abstract class ChildInserterPostInsertCustomizer extends AbstractPostInse
          List<QRecord>  rs               = records;
          List<QRecord>  childrenToInsert = new ArrayList<>();
          QTableMetaData table            = getInsertInput().getTable();
-         QTableMetaData childTable       = getInsertInput().getInstance().getTable(getChildTableName());
+         QTableMetaData childTable       = QContext.getQInstance().getTable(getChildTableName());
 
          ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
          // iterate over the inserted records, building a list child records to insert //

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/customizers/RecordCustomizerUtilityInterface.java

@@ -50,10 +50,7 @@ public interface RecordCustomizerUtilityInterface
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Container for an old value and a new value.
     *******************************************************************************/
-   @SuppressWarnings("checkstyle:MethodName")
-   record Change(Serializable oldValue, Serializable newValue)
-   {
-   }
+   record Change(Serializable oldValue, Serializable newValue) {}
 
 
    /*******************************************************************************

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/dashboard/AbstractHTMLWidgetRenderer.java

@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractHTMLWidgetRenderer extends AbstractWidgetRenderer
    public static String linkTableCreateWithDefaultValues(RenderWidgetInput input, String tableName, Map<String, Serializable> defaultValues) throws QException
    {
       String tablePath = QContext.getQInstance().getTablePath(tableName);
-      return (tablePath + "/create?defaultValues=" + URLEncoder.encode(JsonUtils.toJson(defaultValues), Charset.defaultCharset()));
+      return (tablePath + "/create#defaultValues=" + URLEncoder.encode(JsonUtils.toJson(defaultValues), Charset.defaultCharset()));
    }
 
 
@@ -183,7 +183,6 @@ public abstract class AbstractHTMLWidgetRenderer extends AbstractWidgetRenderer
 
 
 
-
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/dashboard/widgets/AbstractWidgetRenderer.java

@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.values.QValueFormatter;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.values.SearchPossibleValueSourceAction;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.context.QContext;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.QCriteriaOperator;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.QFilterCriteria;
@@ -102,7 +103,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractWidgetRenderer
             String possibleValueSourceName = dropdownData.getPossibleValueSourceName();
             if(possibleValueSourceName != null)
             {
-               QPossibleValueSource possibleValueSource = input.getInstance().getPossibleValueSource(possibleValueSourceName);
+               QPossibleValueSource possibleValueSource = QContext.getQInstance().getPossibleValueSource(possibleValueSourceName);
 
                /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
                // this looks complicated, but is just look for a label in the dropdown data and if found use it,                                                                                  //

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/dashboard/widgets/ChildRecordListRenderer.java

@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.tables.CountAction;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.tables.GetAction;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.tables.QueryAction;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.values.QValueFormatter;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.context.QContext;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QNotFoundException;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.QLogger;
@@ -181,10 +182,10 @@ public class ChildRecordListRenderer extends AbstractWidgetRenderer
       {
          String         widgetLabel = input.getQueryParams().get("widgetLabel");
          String         joinName    = input.getQueryParams().get("joinName");
-         QJoinMetaData  join        = input.getInstance().getJoin(joinName);
+         QJoinMetaData  join        = QContext.getQInstance().getJoin(joinName);
          String         id          = input.getQueryParams().get("id");
-         QTableMetaData leftTable   = input.getInstance().getTable(join.getLeftTable());
-         QTableMetaData rightTable  = input.getInstance().getTable(join.getRightTable());
+         QTableMetaData leftTable   = QContext.getQInstance().getTable(join.getLeftTable());
+         QTableMetaData rightTable  = QContext.getQInstance().getTable(join.getRightTable());
 
          Integer maxRows = null;
          if(StringUtils.hasContent(input.getQueryParams().get("maxRows")))
@@ -252,7 +253,7 @@ public class ChildRecordListRenderer extends AbstractWidgetRenderer
             }
          }
 
-         String tablePath   = input.getInstance().getTablePath(rightTable.getName());
+         String tablePath   = QContext.getQInstance().getTablePath(rightTable.getName());
          String viewAllLink = tablePath == null ? null : (tablePath + "?filter=" + URLEncoder.encode(JsonUtils.toJson(filter), Charset.defaultCharset()));
 
          ChildRecordListData widgetData = new ChildRecordListData(widgetLabel, queryOutput, rightTable, tablePath, viewAllLink, totalRows);
@@ -278,7 +279,9 @@ public class ChildRecordListRenderer extends AbstractWidgetRenderer
             Map<String, Serializable> widgetValues = input.getWidgetMetaData().getDefaultValues();
             if(widgetValues.containsKey("disabledFieldsForNewChildRecords"))
             {
-               widgetData.setDisabledFieldsForNewChildRecords((Set<String>) widgetValues.get("disabledFieldsForNewChildRecords"));
+               @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+               Set<String> disabledFieldsForNewChildRecords = (Set<String>) widgetValues.get("disabledFieldsForNewChildRecords");
+               widgetData.setDisabledFieldsForNewChildRecords(disabledFieldsForNewChildRecords);
             }
             else
             {

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/dashboard/widgets/DateTimeGroupBy.java

@@ -256,7 +256,6 @@ public enum DateTimeGroupBy
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
-   @SuppressWarnings("checkstyle:indentation")
    public Instant roundDown(Instant instant, ZoneId zoneId)
    {
       ZonedDateTime zoned = instant.atZone(zoneId);

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/dashboard/widgets/ProcessAlertWidget.java

@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+/*
+ * QQQ - Low-code Application Framework for Engineers.
+ * Copyright (C) 2021-2024.  Kingsrook, LLC
+ * 651 N Broad St Ste 205 # 6917 | Middletown DE 19709 | United States
+ * contact@kingsrook.com
+ * https://github.com/Kingsrook/
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the
+ * License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.dashboard.widgets;
+
+
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.MetaDataProducerInterface;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.widgets.RenderWidgetInput;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.widgets.RenderWidgetOutput;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.dashboard.widgets.AlertData;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.dashboard.widgets.WidgetType;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.QInstance;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.code.QCodeReference;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.dashboard.QWidgetMetaData;
+
+
+/*******************************************************************************
+ ** Widget that can add an Alert to a process screen.
+ **
+ ** In the process, you'll want values:
+ ** - alertType - name of entry in AlertType enum (ERROR, WARNING, SUCCESS)
+ ** - alertHtml - html to display inside the alert (other than its icon)
+ *******************************************************************************/
+public class ProcessAlertWidget extends AbstractWidgetRenderer implements MetaDataProducerInterface<QWidgetMetaData>
+{
+   public static final String NAME = "ProcessAlertWidget";
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   @Override
+   public RenderWidgetOutput render(RenderWidgetInput input) throws QException
+   {
+      AlertData.AlertType alertType = AlertData.AlertType.WARNING;
+      if(input.getQueryParams().containsKey("alertType"))
+      {
+         alertType = AlertData.AlertType.valueOf(input.getQueryParams().get("alertType"));
+      }
+
+      String html = "Warning";
+      if(input.getQueryParams().containsKey("alertHtml"))
+      {
+         html = input.getQueryParams().get("alertHtml");
+      }
+
+      return (new RenderWidgetOutput(new AlertData(alertType, html)));
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   @Override
+   public QWidgetMetaData produce(QInstance qInstance) throws QException
+   {
+      return new QWidgetMetaData()
+         .withType(WidgetType.ALERT.getType())
+         .withGridColumns(12)
+         .withName(NAME)
+         .withIsCard(false)
+         .withShowReloadButton(false)
+         .withCodeReference(new QCodeReference(getClass()));
+   }
+}

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/dashboard/widgets/ProcessWidgetRenderer.java

@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.dashboard.widgets;
 
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.ActionHelper;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.context.QContext;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.widgets.RenderWidgetInput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.widgets.RenderWidgetOutput;
@@ -57,7 +58,7 @@ public class ProcessWidgetRenderer extends AbstractWidgetRenderer
             setupDropdowns(input, widgetMetaData, data);
 
             String           processName     = (String) widgetMetaData.getDefaultValues().get(WIDGET_PROCESS_NAME);
-            QProcessMetaData processMetaData = input.getInstance().getProcess(processName);
+            QProcessMetaData processMetaData = QContext.getQInstance().getProcess(processName);
             data.setProcessMetaData(processMetaData);
 
             data.setDefaultValues(new HashMap<>(input.getQueryParams()));

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/metadata/JoinGraph.java

@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Objects;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.TreeSet;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.instances.QMetaDataVariableInterpreter;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.QInstance;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.joins.QJoinMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.CollectionUtils;
@@ -41,9 +42,19 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.StringUtils;
  *******************************************************************************/
 public class JoinGraph
 {
-
    private Set<Edge> edges = new HashSet<>();
 
+   ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+   // as an instance grows, with the number of joins (say, more than 50?), especially as they may have a lot of connections, //
+   // it can become very very slow to process a full join graph (e.g., 10 seconds, maybe much worse, per Big-O...)           //
+   // also, it's not frequently useful to look at a join path that's more than a handful of tables long.                     //
+   // thus - this property exists - to limit the max length of a join path.  Keeping it small keeps instance enrichment      //
+   // and validation reasonably performant, at the possible cost of, some join-path that's longer than this limit may not    //
+   // be found - but - chances are, you don't want some 12-element join path to be used anyway, thus, this makes sense.      //
+   // but - it can be adjusted, per system property or ENV var.                                                              //
+   ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+   private int maxPathLength = new QMetaDataVariableInterpreter().getIntegerFromPropertyOrEnvironment("qqq.instance.joinGraph.maxPathLength", "QQQ_INSTANCE_JOIN_GRAPH_MAX_PATH_LENGTH", 3);
+
 
 
    /*******************************************************************************
@@ -303,6 +314,13 @@ public class JoinGraph
 
                if(otherTableName != null)
                {
+                  if(newPath.size() > maxPathLength)
+                  {
+                     ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+                     // performance hack.  see comment at maxPathLength definition //
+                     ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+                     continue;
+                  }
 
                   JoinConnectionList newConnectionList = connectionList.copy();
                   JoinConnection     joinConnection    = new JoinConnection(otherTableName, edge.joinName);

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/metadata/MetaDataAction.java

@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import java.util.Map;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.ActionHelper;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.permissions.PermissionCheckResult;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.permissions.PermissionsHelper;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.context.QContext;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.metadata.MetaDataInput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.metadata.MetaDataOutput;
@@ -72,7 +73,7 @@ public class MetaDataAction
       // map tables to frontend metadata //
       /////////////////////////////////////
       Map<String, QFrontendTableMetaData> tables = new LinkedHashMap<>();
-      for(Map.Entry<String, QTableMetaData> entry : metaDataInput.getInstance().getTables().entrySet())
+      for(Map.Entry<String, QTableMetaData> entry : QContext.getQInstance().getTables().entrySet())
       {
          String         tableName = entry.getKey();
          QTableMetaData table     = entry.getValue();
@@ -83,7 +84,7 @@ public class MetaDataAction
             continue;
          }
 
-         QBackendMetaData backendForTable = metaDataInput.getInstance().getBackendForTable(tableName);
+         QBackendMetaData backendForTable = QContext.getQInstance().getBackendForTable(tableName);
          tables.put(tableName, new QFrontendTableMetaData(metaDataInput, backendForTable, table, false, false));
          treeNodes.put(tableName, new AppTreeNode(table));
       }
@@ -96,7 +97,7 @@ public class MetaDataAction
       // map processes to frontend metadata //
       ////////////////////////////////////////
       Map<String, QFrontendProcessMetaData> processes = new LinkedHashMap<>();
-      for(Map.Entry<String, QProcessMetaData> entry : metaDataInput.getInstance().getProcesses().entrySet())
+      for(Map.Entry<String, QProcessMetaData> entry : QContext.getQInstance().getProcesses().entrySet())
       {
          String           processName = entry.getKey();
          QProcessMetaData process     = entry.getValue();
@@ -116,7 +117,7 @@ public class MetaDataAction
       // map reports to frontend metadata //
       //////////////////////////////////////
       Map<String, QFrontendReportMetaData> reports = new LinkedHashMap<>();
-      for(Map.Entry<String, QReportMetaData> entry : metaDataInput.getInstance().getReports().entrySet())
+      for(Map.Entry<String, QReportMetaData> entry : QContext.getQInstance().getReports().entrySet())
       {
          String          reportName = entry.getKey();
          QReportMetaData report     = entry.getValue();
@@ -136,7 +137,7 @@ public class MetaDataAction
       // map widgets to frontend metadata //
       //////////////////////////////////////
       Map<String, QFrontendWidgetMetaData> widgets = new LinkedHashMap<>();
-      for(Map.Entry<String, QWidgetMetaDataInterface> entry : metaDataInput.getInstance().getWidgets().entrySet())
+      for(Map.Entry<String, QWidgetMetaDataInterface> entry : QContext.getQInstance().getWidgets().entrySet())
       {
          String                   widgetName = entry.getKey();
          QWidgetMetaDataInterface widget     = entry.getValue();
@@ -154,7 +155,7 @@ public class MetaDataAction
       ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////
       // sort apps - by sortOrder (integer), then by label //
       ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-      List<QAppMetaData> sortedApps = metaDataInput.getInstance().getApps().values().stream()
+      List<QAppMetaData> sortedApps = QContext.getQInstance().getApps().values().stream()
          .sorted(Comparator.comparing((QAppMetaData a) -> a.getSortOrder())
             .thenComparing((QAppMetaData a) -> a.getLabel()))
          .toList();
@@ -211,12 +212,14 @@ public class MetaDataAction
       ////////////////////////////////////
       // add branding metadata if found //
       ////////////////////////////////////
-      if(metaDataInput.getInstance().getBranding() != null)
+      if(QContext.getQInstance().getBranding() != null)
       {
-         metaDataOutput.setBranding(metaDataInput.getInstance().getBranding());
+         metaDataOutput.setBranding(QContext.getQInstance().getBranding());
       }
 
-      metaDataOutput.setEnvironmentValues(metaDataInput.getInstance().getEnvironmentValues());
+      metaDataOutput.setEnvironmentValues(QContext.getQInstance().getEnvironmentValues());
+
+      metaDataOutput.setHelpContents(QContext.getQInstance().getHelpContent());
 
       // todo post-customization - can do whatever w/ the result if you want?
 

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/metadata/ProcessMetaDataAction.java

@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.metadata;
 
 
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.ActionHelper;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.context.QContext;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QNotFoundException;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.metadata.ProcessMetaDataInput;
@@ -47,7 +48,7 @@ public class ProcessMetaDataAction
       // todo pre-customization - just get to modify the request?
       ProcessMetaDataOutput processMetaDataOutput = new ProcessMetaDataOutput();
 
-      QProcessMetaData process = processMetaDataInput.getInstance().getProcess(processMetaDataInput.getProcessName());
+      QProcessMetaData process = QContext.getQInstance().getProcess(processMetaDataInput.getProcessName());
       if(process == null)
       {
          throw (new QNotFoundException("Process [" + processMetaDataInput.getProcessName() + "] was not found."));

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/metadata/TableMetaDataAction.java

@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.metadata;
 
 
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.ActionHelper;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.context.QContext;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QNotFoundException;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.metadata.TableMetaDataInput;
@@ -48,12 +49,12 @@ public class TableMetaDataAction
       // todo pre-customization - just get to modify the request?
       TableMetaDataOutput tableMetaDataOutput = new TableMetaDataOutput();
 
-      QTableMetaData table = tableMetaDataInput.getInstance().getTable(tableMetaDataInput.getTableName());
+      QTableMetaData table = QContext.getQInstance().getTable(tableMetaDataInput.getTableName());
       if(table == null)
       {
          throw (new QNotFoundException("Table [" + tableMetaDataInput.getTableName() + "] was not found."));
       }
-      QBackendMetaData backendForTable = tableMetaDataInput.getInstance().getBackendForTable(table.getName());
+      QBackendMetaData backendForTable = QContext.getQInstance().getBackendForTable(table.getName());
       tableMetaDataOutput.setTable(new QFrontendTableMetaData(tableMetaDataInput, backendForTable, table, true, true));
 
       // todo post-customization - can do whatever w/ the result if you want

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/permissions/PermissionsHelper.java

@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.tables.Capability;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.tables.QTableMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.session.QSession;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.StringUtils;
+import static com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.LogUtils.logPair;
 
 
 /*******************************************************************************
@@ -78,6 +79,12 @@ public class PermissionsHelper
       warnAboutPermissionSubTypeForTables(permissionSubType);
       QTableMetaData table = QContext.getQInstance().getTable(tableName);
 
+      if(table == null)
+      {
+         LOG.info("Throwing a permission denied exception in response to a non-existent table name", logPair("tableName", tableName));
+         throw (new QPermissionDeniedException("Permission denied."));
+      }
+
       commonCheckPermissionThrowing(getEffectivePermissionRules(table, QContext.getQInstance()), permissionSubType, table.getName());
    }
 
@@ -184,7 +191,14 @@ public class PermissionsHelper
     *******************************************************************************/
    public static void checkProcessPermissionThrowing(AbstractActionInput actionInput, String processName, Map<String, Serializable> processValues) throws QPermissionDeniedException
    {
-      QProcessMetaData process                  = QContext.getQInstance().getProcess(processName);
+      QProcessMetaData process = QContext.getQInstance().getProcess(processName);
+
+      if(process == null)
+      {
+         LOG.info("Throwing a permission denied exception in response to a non-existent process name", logPair("processName", processName));
+         throw (new QPermissionDeniedException("Permission denied."));
+      }
+
       QPermissionRules effectivePermissionRules = getEffectivePermissionRules(process, QContext.getQInstance());
 
       if(effectivePermissionRules.getCustomPermissionChecker() != null)
@@ -226,6 +240,13 @@ public class PermissionsHelper
    public static void checkAppPermissionThrowing(AbstractActionInput actionInput, String appName) throws QPermissionDeniedException
    {
       QAppMetaData app = QContext.getQInstance().getApp(appName);
+
+      if(app == null)
+      {
+         LOG.info("Throwing a permission denied exception in response to a non-existent app name", logPair("appName", appName));
+         throw (new QPermissionDeniedException("Permission denied."));
+      }
+
       commonCheckPermissionThrowing(getEffectivePermissionRules(app, QContext.getQInstance()), PrivatePermissionSubType.HAS_ACCESS, app.getName());
    }
 
@@ -255,6 +276,13 @@ public class PermissionsHelper
    public static void checkReportPermissionThrowing(AbstractActionInput actionInput, String reportName) throws QPermissionDeniedException
    {
       QReportMetaData report = QContext.getQInstance().getReport(reportName);
+
+      if(report == null)
+      {
+         LOG.info("Throwing a permission denied exception in response to a non-existent process name", logPair("reportName", reportName));
+         throw (new QPermissionDeniedException("Permission denied."));
+      }
+
       commonCheckPermissionThrowing(getEffectivePermissionRules(report, QContext.getQInstance()), PrivatePermissionSubType.HAS_ACCESS, report.getName());
    }
 
@@ -284,6 +312,13 @@ public class PermissionsHelper
    public static void checkWidgetPermissionThrowing(AbstractActionInput actionInput, String widgetName) throws QPermissionDeniedException
    {
       QWidgetMetaDataInterface widget = QContext.getQInstance().getWidget(widgetName);
+
+      if(widget == null)
+      {
+         LOG.info("Throwing a permission denied exception in response to a non-existent widget name", logPair("widgetName", widgetName));
+         throw (new QPermissionDeniedException("Permission denied."));
+      }
+
       commonCheckPermissionThrowing(getEffectivePermissionRules(widget, QContext.getQInstance()), PrivatePermissionSubType.HAS_ACCESS, widget.getName());
    }
 
@@ -500,7 +535,6 @@ public class PermissionsHelper
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
-   @SuppressWarnings("checkstyle:indentation")
    static PermissionSubType getEffectivePermissionSubType(QPermissionRules rules, PermissionSubType originalPermissionSubType)
    {
       if(rules == null || rules.getLevel() == null)
@@ -515,10 +549,10 @@ public class PermissionsHelper
       if(PrivatePermissionSubType.HAS_ACCESS.equals(originalPermissionSubType))
       {
          return switch(rules.getLevel())
-            {
-               case NOT_PROTECTED -> null;
-               default -> PrivatePermissionSubType.HAS_ACCESS;
-            };
+         {
+            case NOT_PROTECTED -> null;
+            default -> PrivatePermissionSubType.HAS_ACCESS;
+         };
       }
       else
       {
@@ -527,30 +561,30 @@ public class PermissionsHelper
          // permission sub-type to what we expect to be set for the table                                      //
          ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
          return switch(rules.getLevel())
+         {
+            case NOT_PROTECTED -> null;
+            case HAS_ACCESS_PERMISSION -> PrivatePermissionSubType.HAS_ACCESS;
+            case READ_WRITE_PERMISSIONS ->
             {
-               case NOT_PROTECTED -> null;
-               case HAS_ACCESS_PERMISSION -> PrivatePermissionSubType.HAS_ACCESS;
-               case READ_WRITE_PERMISSIONS ->
+               if(PrivatePermissionSubType.READ.equals(originalPermissionSubType) || PrivatePermissionSubType.WRITE.equals(originalPermissionSubType))
                {
-                  if(PrivatePermissionSubType.READ.equals(originalPermissionSubType) || PrivatePermissionSubType.WRITE.equals(originalPermissionSubType))
-                  {
-                     yield (originalPermissionSubType);
-                  }
-                  else if(TablePermissionSubType.INSERT.equals(originalPermissionSubType) || TablePermissionSubType.EDIT.equals(originalPermissionSubType) || TablePermissionSubType.DELETE.equals(originalPermissionSubType))
-                  {
-                     yield (PrivatePermissionSubType.WRITE);
-                  }
-                  else if(TablePermissionSubType.READ.equals(originalPermissionSubType))
-                  {
-                     yield (PrivatePermissionSubType.READ);
-                  }
-                  else
-                  {
-                     throw new IllegalStateException("Unexpected permissionSubType: " + originalPermissionSubType);
-                  }
+                  yield (originalPermissionSubType);
                }
-               case READ_INSERT_EDIT_DELETE_PERMISSIONS -> originalPermissionSubType;
-            };
+               else if(TablePermissionSubType.INSERT.equals(originalPermissionSubType) || TablePermissionSubType.EDIT.equals(originalPermissionSubType) || TablePermissionSubType.DELETE.equals(originalPermissionSubType))
+               {
+                  yield (PrivatePermissionSubType.WRITE);
+               }
+               else if(TablePermissionSubType.READ.equals(originalPermissionSubType))
+               {
+                  yield (PrivatePermissionSubType.READ);
+               }
+               else
+               {
+                  throw new IllegalStateException("Unexpected permissionSubType: " + originalPermissionSubType);
+               }
+            }
+            case READ_INSERT_EDIT_DELETE_PERMISSIONS -> originalPermissionSubType;
+         };
       }
    }
 

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/processes/CancelProcessAction.java

@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+/*
+ * QQQ - Low-code Application Framework for Engineers.
+ * Copyright (C) 2021-2022.  Kingsrook, LLC
+ * 651 N Broad St Ste 205 # 6917 | Middletown DE 19709 | United States
+ * contact@kingsrook.com
+ * https://github.com/Kingsrook/
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the
+ * License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.processes;
+
+
+import java.util.Optional;
+import java.util.UUID;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.ActionHelper;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.context.QContext;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QBadRequestException;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.QLogger;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.processes.ProcessState;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.processes.RunProcessInput;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.processes.RunProcessOutput;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.processes.QProcessMetaData;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.state.StateType;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.state.UUIDAndTypeStateKey;
+import static com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.LogUtils.logPair;
+
+
+/*******************************************************************************
+ ** Action handler for running the cancel step of a qqq process
+ *
+ *******************************************************************************/
+public class CancelProcessAction extends RunProcessAction
+{
+   private static final QLogger LOG = QLogger.getLogger(CancelProcessAction.class);
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public RunProcessOutput execute(RunProcessInput runProcessInput) throws QException
+   {
+      ActionHelper.validateSession(runProcessInput);
+
+      QProcessMetaData process = QContext.getQInstance().getProcess(runProcessInput.getProcessName());
+      if(process == null)
+      {
+         throw new QBadRequestException("Process [" + runProcessInput.getProcessName() + "] is not defined in this instance.");
+      }
+
+      if(runProcessInput.getProcessUUID() == null)
+      {
+         throw (new QBadRequestException("Cannot cancel process - processUUID was not given."));
+      }
+
+      UUIDAndTypeStateKey    stateKey     = new UUIDAndTypeStateKey(UUID.fromString(runProcessInput.getProcessUUID()), StateType.PROCESS_STATUS);
+      Optional<ProcessState> processState = getState(runProcessInput.getProcessUUID());
+      if(processState.isEmpty())
+      {
+         throw (new QBadRequestException("Cannot cancel process - State for process UUID [" + runProcessInput.getProcessUUID() + "] was not found."));
+      }
+
+      RunProcessOutput runProcessOutput = new RunProcessOutput();
+      try
+      {
+         if(process.getCancelStep() != null)
+         {
+            LOG.info("Running cancel step for process", logPair("processName", process.getName()));
+            runBackendStep(runProcessInput, process, runProcessOutput, stateKey, process.getCancelStep(), process, processState.get());
+         }
+         else
+         {
+            LOG.debug("Process does not have a custom cancel step to run.", logPair("processName", process.getName()));
+         }
+      }
+      catch(QException qe)
+      {
+         ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+         // upon exception (e.g., one thrown by a step), throw it. //
+         ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+         throw (qe);
+      }
+      catch(Exception e)
+      {
+         throw (new QException("Error cancelling process", e));
+      }
+      finally
+      {
+         //////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+         // always put the final state in the process result //
+         //////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+         runProcessOutput.setProcessState(processState.get());
+      }
+
+      return (runProcessOutput);
+   }
+
+}

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/processes/RunBackendStepAction.java

@@ -26,14 +26,17 @@ import java.io.Serializable;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Objects;
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.ActionHelper;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.tables.QueryAction;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.context.QContext;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QUserFacingException;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.QLogger;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.processes.RunBackendStepInput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.processes.RunBackendStepOutput;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.QQueryFilter;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.QueryInput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.QueryOutput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.code.QCodeReference;
@@ -62,7 +65,7 @@ public class RunBackendStepAction
    {
       ActionHelper.validateSession(runBackendStepInput);
 
-      QProcessMetaData process = runBackendStepInput.getInstance().getProcess(runBackendStepInput.getProcessName());
+      QProcessMetaData process = QContext.getQInstance().getProcess(runBackendStepInput.getProcessName());
       if(process == null)
       {
          throw new QException("Process [" + runBackendStepInput.getProcessName() + "] is not defined in this instance.");
@@ -71,7 +74,17 @@ public class RunBackendStepAction
       QStepMetaData stepMetaData = process.getStep(runBackendStepInput.getStepName());
       if(stepMetaData == null)
       {
-         throw new QException("Step [" + runBackendStepInput.getStepName() + "] is not defined in the process [" + process.getName() + "]");
+         if(process.getCancelStep() != null && Objects.equals(process.getCancelStep().getName(), runBackendStepInput.getStepName()))
+         {
+            /////////////////////////////////////
+            // special case for cancel step... //
+            /////////////////////////////////////
+            stepMetaData = process.getCancelStep();
+         }
+         else
+         {
+            throw new QException("Step [" + runBackendStepInput.getStepName() + "] is not defined in the process [" + process.getName() + "]");
+         }
       }
 
       if(!(stepMetaData instanceof QBackendStepMetaData backendStepMetaData))
@@ -82,7 +95,7 @@ public class RunBackendStepAction
       //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
       // ensure input data is set as needed - use callback object to get anything missing //
       //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-      ensureRecordsAreInRequest(runBackendStepInput, backendStepMetaData);
+      ensureRecordsAreInRequest(runBackendStepInput, backendStepMetaData, process);
       ensureInputFieldsAreInRequest(runBackendStepInput, backendStepMetaData);
 
       ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -167,7 +180,7 @@ public class RunBackendStepAction
     ** check if this step uses a record list - and if so, if we need to get one
     ** via the callback
     *******************************************************************************/
-   private void ensureRecordsAreInRequest(RunBackendStepInput runBackendStepInput, QBackendStepMetaData step) throws QException
+   private void ensureRecordsAreInRequest(RunBackendStepInput runBackendStepInput, QBackendStepMetaData step, QProcessMetaData process) throws QException
    {
       QFunctionInputMetaData inputMetaData = step.getInputMetaData();
       if(inputMetaData != null && inputMetaData.getRecordListMetaData() != null)
@@ -190,9 +203,44 @@ public class RunBackendStepAction
 
             queryInput.setFilter(callback.getQueryFilter());
 
+            //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            // if process has a max-no of records, set a limit on the process of that number plus 1 //
+            // (the plus 1 being so we can see "oh, you selected more than that many; error!"       //
+            //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            if(process.getMaxInputRecords() != null)
+            {
+               if(callback.getQueryFilter() == null)
+               {
+                  queryInput.setFilter(new QQueryFilter());
+               }
+
+               queryInput.getFilter().setLimit(process.getMaxInputRecords() + 1);
+            }
+
             QueryOutput queryOutput = new QueryAction().execute(queryInput);
             runBackendStepInput.setRecords(queryOutput.getRecords());
-            // todo - handle 0 results found?
+
+            ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            // if process defines a max, and more than the max were found, throw an error //
+            ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            if(process.getMaxInputRecords() != null)
+            {
+               if(queryOutput.getRecords().size() > process.getMaxInputRecords())
+               {
+                  throw (new QUserFacingException("Too many records were selected for this process.  At most, only " + process.getMaxInputRecords() + " can be selected."));
+               }
+            }
+
+            /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            // if process defines a min, and fewer than the min were found, throw an error //
+            /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            if(process.getMinInputRecords() != null)
+            {
+               if(queryOutput.getRecords().size() < process.getMinInputRecords())
+               {
+                  throw (new QUserFacingException("Too few records were selected for this process.  At least " + process.getMinInputRecords() + " must be selected."));
+               }
+            }
          }
       }
    }

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/processes/RunProcessAction.java

@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ public class RunProcessAction
    public static final String BASEPULL_THIS_RUNTIME_KEY = "basepullThisRuntimeKey";
    public static final String BASEPULL_LAST_RUNTIME_KEY = "basepullLastRuntimeKey";
    public static final String BASEPULL_TIMESTAMP_FIELD  = "basepullTimestampField";
-   public static final String BASEPULL_CONFIGURATION = "basepullConfiguration";
+   public static final String BASEPULL_CONFIGURATION    = "basepullConfiguration";
 
    ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
    // indicator that the timestamp field should be updated - e.g., the execute step is finished. //
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ public class RunProcessAction
    {
       ActionHelper.validateSession(runProcessInput);
 
-      QProcessMetaData process = runProcessInput.getInstance().getProcess(runProcessInput.getProcessName());
+      QProcessMetaData process = QContext.getQInstance().getProcess(runProcessInput.getProcessName());
       if(process == null)
       {
          throw new QException("Process [" + runProcessInput.getProcessName() + "] is not defined in this instance.");
@@ -190,7 +190,25 @@ public class RunProcessAction
                // Run backend steps //
                ///////////////////////
                LOG.debug("Running backend step [" + step.getName() + "] in process [" + process.getName() + "]");
-               runBackendStep(runProcessInput, process, runProcessOutput, stateKey, backendStepMetaData, process, processState);
+               RunBackendStepOutput runBackendStepOutput = runBackendStep(runProcessInput, process, runProcessOutput, stateKey, backendStepMetaData, process, processState);
+
+               /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+               // if the step returned an override lastStepName, use that to determine how we proceed //
+               /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+               if(runBackendStepOutput.getOverrideLastStepName() != null)
+               {
+                  LOG.debug("Process step [" + lastStepName + "] returned an overrideLastStepName [" + runBackendStepOutput.getOverrideLastStepName() + "]!");
+                  lastStepName = runBackendStepOutput.getOverrideLastStepName();
+               }
+
+               /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+               // similarly, if the step produced an updatedFrontendStepList, propagate that data outward //
+               /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+               if(runBackendStepOutput.getUpdatedFrontendStepList() != null)
+               {
+                  LOG.debug("Process step [" + lastStepName + "] generated an updatedFrontendStepList [" + runBackendStepOutput.getUpdatedFrontendStepList().stream().map(s -> s.getName()).toList() + "]!");
+                  runProcessOutput.setUpdatedFrontendStepList(runBackendStepOutput.getUpdatedFrontendStepList());
+               }
             }
             else
             {
@@ -317,6 +335,13 @@ public class RunProcessAction
          ///////////////////////////////////////////////////
          runProcessInput.seedFromProcessState(optionalProcessState.get());
 
+         ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+         // if we're restoring an old state, we can discard a previously stored updatedFrontendStepList - //
+         // it is only needed on the transitional edge from a backend-step to a frontend step, but not    //
+         // in the other directly                                                                         //
+         ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+         optionalProcessState.get().setUpdatedFrontendStepList(null);
+
          ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
          // if there were values from the caller, put those (back) in the request //
          ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -339,7 +364,7 @@ public class RunProcessAction
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Run a single backend step.
     *******************************************************************************/
-   private void runBackendStep(RunProcessInput runProcessInput, QProcessMetaData process, RunProcessOutput runProcessOutput, UUIDAndTypeStateKey stateKey, QBackendStepMetaData backendStep, QProcessMetaData qProcessMetaData, ProcessState processState) throws Exception
+   protected RunBackendStepOutput runBackendStep(RunProcessInput runProcessInput, QProcessMetaData process, RunProcessOutput runProcessOutput, UUIDAndTypeStateKey stateKey, QBackendStepMetaData backendStep, QProcessMetaData qProcessMetaData, ProcessState processState) throws Exception
    {
       RunBackendStepInput runBackendStepInput = new RunBackendStepInput(processState);
       runBackendStepInput.setProcessName(process.getName());
@@ -368,14 +393,16 @@ public class RunProcessAction
          runBackendStepInput.setBasepullLastRunTime((Instant) runProcessInput.getValues().get(BASEPULL_LAST_RUNTIME_KEY));
       }
 
-      RunBackendStepOutput lastFunctionResult = new RunBackendStepAction().execute(runBackendStepInput);
-      storeState(stateKey, lastFunctionResult.getProcessState());
+      RunBackendStepOutput runBackendStepOutput = new RunBackendStepAction().execute(runBackendStepInput);
+      storeState(stateKey, runBackendStepOutput.getProcessState());
 
-      if(lastFunctionResult.getException() != null)
+      if(runBackendStepOutput.getException() != null)
       {
-         runProcessOutput.setException(lastFunctionResult.getException());
-         throw (lastFunctionResult.getException());
+         runProcessOutput.setException(runBackendStepOutput.getException());
+         throw (runBackendStepOutput.getException());
       }
+
+      return (runBackendStepOutput);
    }
 
 
@@ -495,15 +522,15 @@ public class RunProcessAction
       String basepullKeyValue = (basepullConfiguration.getKeyValue() != null) ? basepullConfiguration.getKeyValue() : process.getName();
 
       //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-      // if backend specifies that it uses variants, look for that data in the session and append to our basepull key //
+      // if process specifies that it uses variants, look for that data in the session and append to our basepull key //
       //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-      if(process.getSchedule() != null && process.getVariantBackend() != null)
+      if(process.getVariantBackend() != null)
       {
          QSession         session         = QContext.getQSession();
          QBackendMetaData backendMetaData = QContext.getQInstance().getBackend(process.getVariantBackend());
          if(session.getBackendVariants() == null || !session.getBackendVariants().containsKey(backendMetaData.getVariantOptionsTableTypeValue()))
          {
-            LOG.info("Could not find Backend Variant information for Backend '" + backendMetaData.getName() + "'");
+            LOG.warn("Could not find Backend Variant information for Backend '" + backendMetaData.getName() + "'");
          }
          else
          {

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/queues/SQSQueuePoller.java

@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.queues;
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Objects;
 import java.util.function.Supplier;
 import com.amazonaws.auth.AWSStaticCredentialsProvider;
 import com.amazonaws.auth.BasicAWSCredentials;
@@ -41,6 +42,8 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.processes.RunProcessInput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.processes.RunProcessOutput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.QInstance;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.queues.QQueueMetaData;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.queues.SQSPollerSettings;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.queues.SQSQueueMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.queues.SQSQueueProviderMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.session.QSession;
 
@@ -90,15 +93,17 @@ public class SQSQueuePoller implements Runnable
          }
          queueUrl += queueMetaData.getQueueName();
 
-         while(true)
+         SQSPollerSettings sqsPollerSettings = getSqsPollerSettings(queueProviderMetaData, queueMetaData);
+
+         for(int loop = 0; loop < sqsPollerSettings.getMaxLoops(); loop++)
          {
             ///////////////////////////////
             // fetch a batch of messages //
             ///////////////////////////////
             ReceiveMessageRequest receiveMessageRequest = new ReceiveMessageRequest();
             receiveMessageRequest.setQueueUrl(queueUrl);
-            receiveMessageRequest.setMaxNumberOfMessages(10);
-            receiveMessageRequest.setWaitTimeSeconds(20); // help urge SQS to query multiple servers and find more messages
+            receiveMessageRequest.setMaxNumberOfMessages(sqsPollerSettings.getMaxNumberOfMessages());
+            receiveMessageRequest.setWaitTimeSeconds(sqsPollerSettings.getWaitTimeSeconds()); // larger value (e.g., 20) can help urge SQS to query multiple servers and find more messages
             ReceiveMessageResult receiveMessageResult = sqs.receiveMessage(receiveMessageRequest);
             if(receiveMessageResult.getMessages().isEmpty())
             {
@@ -177,6 +182,47 @@ public class SQSQueuePoller implements Runnable
 
 
 
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** For a given queueProvider and queue, get the poller settings to use (using
+    ** default values if none are set at either level).
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   static SQSPollerSettings getSqsPollerSettings(SQSQueueProviderMetaData queueProviderMetaData, QQueueMetaData queueMetaData)
+   {
+      /////////////////////////////////
+      // start with default settings //
+      /////////////////////////////////
+      SQSPollerSettings sqsPollerSettings = new SQSPollerSettings()
+         .withMaxLoops(Integer.MAX_VALUE)
+         .withMaxNumberOfMessages(10)
+         .withWaitTimeSeconds(20);
+
+      /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      // if the queue provider has settings, let them overwrite defaults //
+      /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      if(queueProviderMetaData != null && queueProviderMetaData.getPollerSettings() != null)
+      {
+         SQSPollerSettings providerSettings = queueProviderMetaData.getPollerSettings();
+         sqsPollerSettings.setMaxLoops(Objects.requireNonNullElse(providerSettings.getMaxLoops(), sqsPollerSettings.getMaxLoops()));
+         sqsPollerSettings.setMaxNumberOfMessages(Objects.requireNonNullElse(providerSettings.getMaxNumberOfMessages(), sqsPollerSettings.getMaxNumberOfMessages()));
+         sqsPollerSettings.setWaitTimeSeconds(Objects.requireNonNullElse(providerSettings.getWaitTimeSeconds(), sqsPollerSettings.getWaitTimeSeconds()));
+      }
+
+      ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      // if the queue has settings, let them overwrite defaults //
+      ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      if(queueMetaData instanceof SQSQueueMetaData sqsQueueMetaData && sqsQueueMetaData.getPollerSettings() != null)
+      {
+         SQSPollerSettings providerSettings = sqsQueueMetaData.getPollerSettings();
+         sqsPollerSettings.setMaxLoops(Objects.requireNonNullElse(providerSettings.getMaxLoops(), sqsPollerSettings.getMaxLoops()));
+         sqsPollerSettings.setMaxNumberOfMessages(Objects.requireNonNullElse(providerSettings.getMaxNumberOfMessages(), sqsPollerSettings.getMaxNumberOfMessages()));
+         sqsPollerSettings.setWaitTimeSeconds(Objects.requireNonNullElse(providerSettings.getWaitTimeSeconds(), sqsPollerSettings.getWaitTimeSeconds()));
+      }
+
+      return sqsPollerSettings;
+   }
+
+
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Setter for queueProviderMetaData
     **

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/reporting/ExportAction.java

@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.QLogger;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.reporting.ExportInput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.reporting.ExportOutput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.reporting.ReportFormat;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.QueryHint;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.count.CountInput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.count.CountOutput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.QQueryFilter;
@@ -216,7 +217,8 @@ public class ExportAction
       }
       queryInput.getFilter().setLimit(exportInput.getLimit());
       queryInput.setShouldTranslatePossibleValues(true);
-      queryInput.withQueryHint(QueryInput.QueryHint.POTENTIALLY_LARGE_NUMBER_OF_RESULTS);
+      queryInput.withQueryHint(QueryHint.POTENTIALLY_LARGE_NUMBER_OF_RESULTS);
+      queryInput.withQueryHint(QueryHint.MAY_USE_READ_ONLY_BACKEND);
 
       /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
       // tell this query that it needs to put its output into a pipe //

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/reporting/ExportsFullInstanceVerifier.java

@@ -0,0 +1,202 @@
+/*
+ * QQQ - Low-code Application Framework for Engineers.
+ * Copyright (C) 2021-2024.  Kingsrook, LLC
+ * 651 N Broad St Ste 205 # 6917 | Middletown DE 19709 | United States
+ * contact@kingsrook.com
+ * https://github.com/Kingsrook/
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the
+ * License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.reporting;
+
+
+import java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.LinkedHashMap;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.context.QContext;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.QLogger;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.reporting.ExportInput;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.reporting.ReportDestination;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.reporting.ReportFormat;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.QCriteriaOperator;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.QQueryFilter;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.fields.QFieldMetaData;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.tables.Capability;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.tables.ExposedJoin;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.tables.QTableMetaData;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.CollectionUtils;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.Pair;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.StringUtils;
+import static com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.LogUtils.logPair;
+
+
+/*******************************************************************************
+ ** Utility for verifying that the ExportAction works for all tables, and all
+ ** exposed joins.
+ **
+ ** Meant for use within a unit test, or maybe as part of an instance's boot-up/
+ ** validation.
+ *******************************************************************************/
+public class ExportsFullInstanceVerifier
+{
+   private static final QLogger LOG = QLogger.getLogger(ExportsFullInstanceVerifier.class);
+
+   private boolean filterForAtMostOneRowPerExport = true;
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void verify(Collection<QTableMetaData> tables) throws QException
+   {
+      Map<Pair<String, String>, Exception> caughtExceptions = new LinkedHashMap<>();
+      for(QTableMetaData table : tables)
+      {
+         if(table.isCapabilityEnabled(QContext.getQInstance().getBackendForTable(table.getName()), Capability.TABLE_QUERY))
+         {
+            LOG.info("Verifying Exports on table", logPair("tableName", table.getName()));
+
+            //////////////////////////////////////////////
+            // run the table by itself (no join fields) //
+            //////////////////////////////////////////////
+            runExport(table.getName(), Collections.emptyList(), "main-table-only", caughtExceptions);
+
+            ///////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            // run once w/ the fields from each exposed join //
+            ///////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            for(ExposedJoin exposedJoin : CollectionUtils.nonNullList(table.getExposedJoins()))
+            {
+               runExport(table.getName(), List.of(exposedJoin), "join-" + exposedJoin.getLabel(), caughtExceptions);
+            }
+
+            /////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            // run w/ all exposed joins (if there are any) //
+            /////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            if(CollectionUtils.nullSafeHasContents(table.getExposedJoins()))
+            {
+               runExport(table.getName(), table.getExposedJoins(), "all-joins", caughtExceptions);
+            }
+         }
+      }
+
+      //////////////////////////////////
+      // log out an exceptions caught //
+      //////////////////////////////////
+      if(!caughtExceptions.isEmpty())
+      {
+         for(Map.Entry<Pair<String, String>, Exception> entry : caughtExceptions.entrySet())
+         {
+            LOG.info("Caught an exception verifying reports", entry.getValue(), logPair("tableName", entry.getKey().getA()), logPair("fieldName", entry.getKey().getB()));
+         }
+         throw (new QException("Reports Verification failed with " + caughtExceptions.size() + " exception" + StringUtils.plural(caughtExceptions.size())));
+      }
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   private void runExport(String tableName, List<ExposedJoin> exposedJoinList, String description, Map<Pair<String, String>, Exception> caughtExceptions)
+   {
+      try
+      {
+         ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+         // build the list of fieldNames to export - starting with all fields in the table //
+         ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+         List<String> fieldNames = new ArrayList<>();
+         for(QFieldMetaData field : QContext.getQInstance().getTable(tableName).getFields().values())
+         {
+            fieldNames.add(field.getName());
+         }
+
+         ///////////////////////////////////////////////////
+         // add all fields from all exposed joins as well //
+         ///////////////////////////////////////////////////
+         for(ExposedJoin exposedJoin : CollectionUtils.nonNullList(exposedJoinList))
+         {
+            QTableMetaData joinTable = QContext.getQInstance().getTable(exposedJoin.getJoinTable());
+            for(QFieldMetaData field : joinTable.getFields().values())
+            {
+               fieldNames.add(joinTable.getName() + "." + field.getName());
+            }
+         }
+
+         LOG.info("Verifying export", logPair("description", description), logPair("fieldCount", fieldNames.size()));
+
+         QQueryFilter queryFilter = new QQueryFilter();
+
+         /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+         // if caller is okay with a filter that should limit the report to a small number of rows (could be more than 1 for to-many joins), then do so //
+         /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+         if(filterForAtMostOneRowPerExport)
+         {
+            queryFilter.withCriteria(QContext.getQInstance().getTable(tableName).getPrimaryKeyField(), QCriteriaOperator.EQUALS, 1);
+         }
+
+         ExportInput exportInput = new ExportInput();
+         exportInput.setTableName(tableName);
+         exportInput.setFieldNames(fieldNames);
+         exportInput.setReportDestination(new ReportDestination()
+            .withReportOutputStream(new ByteArrayOutputStream())
+            .withReportFormat(ReportFormat.CSV));
+         exportInput.setQueryFilter(queryFilter);
+         new ExportAction().execute(exportInput);
+      }
+      catch(QException e)
+      {
+         caughtExceptions.put(Pair.of(tableName, description), e);
+      }
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for filterForAtMostOneRowPerExport
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public boolean getFilterForAtMostOneRowPerExport()
+   {
+      return (this.filterForAtMostOneRowPerExport);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Setter for filterForAtMostOneRowPerExport
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void setFilterForAtMostOneRowPerExport(boolean filterForAtMostOneRowPerExport)
+   {
+      this.filterForAtMostOneRowPerExport = filterForAtMostOneRowPerExport;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for filterForAtMostOneRowPerExport
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public ExportsFullInstanceVerifier withFilterForAtMostOneRowPerExport(boolean filterForAtMostOneRowPerExport)
+   {
+      this.filterForAtMostOneRowPerExport = filterForAtMostOneRowPerExport;
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+}

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/reporting/GenerateReportAction.java

@@ -59,12 +59,14 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.reporting.ExportInput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.reporting.ReportFormat;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.reporting.ReportInput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.reporting.ReportOutput;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.QueryHint;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.count.CountInput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.count.CountOutput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.JoinsContext;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.QFilterOrderBy;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.QQueryFilter;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.QueryInput;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.QueryJoin;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.data.QRecord;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.fields.QFieldMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.fields.QFieldType;
@@ -302,7 +304,7 @@ public class GenerateReportAction extends AbstractQActionFunction<ReportInput, R
       {
          if(StringUtils.hasContent(dataSource.getSourceTable()))
          {
-            joinsContext = new JoinsContext(exportInput.getInstance(), dataSource.getSourceTable(), dataSource.getQueryJoins(), dataSource.getQueryFilter());
+            joinsContext = new JoinsContext(QContext.getQInstance(), dataSource.getSourceTable(), cloneDataSourceQueryJoins(dataSource), dataSource.getQueryFilter() == null ? null : dataSource.getQueryFilter().clone());
             countDataSourceRecords(reportInput, dataSource, reportFormat);
          }
       }
@@ -350,7 +352,7 @@ public class GenerateReportAction extends AbstractQActionFunction<ReportInput, R
       CountInput countInput = new CountInput();
       countInput.setTableName(dataSource.getSourceTable());
       countInput.setFilter(queryFilter);
-      countInput.setQueryJoins(dataSource.getQueryJoins());
+      countInput.setQueryJoins(cloneDataSourceQueryJoins(dataSource));
       CountOutput countOutput = new CountAction().execute(countInput);
 
       if(countOutput.getCount() != null)
@@ -368,6 +370,26 @@ public class GenerateReportAction extends AbstractQActionFunction<ReportInput, R
 
 
 
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   private static List<QueryJoin> cloneDataSourceQueryJoins(QReportDataSource dataSource)
+   {
+      if(dataSource == null || dataSource.getQueryJoins() == null)
+      {
+         return (null);
+      }
+
+      List<QueryJoin> rs = new ArrayList<>();
+      for(QueryJoin queryJoin : dataSource.getQueryJoins())
+      {
+         rs.add(queryJoin.clone());
+      }
+      return (rs);
+   }
+
+
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
@@ -416,11 +438,12 @@ public class GenerateReportAction extends AbstractQActionFunction<ReportInput, R
             queryInput.setRecordPipe(recordPipe);
             queryInput.setTableName(dataSource.getSourceTable());
             queryInput.setFilter(queryFilter);
-            queryInput.setQueryJoins(dataSource.getQueryJoins());
-            queryInput.withQueryHint(QueryInput.QueryHint.POTENTIALLY_LARGE_NUMBER_OF_RESULTS);
+            queryInput.setQueryJoins(cloneDataSourceQueryJoins(dataSource));
+            queryInput.withQueryHint(QueryHint.POTENTIALLY_LARGE_NUMBER_OF_RESULTS);
+            queryInput.withQueryHint(QueryHint.MAY_USE_READ_ONLY_BACKEND);
 
             queryInput.setShouldTranslatePossibleValues(true);
-            queryInput.setFieldsToTranslatePossibleValues(setupFieldsToTranslatePossibleValues(reportInput, dataSource, new JoinsContext(reportInput.getInstance(), dataSource.getSourceTable(), dataSource.getQueryJoins(), queryInput.getFilter())));
+            queryInput.setFieldsToTranslatePossibleValues(setupFieldsToTranslatePossibleValues(reportInput, dataSource));
 
             if(dataSource.getQueryInputCustomizer() != null)
             {
@@ -457,7 +480,7 @@ public class GenerateReportAction extends AbstractQActionFunction<ReportInput, R
          if(finalTransformStep != null)
          {
             finalTransformStepInput.setRecords(records);
-            finalTransformStep.run(finalTransformStepInput, finalTransformStepOutput);
+            finalTransformStep.runOnePage(finalTransformStepInput, finalTransformStepOutput);
             records = finalTransformStepOutput.getRecords();
          }
 
@@ -472,7 +495,7 @@ public class GenerateReportAction extends AbstractQActionFunction<ReportInput, R
          }
          consumedCount.getAndAdd(records.size());
 
-         return (consumeRecords(reportInput, dataSource, records, tableView, summaryViews, variantViews));
+         return (consumeRecords(dataSource, records, tableView, summaryViews, variantViews));
       });
 
       ////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -491,7 +514,7 @@ public class GenerateReportAction extends AbstractQActionFunction<ReportInput, R
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
-   private Set<String> setupFieldsToTranslatePossibleValues(ReportInput reportInput, QReportDataSource dataSource, JoinsContext joinsContext) throws QException
+   private Set<String> setupFieldsToTranslatePossibleValues(ReportInput reportInput, QReportDataSource dataSource) throws QException
    {
       Set<String> fieldsToTranslatePossibleValues = new HashSet<>();
 
@@ -557,7 +580,7 @@ public class GenerateReportAction extends AbstractQActionFunction<ReportInput, R
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
-   private void setInputValuesInQueryFilter(ReportInput reportInput, QQueryFilter queryFilter)
+   private void setInputValuesInQueryFilter(ReportInput reportInput, QQueryFilter queryFilter) throws QException
    {
       if(queryFilter == null || queryFilter.getCriteria() == null)
       {
@@ -572,9 +595,9 @@ public class GenerateReportAction extends AbstractQActionFunction<ReportInput, R
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
-   private Integer consumeRecords(ReportInput reportInput, QReportDataSource dataSource, List<QRecord> records, QReportView tableView, List<QReportView> summaryViews, List<QReportView> variantViews) throws QException
+   private Integer consumeRecords(QReportDataSource dataSource, List<QRecord> records, QReportView tableView, List<QReportView> summaryViews, List<QReportView> variantViews) throws QException
    {
-      QTableMetaData table = reportInput.getInstance().getTable(dataSource.getSourceTable());
+      QTableMetaData table = QContext.getQInstance().getTable(dataSource.getSourceTable());
 
       ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
       // if this record goes on a table view, add it to the report streamer now //
@@ -685,7 +708,7 @@ public class GenerateReportAction extends AbstractQActionFunction<ReportInput, R
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
-   private void addRecordToSummaryKeyAggregates(QTableMetaData table, QRecord record, Map<SummaryKey, Map<String, AggregatesInterface<?, ?>>> viewAggregates, SummaryKey key) throws QException
+   private void addRecordToSummaryKeyAggregates(QTableMetaData table, QRecord record, Map<SummaryKey, Map<String, AggregatesInterface<?, ?>>> viewAggregates, SummaryKey key)
    {
       Map<String, AggregatesInterface<?, ?>> keyAggregates = viewAggregates.computeIfAbsent(key, (name) -> new HashMap<>());
       addRecordToAggregatesMap(table, record, keyAggregates);
@@ -696,7 +719,7 @@ public class GenerateReportAction extends AbstractQActionFunction<ReportInput, R
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
-   private void addRecordToAggregatesMap(QTableMetaData table, QRecord record, Map<String, AggregatesInterface<?, ?>> aggregatesMap) throws QException
+   private void addRecordToAggregatesMap(QTableMetaData table, QRecord record, Map<String, AggregatesInterface<?, ?>> aggregatesMap)
    {
       //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
       // todo - an optimization could be, to only compute aggregates that we'll need...   //
@@ -704,7 +727,7 @@ public class GenerateReportAction extends AbstractQActionFunction<ReportInput, R
       //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
       for(String fieldName : record.getValues().keySet())
       {
-         QFieldMetaData field = null;
+         QFieldMetaData field;
          try
          {
             //////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -777,9 +800,14 @@ public class GenerateReportAction extends AbstractQActionFunction<ReportInput, R
       List<QReportView> reportViews = views.stream().filter(v -> v.getType().equals(ReportType.SUMMARY)).toList();
       for(QReportView view : reportViews)
       {
-         QReportDataSource dataSource    = getDataSource(view.getDataSourceName());
-         QTableMetaData    table         = reportInput.getInstance().getTable(dataSource.getSourceTable());
-         SummaryOutput     summaryOutput = computeSummaryRowsForView(reportInput, view, table);
+         QReportDataSource dataSource = getDataSource(view.getDataSourceName());
+         if(dataSource == null)
+         {
+            throw new QReportingException("Data source for summary view was not found (viewName=" + view.getName() + ", dataSourceName=" + view.getDataSourceName() + ").");
+         }
+
+         QTableMetaData table         = QContext.getQInstance().getTable(dataSource.getSourceTable());
+         SummaryOutput  summaryOutput = computeSummaryRowsForView(reportInput, view, table);
 
          ExportInput exportInput = new ExportInput();
          exportInput.setReportDestination(reportInput.getReportDestination());
@@ -865,9 +893,8 @@ public class GenerateReportAction extends AbstractQActionFunction<ReportInput, R
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
-   private SummaryOutput computeSummaryRowsForView(ReportInput reportInput, QReportView view, QTableMetaData table) throws QReportingException, QFormulaException
+   private SummaryOutput computeSummaryRowsForView(ReportInput reportInput, QReportView view, QTableMetaData table) throws QFormulaException
    {
-      QValueFormatter              valueFormatter      = new QValueFormatter();
       QMetaDataVariableInterpreter variableInterpreter = new QMetaDataVariableInterpreter();
       variableInterpreter.addValueMap("input", reportInput.getInputValues());
       variableInterpreter.addValueMap("total", getSummaryValuesForInterpreter(totalAggregates));
@@ -939,10 +966,7 @@ public class GenerateReportAction extends AbstractQActionFunction<ReportInput, R
       //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
       if(CollectionUtils.nullSafeHasContents(view.getOrderByFields()))
       {
-         summaryRows.sort((o1, o2) ->
-         {
-            return summaryRowComparator(view, o1, o2);
-         });
+         summaryRows.sort((o1, o2) -> summaryRowComparator(view, o1, o2));
       }
 
       ////////////////
@@ -977,8 +1001,6 @@ public class GenerateReportAction extends AbstractQActionFunction<ReportInput, R
             Serializable serializable = getValueForColumn(variableInterpreter, column);
             totalRow.setValue(column.getName(), serializable);
             thisRowValues.put(column.getName(), serializable);
-
-            String formatted = valueFormatter.formatValue(column.getDisplayFormat(), serializable);
          }
       }
 
@@ -1001,7 +1023,7 @@ public class GenerateReportAction extends AbstractQActionFunction<ReportInput, R
             titleValues.add(variableInterpreter.interpret(titleField));
          }
 
-         title = new QValueFormatter().formatStringWithValues(view.getTitleFormat(), titleValues);
+         title = QValueFormatter.formatStringWithValues(view.getTitleFormat(), titleValues);
       }
       else if(StringUtils.hasContent(view.getTitleFormat()))
       {

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/reporting/excel/fastexcel/ExcelFastexcelExportStreamer.java

@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ public class ExcelFastexcelExportStreamer implements ExportStreamerInterface
          if(workbook == null)
          {
             String    appName = ObjectUtils.tryAndRequireNonNullElse(() -> QContext.getQInstance().getBranding().getAppName(), "QQQ");
-            QInstance instance = exportInput.getInstance();
+            QInstance instance = QContext.getQInstance();
             if(instance != null && instance.getBranding() != null && instance.getBranding().getCompanyName() != null)
             {
                appName = instance.getBranding().getCompanyName();

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/reporting/excel/poi/StreamedSheetWriter.java

@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ public class StreamedSheetWriter
             }
          }
 
-         Map<String, Integer> m = new HashMap();
+         Map<String, Integer> m = new HashMap<>();
          m.computeIfAbsent("s", (s) -> 3);
 
          value = rs.toString();

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/scripts/ExecuteCodeAction.java

@@ -77,7 +77,6 @@ public class ExecuteCodeAction
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
-   @SuppressWarnings("checkstyle:indentation")
    public void run(ExecuteCodeInput input, ExecuteCodeOutput output) throws QException, QCodeException
    {
       QCodeReference codeReference = input.getCodeReference();

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/scripts/RecordScriptTestInterface.java

@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.scripts;
 
 
 import java.io.Serializable;
+import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.List;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.scripts.logging.BuildScriptLogAndScriptLogLineExecutionLogger;
@@ -97,7 +98,7 @@ public class RecordScriptTestInterface implements TestScriptActionInterface
          }
 
          QueryOutput queryOutput = new QueryAction().execute(new QueryInput(tableName)
-            .withFilter(new QQueryFilter(new QFilterCriteria(table.getPrimaryKeyField(), QCriteriaOperator.IN, recordPrimaryKeyList.split(","))))
+            .withFilter(new QQueryFilter(new QFilterCriteria(table.getPrimaryKeyField(), QCriteriaOperator.IN, Arrays.stream(recordPrimaryKeyList.split(",")).toList())))
             .withIncludeAssociations(true));
          if(CollectionUtils.nullSafeIsEmpty(queryOutput.getRecords()))
          {

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/scripts/RunAdHocRecordScriptAction.java

@@ -154,8 +154,9 @@ public class RunAdHocRecordScriptAction
          Method   qRecordListToApiRecordList = apiScriptUtilsClass.getMethod("qRecordListToApiRecordList", List.class, String.class, String.class, String.class);
          Object   apiRecordList              = qRecordListToApiRecordList.invoke(null, input.getRecordList(), input.getTableName(), scriptRevision.getApiName(), scriptRevision.getApiVersion());
 
-         // noinspection unchecked
-         return (ArrayList<? extends Serializable>) apiRecordList;
+         @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+         ArrayList<? extends Serializable> rs = (ArrayList<? extends Serializable>) apiRecordList;
+         return rs;
       }
       catch(ClassNotFoundException e)
       {

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/scripts/logging/BuildScriptLogAndScriptLogLineExecutionLogger.java

@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ public class BuildScriptLogAndScriptLogLineExecutionLogger implements QCodeExecu
    protected QRecord buildDetailLogRecord(String logLine)
    {
       return (new QRecord()
-         .withValue("scriptLogId", scriptLog.getValue("id"))
+         .withValue("scriptLogId", scriptLog == null ? null : scriptLog.getValue("id"))
          .withValue("timestamp", Instant.now())
          .withValue("text", truncate(logLine)));
    }
@@ -145,6 +145,14 @@ public class BuildScriptLogAndScriptLogLineExecutionLogger implements QCodeExecu
       {
          this.executeCodeInput = executeCodeInput;
          this.scriptLog = buildHeaderRecord(executeCodeInput);
+
+         if(scriptLogLines != null)
+         {
+            for(QRecord scriptLogLine : scriptLogLines)
+            {
+               scriptLogLine.setValue("scriptLogId", scriptLog.getValue("id"));
+            }
+         }
       }
       catch(Exception e)
       {

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/tables/AggregateAction.java

@@ -22,9 +22,12 @@
 package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.tables;
 
 
+import java.util.Collections;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.ActionHelper;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.interfaces.AggregateInterface;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.tables.helpers.QueryStatManager;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.values.ValueBehaviorApplier;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.context.QContext;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.QLogger;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.aggregate.AggregateInput;
@@ -58,6 +61,11 @@ public class AggregateAction
       QTableMetaData   table   = aggregateInput.getTable();
       QBackendMetaData backend = aggregateInput.getBackend();
 
+      ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      // apply any available field behaviors to the filter (noting that, if anything changes, a new filter is returned) //
+      ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      aggregateInput.setFilter(ValueBehaviorApplier.applyFieldBehaviorsToFilter(QContext.getQInstance(), table, aggregateInput.getFilter(), Collections.emptySet()));
+
       QueryStat queryStat = QueryStatManager.newQueryStat(backend, table, aggregateInput.getFilter());
 
       QBackendModuleDispatcher qBackendModuleDispatcher = new QBackendModuleDispatcher();
@@ -67,6 +75,10 @@ public class AggregateAction
       aggregateInterface.setQueryStat(queryStat);
       AggregateOutput aggregateOutput = aggregateInterface.execute(aggregateInput);
 
+      // todo, maybe, not real important? ValueBehaviorApplier.applyFieldBehaviors(ValueBehaviorApplier.Action.READ, QContext.getQInstance(), table, aggregateOutput.getResults(), null);
+      //  issue being, the signature there... it takes a list of QRecords, which aren't what we have...
+      //  do we want to ... idk, refactor all these behavior deals?  hmm... maybe a new interface/ for ones that do reads?  not sure.
+
       QueryStatManager.getInstance().add(queryStat);
 
       return aggregateOutput;

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/tables/CountAction.java

@@ -22,9 +22,12 @@
 package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.tables;
 
 
+import java.util.Collections;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.ActionHelper;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.interfaces.CountInterface;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.tables.helpers.QueryStatManager;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.values.ValueBehaviorApplier;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.context.QContext;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.QLogger;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.count.CountInput;
@@ -58,6 +61,11 @@ public class CountAction
       QTableMetaData   table   = countInput.getTable();
       QBackendMetaData backend = countInput.getBackend();
 
+      ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      // apply any available field behaviors to the filter (noting that, if anything changes, a new filter is returned) //
+      ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      countInput.setFilter(ValueBehaviorApplier.applyFieldBehaviorsToFilter(QContext.getQInstance(), table, countInput.getFilter(), Collections.emptySet()));
+
       QueryStat queryStat = QueryStatManager.newQueryStat(backend, table, countInput.getFilter());
 
       QBackendModuleDispatcher qBackendModuleDispatcher = new QBackendModuleDispatcher();

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/tables/GetAction.java

@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.tables;
 
 
 import java.io.Serializable;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Optional;
@@ -34,8 +36,10 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.interfaces.GetInterface;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.tables.helpers.GetActionCacheHelper;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.values.QPossibleValueTranslator;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.values.QValueFormatter;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.values.ValueBehaviorApplier;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.context.QContext;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.QLogger;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.get.GetInput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.get.GetOutput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.QCriteriaOperator;
@@ -45,11 +49,16 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.QueryInput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.QueryOutput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.data.QRecord;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.fields.AdornmentType;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.fields.FieldBehavior;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.fields.FieldFilterBehavior;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.fields.QFieldMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.tables.QTableMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.modules.backend.QBackendModuleDispatcher;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.modules.backend.QBackendModuleInterface;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.CollectionUtils;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.ObjectUtils;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.Pair;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.memoization.Memoization;
 
 
 /*******************************************************************************
@@ -58,20 +67,14 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.ObjectUtils;
  *******************************************************************************/
 public class GetAction
 {
+   private static final QLogger LOG = QLogger.getLogger(GetAction.class);
+
    private Optional<TableCustomizerInterface> postGetRecordCustomizer;
 
    private GetInput                 getInput;
    private QPossibleValueTranslator qPossibleValueTranslator;
 
-
-
-   /*******************************************************************************
-    **
-    *******************************************************************************/
-   public QRecord executeForRecord(GetInput getInput) throws QException
-   {
-      return (execute(getInput).getRecord());
-   }
+   private Memoization<Pair<String, String>, List<FieldFilterBehavior<?>>> getFieldFilterBehaviorMemoization = new Memoization<>();
 
 
 
@@ -108,13 +111,15 @@ public class GetAction
       }
 
       GetOutput getOutput;
-      boolean usingDefaultGetInterface = false;
+      boolean   usingDefaultGetInterface = false;
       if(getInterface == null)
       {
          getInterface = new DefaultGetInterface();
          usingDefaultGetInterface = true;
       }
 
+      getInput = applyFieldBehaviors(getInput);
+
       getInterface.validateInput(getInput);
       getOutput = getInterface.execute(getInput);
 
@@ -140,6 +145,119 @@ public class GetAction
 
 
 
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   private GetInput applyFieldBehaviors(GetInput getInput)
+   {
+      QTableMetaData table = getInput.getTable();
+
+      try
+      {
+         if(getInput.getPrimaryKey() != null)
+         {
+            ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            // if the input has a primary key, get its behaviors, then apply, and update the pkey in the input if the value is different //
+            ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            List<FieldFilterBehavior<?>> fieldFilterBehaviors = getFieldFilterBehaviors(table, table.getPrimaryKeyField());
+            for(FieldFilterBehavior<?> fieldFilterBehavior : CollectionUtils.nonNullList(fieldFilterBehaviors))
+            {
+               QFilterCriteria pkeyCriteria    = new QFilterCriteria(table.getPrimaryKeyField(), QCriteriaOperator.EQUALS, getInput.getPrimaryKey());
+               QFilterCriteria updatedCriteria = ValueBehaviorApplier.apply(pkeyCriteria, QContext.getQInstance(), table, table.getField(table.getPrimaryKeyField()), fieldFilterBehavior);
+               if(updatedCriteria != pkeyCriteria)
+               {
+                  getInput.setPrimaryKey(updatedCriteria.getValues().get(0));
+               }
+            }
+         }
+         else if(getInput.getUniqueKey() != null)
+         {
+            ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            // if the input has a unique key, get its behaviors, then apply, and update the ukey values in the input if any are different //
+            ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            Map<String, Serializable> updatedUniqueKey = new HashMap<>(getInput.getUniqueKey());
+            for(String fieldName : getInput.getUniqueKey().keySet())
+            {
+               List<FieldFilterBehavior<?>> fieldFilterBehaviors = getFieldFilterBehaviors(table, fieldName);
+               for(FieldFilterBehavior<?> fieldFilterBehavior : CollectionUtils.nonNullList(fieldFilterBehaviors))
+               {
+                  QFilterCriteria ukeyCriteria    = new QFilterCriteria(fieldName, QCriteriaOperator.EQUALS, updatedUniqueKey.get(fieldName));
+                  QFilterCriteria updatedCriteria = ValueBehaviorApplier.apply(ukeyCriteria, QContext.getQInstance(), table, table.getField(table.getPrimaryKeyField()), fieldFilterBehavior);
+                  updatedUniqueKey.put(fieldName, updatedCriteria.getValues().get(0));
+               }
+            }
+            getInput.setUniqueKey(updatedUniqueKey);
+         }
+      }
+      catch(Exception e)
+      {
+         LOG.warn("Error applying field behaviors to get input - will run with original inputs", e);
+      }
+
+      return (getInput);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   private List<FieldFilterBehavior<?>> getFieldFilterBehaviors(QTableMetaData tableMetaData, String fieldName)
+   {
+      Pair<String, String> key = new Pair<>(tableMetaData.getName(), fieldName);
+      return getFieldFilterBehaviorMemoization.getResult(key, (p) ->
+      {
+         List<FieldFilterBehavior<?>> rs = new ArrayList<>();
+         for(FieldBehavior<?> fieldBehavior : CollectionUtils.nonNullCollection(tableMetaData.getFields().get(fieldName).getBehaviors()))
+         {
+            if(fieldBehavior instanceof FieldFilterBehavior<?> fieldFilterBehavior)
+            {
+               rs.add(fieldFilterBehavior);
+            }
+         }
+         return (rs);
+      }).orElse(null);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** shorthand way to call for the most common use-case, when you just want the
+    ** output record to be returned.
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public QRecord executeForRecord(GetInput getInput) throws QException
+   {
+      return (execute(getInput).getRecord());
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** more shorthand way to call for the most common use-case, when you just want the
+    ** output record to be returned, and you just want to pass in a table name and primary key.
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public static QRecord execute(String tableName, Serializable primaryKey) throws QException
+   {
+      GetAction getAction = new GetAction();
+      GetInput  getInput  = new GetInput(tableName).withPrimaryKey(primaryKey);
+      return getAction.executeForRecord(getInput);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** more shorthand way to call for the most common use-case, when you just want the
+    ** output record to be returned, and you just want to pass in a table name and unique key
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public static QRecord execute(String tableName, Map<String, Serializable> uniqueKey) throws QException
+   {
+      GetAction getAction = new GetAction();
+      GetInput  getInput  = new GetInput(tableName).withUniqueKey(uniqueKey);
+      return getAction.executeForRecord(getInput);
+   }
+
+
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Run a GetAction by using the QueryAction instead (e.g., with a filter made
     ** from the pkey/ukey, and returning the single record if found).
@@ -228,11 +346,13 @@ public class GetAction
          returnRecord = postGetRecordCustomizer.get().postQuery(getInput, List.of(record)).get(0);
       }
 
+      ValueBehaviorApplier.applyFieldBehaviors(ValueBehaviorApplier.Action.READ, QContext.getQInstance(), getInput.getTable(), List.of(record), null);
+
       if(getInput.getShouldTranslatePossibleValues())
       {
          if(qPossibleValueTranslator == null)
          {
-            qPossibleValueTranslator = new QPossibleValueTranslator(getInput.getInstance(), getInput.getSession());
+            qPossibleValueTranslator = new QPossibleValueTranslator(QContext.getQInstance(), QContext.getQSession());
          }
          qPossibleValueTranslator.translatePossibleValuesInRecords(getInput.getTable(), List.of(returnRecord));
       }

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/tables/InsertAction.java

@@ -227,6 +227,11 @@ public class InsertAction extends AbstractQActionFunction<InsertInput, InsertOut
     *******************************************************************************/
    public void performValidations(InsertInput insertInput, boolean isPreview) throws QException
    {
+      if(CollectionUtils.nullSafeIsEmpty(insertInput.getRecords()))
+      {
+         return;
+      }
+
       QTableMetaData table = insertInput.getTable();
 
       ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -241,7 +246,7 @@ public class InsertAction extends AbstractQActionFunction<InsertInput, InsertOut
 
       setDefaultValuesInRecords(table, insertInput.getRecords());
 
-      ValueBehaviorApplier.applyFieldBehaviors(ValueBehaviorApplier.Action.INSERT, insertInput.getInstance(), table, insertInput.getRecords(), null);
+      ValueBehaviorApplier.applyFieldBehaviors(ValueBehaviorApplier.Action.INSERT, QContext.getQInstance(), table, insertInput.getRecords(), null);
 
       runPreInsertCustomizerIfItIsTime(insertInput, isPreview, preInsertCustomizer, AbstractPreInsertCustomizer.WhenToRun.BEFORE_UNIQUE_KEY_CHECKS);
       setErrorsIfUniqueKeyErrors(insertInput, table);

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/tables/QueryAction.java

@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.tables;
 import java.io.Serializable;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.tables.helpers.QueryActionCacheHel
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.tables.helpers.QueryStatManager;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.values.QPossibleValueTranslator;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.values.QValueFormatter;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.values.ValueBehaviorApplier;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.context.QContext;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.QLogger;
@@ -117,6 +119,11 @@ public class QueryAction
          }
       }
 
+      ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      // apply any available field behaviors to the filter (noting that, if anything changes, a new filter is returned) //
+      ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      queryInput.setFilter(ValueBehaviorApplier.applyFieldBehaviorsToFilter(QContext.getQInstance(), table, queryInput.getFilter(), Collections.emptySet()));
+
       QueryStat queryStat = QueryStatManager.newQueryStat(backend, table, queryInput.getFilter());
 
       QBackendModuleDispatcher qBackendModuleDispatcher = new QBackendModuleDispatcher();
@@ -151,6 +158,22 @@ public class QueryAction
 
 
 
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** shorthand way to call for the most common use-case, when you just want the
+    ** records to be returned, and you just want to pass in a table name and filter.
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public static List<QRecord> execute(String tableName, QQueryFilter filter) throws QException
+   {
+      QueryAction queryAction = new QueryAction();
+      QueryInput  queryInput  = new QueryInput();
+      queryInput.setTableName(tableName);
+      queryInput.setFilter(filter);
+      QueryOutput queryOutput = queryAction.execute(queryInput);
+      return (queryOutput.getRecords());
+   }
+
+
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
@@ -268,11 +291,13 @@ public class QueryAction
          records = postQueryRecordCustomizer.get().postQuery(queryInput, records);
       }
 
+      ValueBehaviorApplier.applyFieldBehaviors(ValueBehaviorApplier.Action.READ, QContext.getQInstance(), queryInput.getTable(), records, null);
+
       if(queryInput.getShouldTranslatePossibleValues())
       {
          if(qPossibleValueTranslator == null)
          {
-            qPossibleValueTranslator = new QPossibleValueTranslator(queryInput.getInstance(), queryInput.getSession());
+            qPossibleValueTranslator = new QPossibleValueTranslator(QContext.getQInstance(), QContext.getQSession());
          }
          qPossibleValueTranslator.translatePossibleValuesInRecords(queryInput.getTable(), records, queryInput.getQueryJoins(), queryInput.getFieldsToTranslatePossibleValues());
       }

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/tables/ReplaceAction.java

@@ -157,6 +157,17 @@ public class ReplaceAction extends AbstractQActionFunction<ReplaceInput, Replace
             output.setDeleteOutput(deleteOutput);
          }
 
+         if(input.getSetPrimaryKeyInInsertedRecords())
+         {
+            for(int i = 0; i < insertList.size(); i++)
+            {
+               if(i < insertOutput.getRecords().size())
+               {
+                  insertList.get(i).setValue(primaryKeyField, insertOutput.getRecords().get(i).getValue(primaryKeyField));
+               }
+            }
+         }
+
          if(weOwnTheTransaction)
          {
             transaction.commit();

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/tables/UpdateAction.java

@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.tables;
 
 import java.io.Serializable;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
@@ -251,7 +252,7 @@ public class UpdateAction
          behaviorsToOmit = Set.of(DynamicDefaultValueBehavior.MODIFY_DATE);
       }
 
-      ValueBehaviorApplier.applyFieldBehaviors(ValueBehaviorApplier.Action.UPDATE, updateInput.getInstance(), table, updateInput.getRecords(), behaviorsToOmit);
+      ValueBehaviorApplier.applyFieldBehaviors(ValueBehaviorApplier.Action.UPDATE, QContext.getQInstance(), table, updateInput.getRecords(), behaviorsToOmit);
       validatePrimaryKeysAreGiven(updateInput);
 
       if(oldRecordList.isPresent())
@@ -335,6 +336,9 @@ public class UpdateAction
       QTableMetaData table           = updateInput.getTable();
       QFieldMetaData primaryKeyField = table.getField(table.getPrimaryKeyField());
 
+      /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      // todo - evolve to use lock tree (e.g., from multi-locks) //
+      /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
       List<RecordSecurityLock> onlyWriteLocks = RecordSecurityLockFilters.filterForOnlyWriteLocks(CollectionUtils.nonNullList(table.getRecordSecurityLocks()));
 
       for(List<QRecord> page : CollectionUtils.getPages(updateInput.getRecords(), 1000))
@@ -395,7 +399,7 @@ public class UpdateAction
                   QFieldType   fieldType = table.getField(lock.getFieldName()).getType();
                   Serializable lockValue = ValueUtils.getValueAsFieldType(fieldType, oldRecord.getValue(lock.getFieldName()));
 
-                  List<QErrorMessage> errors = ValidateRecordSecurityLockHelper.validateRecordSecurityValue(table, lock, lockValue, fieldType, ValidateRecordSecurityLockHelper.Action.UPDATE);
+                  List<QErrorMessage> errors = ValidateRecordSecurityLockHelper.validateRecordSecurityValue(table, lock, lockValue, fieldType, ValidateRecordSecurityLockHelper.Action.UPDATE, Collections.emptyMap());
                   if(CollectionUtils.nullSafeHasContents(errors))
                   {
                      errors.forEach(e -> record.addError(e));

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/tables/helpers/ActionTimeoutHelper.java

@@ -23,8 +23,10 @@ package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.tables.helpers;
 
 
 import java.util.concurrent.Executors;
+import java.util.concurrent.ScheduledExecutorService;
 import java.util.concurrent.ScheduledFuture;
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.PrefixedDefaultThreadFactory;
 
 
 /*******************************************************************************
@@ -50,6 +52,9 @@ public class ActionTimeoutHelper
 
    private boolean didTimeout = false;
 
+   private static Integer                  CORE_THREADS             = 10;
+   private static ScheduledExecutorService scheduledExecutorService = Executors.newScheduledThreadPool(CORE_THREADS, new PrefixedDefaultThreadFactory(ActionTimeoutHelper.class));
+
 
 
    /*******************************************************************************
@@ -75,7 +80,7 @@ public class ActionTimeoutHelper
          return;
       }
 
-      future = Executors.newSingleThreadScheduledExecutor().schedule(() ->
+      future = scheduledExecutorService.schedule(() ->
       {
          didTimeout = true;
          runnable.run();

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/tables/helpers/QueryStatManager.java

@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.session.QSession;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.tables.QQQTable;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.tables.QQQTablesMetaDataProvider;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.CollectionUtils;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.PrefixedDefaultThreadFactory;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.StringUtils;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.collections.MapBuilder;
 import static com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.LogUtils.logPair;
@@ -176,7 +177,7 @@ public class QueryStatManager
       active = true;
       queryStats = new ArrayList<>();
 
-      executorService = Executors.newSingleThreadScheduledExecutor();
+      executorService = Executors.newSingleThreadScheduledExecutor(new PrefixedDefaultThreadFactory(this));
       executorService.scheduleAtFixedRate(new QueryStatManagerInsertJob(), jobInitialDelay, jobPeriodSeconds, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
    }
 
@@ -214,71 +215,78 @@ public class QueryStatManager
     *******************************************************************************/
    public void add(QueryStat queryStat)
    {
-      if(queryStat == null)
+      try
       {
-         return;
-      }
-
-      if(active)
-      {
-         ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-         // set fields that we need to capture now (rather than when the thread to store runs) //
-         ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-         if(queryStat.getFirstResultTimestamp() == null)
+         if(queryStat == null)
          {
-            queryStat.setFirstResultTimestamp(Instant.now());
-         }
-
-         if(queryStat.getStartTimestamp() != null && queryStat.getFirstResultTimestamp() != null && queryStat.getFirstResultMillis() == null)
-         {
-            long millis = queryStat.getFirstResultTimestamp().toEpochMilli() - queryStat.getStartTimestamp().toEpochMilli();
-            queryStat.setFirstResultMillis((int) millis);
-         }
-
-         if(queryStat.getFirstResultMillis() != null && queryStat.getFirstResultMillis() < minMillisToStore)
-         {
-            //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-            // discard this record if it's under the min millis setting //
-            //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
             return;
          }
 
-         if(queryStat.getSessionId() == null && QContext.getQSession() != null)
+         if(active)
          {
-            queryStat.setSessionId(QContext.getQSession().getUuid());
-         }
-
-         if(queryStat.getAction() == null)
-         {
-            if(!QContext.getActionStack().isEmpty())
+            ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            // set fields that we need to capture now (rather than when the thread to store runs) //
+            ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            if(queryStat.getFirstResultTimestamp() == null)
             {
-               queryStat.setAction(QContext.getActionStack().peek().getActionIdentity());
+               queryStat.setFirstResultTimestamp(Instant.now());
             }
-            else
+
+            if(queryStat.getStartTimestamp() != null && queryStat.getFirstResultTimestamp() != null && queryStat.getFirstResultMillis() == null)
             {
-               boolean   expected = false;
-               Exception e        = new Exception("Unexpected empty action stack");
-               for(StackTraceElement stackTraceElement : e.getStackTrace())
+               long millis = queryStat.getFirstResultTimestamp().toEpochMilli() - queryStat.getStartTimestamp().toEpochMilli();
+               queryStat.setFirstResultMillis((int) millis);
+            }
+
+            if(queryStat.getFirstResultMillis() != null && queryStat.getFirstResultMillis() < minMillisToStore)
+            {
+               //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+               // discard this record if it's under the min millis setting //
+               //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+               return;
+            }
+
+            if(queryStat.getSessionId() == null && QContext.getQSession() != null)
+            {
+               queryStat.setSessionId(QContext.getQSession().getUuid());
+            }
+
+            if(queryStat.getAction() == null)
+            {
+               if(QContext.getActionStack() != null && !QContext.getActionStack().isEmpty())
                {
-                  String className = stackTraceElement.getClassName();
-                  if(className.contains(QueryStatManagerInsertJob.class.getName()))
+                  queryStat.setAction(QContext.getActionStack().peek().getActionIdentity());
+               }
+               else
+               {
+                  boolean   expected = false;
+                  Exception e        = new Exception("Unexpected empty action stack");
+                  for(StackTraceElement stackTraceElement : e.getStackTrace())
                   {
-                     expected = true;
-                     break;
+                     String className = stackTraceElement.getClassName();
+                     if(className.contains(QueryStatManagerInsertJob.class.getName()))
+                     {
+                        expected = true;
+                        break;
+                     }
+                  }
+
+                  if(!expected)
+                  {
+                     LOG.debug(e);
                   }
                }
+            }
 
-               if(!expected)
-               {
-                  LOG.debug(e);
-               }
+            synchronized(this)
+            {
+               queryStats.add(queryStat);
             }
          }
-
-         synchronized(this)
-         {
-            queryStats.add(queryStat);
-         }
+      }
+      catch(Exception e)
+      {
+         LOG.debug("Error adding query stat", e);
       }
    }
 

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/tables/helpers/ValidateRecordSecurityLockHelper.java

@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ public class ValidateRecordSecurityLockHelper
       // actually check lock values //
       ////////////////////////////////
       Map<Serializable, RecordWithErrors> errorRecords = new HashMap<>();
-      evaluateRecordLocks(table, records, action, locksToCheck, errorRecords, new ArrayList<>());
+      evaluateRecordLocks(table, records, action, locksToCheck, errorRecords, new ArrayList<>(), madeUpPrimaryKeys);
 
       /////////////////////////////////
       // propagate errors to records //
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ public class ValidateRecordSecurityLockHelper
     ** BUT - WRITE locks - in their case, we read the record no matter what, and in
     ** here we need to verify we have a key that allows us to WRITE the record.
     *******************************************************************************/
-   private static void evaluateRecordLocks(QTableMetaData table, List<QRecord> records, Action action, RecordSecurityLock recordSecurityLock, Map<Serializable, RecordWithErrors> errorRecords, List<Integer> treePosition) throws QException
+   private static void evaluateRecordLocks(QTableMetaData table, List<QRecord> records, Action action, RecordSecurityLock recordSecurityLock, Map<Serializable, RecordWithErrors> errorRecords, List<Integer> treePosition, Map<Serializable, QRecord> madeUpPrimaryKeys) throws QException
    {
       if(recordSecurityLock instanceof MultiRecordSecurityLock multiRecordSecurityLock)
       {
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ public class ValidateRecordSecurityLockHelper
          for(RecordSecurityLock childLock : CollectionUtils.nonNullList(multiRecordSecurityLock.getLocks()))
          {
             treePosition.add(i);
-            evaluateRecordLocks(table, records, action, childLock, errorRecords, treePosition);
+            evaluateRecordLocks(table, records, action, childLock, errorRecords, treePosition, madeUpPrimaryKeys);
             treePosition.remove(treePosition.size() - 1);
             i++;
          }
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ public class ValidateRecordSecurityLockHelper
             }
 
             Serializable        recordSecurityValue = record.getValue(field.getName());
-            List<QErrorMessage> recordErrors        = validateRecordSecurityValue(table, recordSecurityLock, recordSecurityValue, field.getType(), action);
+            List<QErrorMessage> recordErrors        = validateRecordSecurityValue(table, recordSecurityLock, recordSecurityValue, field.getType(), action, madeUpPrimaryKeys);
             if(CollectionUtils.nullSafeHasContents(recordErrors))
             {
                errorRecords.computeIfAbsent(record.getValue(primaryKeyField), (k) -> new RecordWithErrors(record)).addAll(recordErrors, treePosition);
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@ public class ValidateRecordSecurityLockHelper
 
                   for(QRecord inputRecord : inputRecords)
                   {
-                     List<QErrorMessage> recordErrors = validateRecordSecurityValue(table, recordSecurityLock, recordSecurityValue, field.getType(), action);
+                     List<QErrorMessage> recordErrors = validateRecordSecurityValue(table, recordSecurityLock, recordSecurityValue, field.getType(), action, madeUpPrimaryKeys);
                      if(CollectionUtils.nullSafeHasContents(recordErrors))
                      {
                         errorRecords.computeIfAbsent(inputRecord.getValue(primaryKeyField), (k) -> new RecordWithErrors(inputRecord)).addAll(recordErrors, treePosition);
@@ -370,14 +370,14 @@ public class ValidateRecordSecurityLockHelper
    {
       String                     primaryKeyField   = table.getPrimaryKeyField();
       Map<Serializable, QRecord> madeUpPrimaryKeys = new HashMap<>();
-      Integer                    madeUpPrimaryKey  = -1;
+      Integer                    madeUpPrimaryKey  = Integer.MIN_VALUE / 2;
       for(QRecord record : records)
       {
          if(record.getValue(primaryKeyField) == null)
          {
             madeUpPrimaryKeys.put(madeUpPrimaryKey, record);
             record.setValue(primaryKeyField, madeUpPrimaryKey);
-            madeUpPrimaryKey--;
+            madeUpPrimaryKey++;
          }
       }
       return madeUpPrimaryKeys;
@@ -390,7 +390,6 @@ public class ValidateRecordSecurityLockHelper
     ** MultiRecordSecurityLock, with only the appropriate lock-scopes being included
     ** (e.g., read-locks for selects, write-locks for insert/update/delete).
     *******************************************************************************/
-   @SuppressWarnings("checkstyle:Indentation")
    static MultiRecordSecurityLock getRecordSecurityLocks(QTableMetaData table, Action action)
    {
       List<RecordSecurityLock> allLocksOnTable = CollectionUtils.nonNullList(table.getRecordSecurityLocks());
@@ -403,10 +402,13 @@ public class ValidateRecordSecurityLockHelper
 
       if(action.equals(Action.UPDATE))
       {
-         ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-         // when doing an update, convert all OR's to AND's... //
-         ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-         updateOperators(locksOfType, MultiRecordSecurityLock.BooleanOperator.AND);
+         ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+         // todo at some point this seemed right, but now it doesn't - needs work. //
+         ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+         // ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+         // // when doing an update, convert all OR's to AND's... //
+         // ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+         // updateOperators(locksOfType, MultiRecordSecurityLock.BooleanOperator.AND);
       }
 
       ////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -442,9 +444,9 @@ public class ValidateRecordSecurityLockHelper
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
-   public static List<QErrorMessage> validateRecordSecurityValue(QTableMetaData table, RecordSecurityLock recordSecurityLock, Serializable recordSecurityValue, QFieldType fieldType, Action action)
+   public static List<QErrorMessage> validateRecordSecurityValue(QTableMetaData table, RecordSecurityLock recordSecurityLock, Serializable recordSecurityValue, QFieldType fieldType, Action action, Map<Serializable, QRecord> madeUpPrimaryKeys)
    {
-      if(recordSecurityValue == null)
+      if(recordSecurityValue == null || (madeUpPrimaryKeys != null && madeUpPrimaryKeys.containsKey(recordSecurityValue)))
       {
          /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
          // handle null values - error if the NullValueBehavior is DENY //

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/values/QPossibleValueTranslator.java

@@ -32,13 +32,12 @@ import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Objects;
 import java.util.Set;
-import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.QBackendTransaction;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.customizers.QCodeLoader;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.tables.QueryAction;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.context.QContext;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QValueException;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.QLogger;
-import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.insert.InsertInput;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.QueryHint;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.QCriteriaOperator;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.QFilterCriteria;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.QQueryFilter;
@@ -78,44 +77,6 @@ public class QPossibleValueTranslator
 
    private int maxSizePerPvsCache = 50_000;
 
-   private Map<String, QBackendTransaction> transactionsPerTable = new HashMap<>();
-
-   // todo not commit - remove instance & session - use Context
-
-
-   boolean useTransactionsAsConnectionPool = false;
-
-
-
-   /*******************************************************************************
-    **
-    *******************************************************************************/
-   private QBackendTransaction getTransaction(String tableName)
-   {
-      /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-      // mmm, this does cut down on connections used -           //
-      // especially seems helpful in big exports.                //
-      // but, let's just start using connection pools instead... //
-      /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-      if(useTransactionsAsConnectionPool)
-      {
-         try
-         {
-            if(!transactionsPerTable.containsKey(tableName))
-            {
-               transactionsPerTable.put(tableName, QBackendTransaction.openFor(new InsertInput(tableName)));
-            }
-
-            return (transactionsPerTable.get(tableName));
-         }
-         catch(Exception e)
-         {
-            LOG.warn("Error opening transaction for table", logPair("tableName", tableName));
-         }
-      }
-
-      return null;
-   }
 
 
    /*******************************************************************************
@@ -421,7 +382,6 @@ public class QPossibleValueTranslator
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
-   @SuppressWarnings("checkstyle:Indentation")
    private String doFormatPossibleValue(String formatString, List<String> valueFields, Object id, String label)
    {
       List<Object> values = new ArrayList<>();
@@ -601,7 +561,7 @@ public class QPossibleValueTranslator
             QueryInput queryInput = new QueryInput();
             queryInput.setTableName(tableName);
             queryInput.setFilter(new QQueryFilter().withCriteria(new QFilterCriteria(idField, QCriteriaOperator.IN, page)));
-            queryInput.setTransaction(getTransaction(tableName));
+            queryInput.hasQueryHint(QueryHint.MAY_USE_READ_ONLY_BACKEND);
 
             /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
             // when querying for possible values, we do want to generate their display values, which makes record labels, which are usually used as PVS labels //

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/values/QValueFormatter.java

@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ public class QValueFormatter
     *******************************************************************************/
    public static String formatValue(QFieldMetaData field, Serializable value)
    {
-      return (formatValue(field.getDisplayFormat(), field.getName(), value));
+      return (formatValue(field.getDisplayFormat(), field.getType(), field.getName(), value));
    }
 
 
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ public class QValueFormatter
     *******************************************************************************/
    public static String formatValue(String displayFormat, Serializable value)
    {
-      return (formatValue(displayFormat, "", value));
+      return (formatValue(displayFormat, null, "", value));
    }
 
 
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ public class QValueFormatter
     ** For a display format string, an optional fieldName (only used for logging),
     ** and a value, apply the format.
     *******************************************************************************/
-   private static String formatValue(String displayFormat, String fieldName, Serializable value)
+   private static String formatValue(String displayFormat, QFieldType fieldType, String fieldName, Serializable value)
    {
       //////////////////////////////////
       // null values get null results //
@@ -107,6 +107,11 @@ public class QValueFormatter
             return formatBoolean(b);
          }
 
+         if(QFieldType.BOOLEAN.equals(fieldType))
+         {
+            return formatBoolean(ValueUtils.getValueAsBoolean(value));
+         }
+
          if(value instanceof LocalTime lt)
          {
             return formatLocalTime(lt);
@@ -404,6 +409,7 @@ public class QValueFormatter
    }
 
 
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** For a single record, set its display values - where caller (meant to stay private)
     ** can specify if they've already done fieldBehaviors (to avoid re-doing).
@@ -563,6 +569,7 @@ public class QValueFormatter
             /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
             // heavy fields that weren't fetched - they should have a backend-detail specifying their length (or null if null) //
             /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
             Map<String, Serializable> heavyFieldLengths = (Map<String, Serializable>) record.getBackendDetail(QRecord.BACKEND_DETAILS_TYPE_HEAVY_FIELD_LENGTHS);
             if(heavyFieldLengths != null)
             {

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/values/SearchPossibleValueSourceAction.java

@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Objects;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.customizers.QCodeLoader;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.tables.QueryAction;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.context.QContext;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.QLogger;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.QCriteriaOperator;
@@ -69,14 +70,14 @@ public class SearchPossibleValueSourceAction
     *******************************************************************************/
    public SearchPossibleValueSourceOutput execute(SearchPossibleValueSourceInput input) throws QException
    {
-      QInstance            qInstance           = input.getInstance();
+      QInstance            qInstance           = QContext.getQInstance();
       QPossibleValueSource possibleValueSource = qInstance.getPossibleValueSource(input.getPossibleValueSourceName());
       if(possibleValueSource == null)
       {
          throw new QException("Missing possible value source named [" + input.getPossibleValueSourceName() + "]");
       }
 
-      possibleValueTranslator = new QPossibleValueTranslator(input.getInstance(), input.getSession());
+      possibleValueTranslator = new QPossibleValueTranslator(QContext.getQInstance(), QContext.getQSession());
       SearchPossibleValueSourceOutput output = null;
       if(possibleValueSource.getType().equals(QPossibleValueSourceType.ENUM))
       {
@@ -199,7 +200,7 @@ public class SearchPossibleValueSourceAction
       QueryInput queryInput = new QueryInput();
       queryInput.setTableName(possibleValueSource.getTableName());
 
-      QTableMetaData table = input.getInstance().getTable(possibleValueSource.getTableName());
+      QTableMetaData table = QContext.getQInstance().getTable(possibleValueSource.getTableName());
 
       QQueryFilter queryFilter = new QQueryFilter();
       queryFilter.setBooleanOperator(QQueryFilter.BooleanOperator.OR);
@@ -299,6 +300,7 @@ public class SearchPossibleValueSourceAction
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
+   @SuppressWarnings({ "rawtypes", "unchecked" })
    private SearchPossibleValueSourceOutput searchPossibleValueCustom(SearchPossibleValueSourceInput input, QPossibleValueSource possibleValueSource)
    {
       try

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/values/ValueBehaviorApplier.java

@@ -22,12 +22,18 @@
 package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.values;
 
 
+import java.io.Serializable;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Objects;
 import java.util.Set;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.QFilterCriteria;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.QQueryFilter;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.data.QRecord;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.QInstance;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.fields.FieldBehavior;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.fields.FieldDisplayBehavior;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.fields.FieldFilterBehavior;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.fields.QFieldMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.tables.QTableMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.CollectionUtils;
@@ -46,6 +52,7 @@ public class ValueBehaviorApplier
    {
       INSERT,
       UPDATE,
+      READ,
       FORMATTING
    }
 
@@ -97,4 +104,169 @@ public class ValueBehaviorApplier
       }
    }
 
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** apply field behaviors (of FieldFilterBehavior type) to a QQueryFilter.
+    ** note that, we don't like to ever edit a QQueryFilter itself (e.g., as it might
+    ** have come from meta-data, or it might have some immutable structures in it).
+    ** So, if any changes are needed, they'll be returned in a clone.
+    ** So, either way, you should use this method like:
+    *
+    ** QQueryFilter myFilter = // wherever I got my filter from
+    ** myFilter = ValueBehaviorApplier.applyFieldBehaviorsToFilter(QContext.getInstance, table, myFilter, null);
+    ** // e.g., always re-assign over top of your filter.
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public static QQueryFilter applyFieldBehaviorsToFilter(QInstance instance, QTableMetaData table, QQueryFilter filter, Set<FieldBehavior<?>> behaviorsToOmit)
+   {
+      ////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      // for null or empty filter, return the input //
+      ////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      if(filter == null || !filter.hasAnyCriteria())
+      {
+         return (filter);
+      }
+
+      ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      // track if we need to make & return a clone.                    //
+      // which will be the case if we get back any different criteria, //
+      // or any different sub-filters, than what we originally had.    //
+      ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      boolean needToUseClone = false;
+
+      ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      // make a new criteria list, and a new subFilter list - either null, if the source was null, or a new array list //
+      ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      List<QFilterCriteria> newCriteriaList = filter.getCriteria() == null ? null : new ArrayList<>();
+      List<QQueryFilter>    newSubFilters   = filter.getSubFilters() == null ? null : new ArrayList<>();
+
+      //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      // for each criteria, if its field has any applicable behaviors, apply them //
+      //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      for(QFilterCriteria criteria : CollectionUtils.nonNullList(filter.getCriteria()))
+      {
+         QFieldMetaData field = table.getFields().get(criteria.getFieldName());
+         if(field == null && criteria.getFieldName() != null && criteria.getFieldName().contains("."))
+         {
+            String[] parts = criteria.getFieldName().split("\\.");
+            if(parts.length == 2)
+            {
+               QTableMetaData joinTable = instance.getTable(parts[0]);
+               if(joinTable != null)
+               {
+                  field = joinTable.getFields().get(parts[1]);
+               }
+            }
+         }
+
+         QFilterCriteria criteriaToUse = criteria;
+         if(field != null)
+         {
+            for(FieldBehavior<?> fieldBehavior : CollectionUtils.nonNullCollection(field.getBehaviors()))
+            {
+               boolean applyBehavior = true;
+               if(behaviorsToOmit != null && behaviorsToOmit.contains(fieldBehavior))
+               {
+                  applyBehavior = false;
+               }
+
+               if(applyBehavior && fieldBehavior instanceof FieldFilterBehavior<?> filterBehavior)
+               {
+                  //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+                  // call to apply the behavior on the criteria - which will return a //
+                  // new criteria if any values are changed, else the input criteria  //
+                  //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+                  criteriaToUse = apply(criteriaToUse, instance, table, field, filterBehavior);
+
+                  ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+                  // if the new criteria is not the same as the old criteria, mark that we need to make and return a clone. //
+                  ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+                  if(criteriaToUse != criteria)
+                  {
+                     needToUseClone = true;
+                  }
+               }
+            }
+         }
+
+         newCriteriaList.add(criteriaToUse);
+      }
+
+      /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      // similar to above - iterate over the subfilters, making a recursive call, and tracking if we //
+      // got back the same object (in which case, there are no changes, and we don't need to clone), //
+      // or a different object (in which case, we do need a clone, because there were changes).      //
+      /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      for(QQueryFilter subFilter : CollectionUtils.nonNullList(filter.getSubFilters()))
+      {
+         QQueryFilter newSubFilter = applyFieldBehaviorsToFilter(instance, table, subFilter, behaviorsToOmit);
+         if(newSubFilter != subFilter)
+         {
+            newSubFilters.add(newSubFilter);
+            needToUseClone = true;
+         }
+         else
+         {
+            newSubFilters.add(subFilter);
+         }
+      }
+
+      //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      // if we need to return a clone, then do so, replacing the lists with the ones we built in here //
+      //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      if(needToUseClone)
+      {
+         QQueryFilter cloneFilter = filter.clone();
+         cloneFilter.setCriteria(newCriteriaList);
+         cloneFilter.setSubFilters(newSubFilters);
+         return (cloneFilter);
+      }
+
+      /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      // else, if no clone needed (e.g., no changes), return the original filter //
+      /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      return (filter);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public static QFilterCriteria apply(QFilterCriteria criteria, QInstance instance, QTableMetaData table, QFieldMetaData field, FieldFilterBehavior<?> filterBehavior)
+   {
+      if(criteria == null || CollectionUtils.nullSafeIsEmpty(criteria.getValues()))
+      {
+         return (criteria);
+      }
+
+      List<Serializable> newValues  = new ArrayList<>();
+      boolean            changedAny = false;
+
+      for(Serializable value : criteria.getValues())
+      {
+         Serializable newValue = filterBehavior.applyToFilterCriteriaValue(value, instance, table, field);
+         if(!Objects.equals(value, newValue))
+         {
+            newValues.add(newValue);
+            changedAny = true;
+         }
+         else
+         {
+            newValues.add(value);
+         }
+      }
+
+      if(changedAny)
+      {
+         QFilterCriteria clone = criteria.clone();
+         clone.setValues(newValues);
+         return (clone);
+      }
+      else
+      {
+         return (criteria);
+      }
+   }
+
 }

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/exceptions/QInstanceValidationException.java

@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@
 package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions;
 
 
-import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.List;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.CollectionUtils;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.StringUtils;
 
 
@@ -55,12 +55,11 @@ public class QInstanceValidationException extends QException
     *******************************************************************************/
    public QInstanceValidationException(List<String> reasons)
    {
-      super(
-         (reasons != null && reasons.size() > 0)
-            ? "Instance validation failed for the following reasons:\n - " + StringUtils.join("\n - ", reasons)
-            : "Validation failed, but no reasons were provided");
+      super((CollectionUtils.nullSafeHasContents(reasons))
+         ? "Instance validation failed for the following reasons:\n - " + StringUtils.join("\n - ", reasons) + "\n(" + reasons.size() + " Total reason" + StringUtils.plural(reasons) + ")"
+         : "Validation failed, but no reasons were provided");
 
-      if(reasons != null && reasons.size() > 0)
+      if(CollectionUtils.nullSafeHasContents(reasons))
       {
          this.reasons = reasons;
       }
@@ -68,25 +67,6 @@ public class QInstanceValidationException extends QException
 
 
 
-   /*******************************************************************************
-    ** Constructor of an array/varargs of reasons.  They feed into the core exception message.
-    **
-    *******************************************************************************/
-   public QInstanceValidationException(String... reasons)
-   {
-      super(
-         (reasons != null && reasons.length > 0)
-            ? "Instance validation failed for the following reasons:  " + StringUtils.joinWithCommasAndAnd(Arrays.stream(reasons).toList())
-            : "Validation failed, but no reasons were provided");
-
-      if(reasons != null && reasons.length > 0)
-      {
-         this.reasons = Arrays.stream(reasons).toList();
-      }
-   }
-
-
-
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Constructor of message & cause - does not populate reasons!
     **

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceEnricher.java

@@ -123,6 +123,18 @@ public class QInstanceEnricher
     *******************************************************************************/
    public void enrich()
    {
+      /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      // at one point, we did apps later - but - it was possible to put tables in an app's   //
+      // sections, but not its children list (enrichApp fixes this by adding such tables to  //
+      // the children list) so then when enrichTable runs, it looks for fields that are      //
+      // possible-values pointed at tables,  for adding LINK adornments - and that could     //
+      // cause such links to be omitted, mysteriously!  so, do app enrichment before tables. //
+      /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      if(qInstance.getApps() != null)
+      {
+         qInstance.getApps().values().forEach(this::enrichApp);
+      }
+
       if(qInstance.getTables() != null)
       {
          qInstance.getTables().values().forEach(this::enrichTable);
@@ -139,11 +151,6 @@ public class QInstanceEnricher
          qInstance.getBackends().values().forEach(this::enrichBackend);
       }
 
-      if(qInstance.getApps() != null)
-      {
-         qInstance.getApps().values().forEach(this::enrichApp);
-      }
-
       if(qInstance.getReports() != null)
       {
          qInstance.getReports().values().forEach(this::enrichReport);
@@ -384,9 +391,9 @@ public class QInstanceEnricher
          process.setLabel(nameToLabel(process.getName()));
       }
 
-      if(process.getStepList() != null)
+      for(QStepMetaData step : CollectionUtils.nonNullMap(process.getAllSteps()).values())
       {
-         process.getStepList().forEach(this::enrichStep);
+         enrichStep(step);
       }
 
       for(QSupplementalProcessMetaData supplementalProcessMetaData : CollectionUtils.nonNullMap(process.getSupplementalMetaData()).values())

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceHelpContentManager.java

@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.help.HelpFormat;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.help.HelpRole;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.help.QHelpContent;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.help.QHelpRole;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.processes.QFrontendStepMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.processes.QProcessMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.tables.QFieldSection;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.tables.QTableMetaData;
@@ -104,13 +105,21 @@ public class QInstanceHelpContentManager
          for(String part : key.split(";"))
          {
             String[] parts = part.split(":");
-            nameValuePairs.put(parts[0], parts[1]);
+            if(parts.length > 1)
+            {
+               nameValuePairs.put(parts[0], parts[1]);
+            }
+            else
+            {
+               LOG.info("Discarding help content with key that does not contain name:value format", logPair("key", key), logPair("id", record.getValue("id")));
+            }
          }
 
          String tableName   = nameValuePairs.get("table");
          String processName = nameValuePairs.get("process");
          String fieldName   = nameValuePairs.get("field");
          String sectionName = nameValuePairs.get("section");
+         String stepName    = nameValuePairs.get("step");
          String widgetName  = nameValuePairs.get("widget");
          String slotName    = nameValuePairs.get("slot");
 
@@ -141,16 +150,20 @@ public class QInstanceHelpContentManager
          ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
          if(StringUtils.hasContent(tableName))
          {
-            processHelpContentForTable(key, tableName, sectionName, fieldName, roles, helpContent);
+            processHelpContentForTable(key, tableName, sectionName, fieldName, slotName, roles, helpContent);
          }
          else if(StringUtils.hasContent(processName))
          {
-            processHelpContentForProcess(key, processName, fieldName, roles, helpContent);
+            processHelpContentForProcess(key, processName, fieldName, stepName, roles, helpContent);
          }
          else if(StringUtils.hasContent(widgetName))
          {
             processHelpContentForWidget(key, widgetName, slotName, roles, helpContent);
          }
+         else if(nameValuePairs.containsKey("instanceLevel"))
+         {
+            processHelpContentForInstance(key, slotName, roles, helpContent);
+         }
       }
       catch(Exception e)
       {
@@ -163,7 +176,7 @@ public class QInstanceHelpContentManager
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
-   private static void processHelpContentForTable(String key, String tableName, String sectionName, String fieldName, Set<HelpRole> roles, QHelpContent helpContent)
+   private static void processHelpContentForTable(String key, String tableName, String sectionName, String fieldName, String slotName, Set<HelpRole> roles, QHelpContent helpContent)
    {
       QTableMetaData table = QContext.getQInstance().getTable(tableName);
       if(table == null)
@@ -208,6 +221,24 @@ public class QInstanceHelpContentManager
             optionalSection.get().removeHelpContent(roles);
          }
       }
+      else
+      {
+         if(!StringUtils.hasContent(slotName))
+         {
+            LOG.info("Missing slot name in table-level help content", logPair("key", key));
+         }
+         else
+         {
+            if(helpContent != null)
+            {
+               table.withHelpContent(slotName, helpContent);
+            }
+            else
+            {
+               table.removeHelpContent(slotName, roles);
+            }
+         }
+      }
    }
 
 
@@ -215,7 +246,7 @@ public class QInstanceHelpContentManager
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
-   private static void processHelpContentForProcess(String key, String processName, String fieldName, Set<HelpRole> roles, QHelpContent helpContent)
+   private static void processHelpContentForProcess(String key, String processName, String fieldName, String stepName, Set<HelpRole> roles, QHelpContent helpContent)
    {
       QProcessMetaData process = QContext.getQInstance().getProcess(processName);
       if(process == null)
@@ -244,6 +275,30 @@ public class QInstanceHelpContentManager
             optionalField.get().removeHelpContent(roles);
          }
       }
+      else if(StringUtils.hasContent(stepName))
+      {
+         /////////////////////////////
+         // handle a process screen //
+         /////////////////////////////
+         QFrontendStepMetaData frontendStep = process.getFrontendStep(stepName);
+
+         if(frontendStep == null)
+         {
+            LOG.info("Unrecognized process step in help content", logPair("key", key));
+         }
+         else if(helpContent != null)
+         {
+            frontendStep.withHelpContent(helpContent);
+         }
+         else
+         {
+            frontendStep.removeHelpContent(roles);
+         }
+      }
+      else
+      {
+         LOG.info("Unrecognized key format for process help content", logPair("key", key));
+      }
    }
 
 
@@ -277,6 +332,30 @@ public class QInstanceHelpContentManager
 
 
 
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   private static void processHelpContentForInstance(String key, String slotName, Set<HelpRole> roles, QHelpContent helpContent)
+   {
+      if(!StringUtils.hasContent(slotName))
+      {
+         LOG.info("Missing slot name in instance-level help content", logPair("key", key));
+      }
+      else
+      {
+         if(helpContent != null)
+         {
+            QContext.getQInstance().withHelpContent(slotName, helpContent);
+         }
+         else
+         {
+            QContext.getQInstance().removeHelpContent(slotName, roles);
+         }
+      }
+   }
+
+
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** add a help content object to a list - replacing an entry in the list with the
     ** same roles if one is found.

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceValidationState.java

@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+/*
+ * QQQ - Low-code Application Framework for Engineers.
+ * Copyright (C) 2021-2022.  Kingsrook, LLC
+ * 651 N Broad St Ste 205 # 6917 | Middletown DE 19709 | United States
+ * contact@kingsrook.com
+ * https://github.com/Kingsrook/
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the
+ * License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.instances;
+
+
+/*******************************************************************************
+ ** Object used to record state of a QInstance having been validated.
+ **
+ *******************************************************************************/
+public enum QInstanceValidationState
+{
+   PENDING,
+   RUNNING,
+   COMPLETE
+}

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceValidator.java

@@ -79,6 +79,8 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.processes.QStepMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.processes.QSupplementalProcessMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.queues.QQueueMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.queues.QQueueProviderMetaData;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.queues.QueueType;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.queues.SQSQueueMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.queues.SQSQueueProviderMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.reporting.QReportDataSource;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.reporting.QReportField;
@@ -109,6 +111,7 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.StringUtils;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.ValueUtils;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.lambdas.UnsafeLambda;
 import org.quartz.CronExpression;
+import static com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.LogUtils.logPair;
 
 
 /*******************************************************************************
@@ -138,19 +141,26 @@ public class QInstanceValidator
     *******************************************************************************/
    public void validate(QInstance qInstance) throws QInstanceValidationException
    {
-      if(qInstance.getHasBeenValidated())
+      if(qInstance.getHasBeenValidated() || qInstance.getValidationIsRunning())
       {
-         //////////////////////////////////////////
-         // don't re-validate if previously done //
-         //////////////////////////////////////////
+         ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+         // don't re-validate if previously complete or currently running (avoids recursive re-validation chaos!) //
+         ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
          return;
       }
 
+      ////////////////////////////////////
+      // mark validation as running now //
+      ////////////////////////////////////
+      QInstanceValidationKey validationKey = new QInstanceValidationKey();
+      qInstance.setValidationIsRunning(validationKey);
+
       /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
       // the enricher will build a join graph (if there are any joins).  we'd like to only do that       //
       // once, during the enrichment/validation work, so, capture it, and store it back in the instance. //
       /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
       JoinGraph joinGraph = null;
+      long      start     = System.currentTimeMillis();
       try
       {
          /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -191,6 +201,9 @@ public class QInstanceValidator
          validateUniqueTopLevelNames(qInstance);
 
          runPlugins(QInstance.class, qInstance, qInstance);
+
+         long end = System.currentTimeMillis();
+         LOG.info("Validation (and enrichment) performance", logPair("millis", (end - start)));
       }
       catch(Exception e)
       {
@@ -202,9 +215,22 @@ public class QInstanceValidator
          throw (new QInstanceValidationException(errors));
       }
 
-      QInstanceValidationKey validationKey = new QInstanceValidationKey();
-      qInstance.setHasBeenValidated(validationKey);
+      //////////////////////////////
+      // mark validation complete //
+      //////////////////////////////
       qInstance.setJoinGraph(validationKey, joinGraph);
+      qInstance.setHasBeenValidated(validationKey);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void revalidate(QInstance qInstance) throws QInstanceValidationException
+   {
+      qInstance.setHasBeenValidated(null);
+      validate(qInstance);
    }
 
 
@@ -415,11 +441,30 @@ public class QInstanceValidator
 
             if(queueProvider instanceof SQSQueueProviderMetaData sqsQueueProvider)
             {
+               if(queueProvider.getType() != null)
+               {
+                  assertCondition(queueProvider.getType().equals(QueueType.SQS), "Inconsistent Type/class given for queueProvider: " + name + " (SQSQueueProviderMetaData is not allowed for type " + queueProvider.getType() + ")");
+               }
+
                assertCondition(StringUtils.hasContent(sqsQueueProvider.getAccessKey()), "Missing accessKey for SQSQueueProvider: " + name);
                assertCondition(StringUtils.hasContent(sqsQueueProvider.getSecretKey()), "Missing secretKey for SQSQueueProvider: " + name);
                assertCondition(StringUtils.hasContent(sqsQueueProvider.getBaseURL()), "Missing baseURL for SQSQueueProvider: " + name);
                assertCondition(StringUtils.hasContent(sqsQueueProvider.getRegion()), "Missing region for SQSQueueProvider: " + name);
             }
+            else if(queueProvider.getClass().equals(QQueueProviderMetaData.class))
+            {
+               /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+               // this just means a subtype wasn't used, so, it should be allowed //
+               // (unless we had a case where a type required a subtype?)         //
+               /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            }
+            else
+            {
+               if(queueProvider.getType() != null)
+               {
+                  assertCondition(!queueProvider.getType().equals(QueueType.SQS), "Inconsistent Type/class given for queueProvider: " + name + " (" + queueProvider.getClass().getSimpleName() + " is not allowed for type " + queueProvider.getType() + ")");
+               }
+            }
 
             runPlugins(QQueueProviderMetaData.class, queueProvider, qInstance);
          });
@@ -430,7 +475,27 @@ public class QInstanceValidator
          qInstance.getQueues().forEach((name, queue) ->
          {
             assertCondition(Objects.equals(name, queue.getName()), "Inconsistent naming for queue: " + name + "/" + queue.getName() + ".");
-            assertCondition(qInstance.getQueueProvider(queue.getProviderName()) != null, "Unrecognized queue providerName for queue: " + name);
+
+            QQueueProviderMetaData queueProvider = qInstance.getQueueProvider(queue.getProviderName());
+            if(assertCondition(queueProvider != null, "Unrecognized queue providerName for queue: " + name))
+            {
+               if(queue instanceof SQSQueueMetaData)
+               {
+                  assertCondition(queueProvider.getType().equals(QueueType.SQS), "Inconsistent class given for queueMetaData: " + name + " (SQSQueueMetaData is not allowed for queue provider of type " + queueProvider.getType() + ")");
+               }
+               else if(queue.getClass().equals(QQueueMetaData.class))
+               {
+                  ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+                  // this just means a subtype wasn't used, so, it should be        //
+                  // allowed (unless we had a case where a type required a subtype? //
+                  ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+               }
+               else
+               {
+                  assertCondition(!queueProvider.getType().equals(QueueType.SQS), "Inconsistent class given for queueProvider: " + name + " (" + queue.getClass().getSimpleName() + " is not allowed for type " + queueProvider.getType() + ")");
+               }
+            }
+
             assertCondition(StringUtils.hasContent(queue.getQueueName()), "Missing queueName for queue: " + name);
             if(assertCondition(StringUtils.hasContent(queue.getProcessName()), "Missing processName for queue: " + name))
             {
@@ -657,17 +722,20 @@ public class QInstanceValidator
             {
                if(assertCondition(CollectionUtils.nullSafeHasContents(exposedJoin.getJoinPath()), joinPrefix + "is missing a joinPath."))
                {
-                  joinConnectionsForTable = Objects.requireNonNullElseGet(joinConnectionsForTable, () -> joinGraph.getJoinConnections(table.getName()));
-
-                  boolean foundJoinConnection = false;
-                  for(JoinGraph.JoinConnectionList joinConnectionList : joinConnectionsForTable)
+                  if(joinGraph != null)
                   {
-                     if(joinConnectionList.matchesJoinPath(exposedJoin.getJoinPath()))
+                     joinConnectionsForTable = Objects.requireNonNullElseGet(joinConnectionsForTable, () -> joinGraph.getJoinConnections(table.getName()));
+
+                     boolean foundJoinConnection = false;
+                     for(JoinGraph.JoinConnectionList joinConnectionList : joinConnectionsForTable)
                      {
-                        foundJoinConnection = true;
+                        if(joinConnectionList.matchesJoinPath(exposedJoin.getJoinPath()))
+                        {
+                           foundJoinConnection = true;
+                        }
                      }
+                     assertCondition(foundJoinConnection, joinPrefix + "specified a joinPath [" + exposedJoin.getJoinPath() + "] which does not match a valid join connection in the instance.");
                   }
-                  assertCondition(foundJoinConnection, joinPrefix + "specified a joinPath [" + exposedJoin.getJoinPath() + "] which does not match a valid join connection in the instance.");
 
                   assertCondition(!usedJoinPaths.contains(exposedJoin.getJoinPath()), tablePrefix + "has more than one join with the joinPath: " + exposedJoin.getJoinPath());
                   usedJoinPaths.add(exposedJoin.getJoinPath());
@@ -854,7 +922,7 @@ public class QInstanceValidator
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
-   private <T extends FieldBehavior<T>> void validateTableField(QInstance qInstance, String tableName, String fieldName, QTableMetaData table, QFieldMetaData field)
+   private void validateTableField(QInstance qInstance, String tableName, String fieldName, QTableMetaData table, QFieldMetaData field)
    {
       assertCondition(Objects.equals(fieldName, field.getName()),
          "Inconsistent naming in table " + tableName + " for field " + fieldName + "/" + field.getName() + ".");
@@ -876,12 +944,13 @@ public class QInstanceValidator
          assertCondition(field.getMaxLength() != null, prefix + "specifies a ValueTooLongBehavior, but not a maxLength.");
       }
 
-      Set<Class<FieldBehavior<T>>> usedFieldBehaviorTypes = new HashSet<>();
+      Set<Class<FieldBehavior<?>>> usedFieldBehaviorTypes = new HashSet<>();
       if(field.getBehaviors() != null)
       {
          for(FieldBehavior<?> fieldBehavior : field.getBehaviors())
          {
-            Class<FieldBehavior<T>> behaviorClass = (Class<FieldBehavior<T>>) fieldBehavior.getClass();
+            @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+            Class<FieldBehavior<?>> behaviorClass = (Class<FieldBehavior<?>>) fieldBehavior.getClass();
 
             errors.addAll(fieldBehavior.validateBehaviorConfiguration(table, field));
 
@@ -1468,7 +1537,7 @@ public class QInstanceValidator
                                  warn("Error loading expectedType for field [" + fieldMetaData.getName() + "] in process [" + processName + "]: " + e.getMessage());
                               }
 
-                              validateSimpleCodeReference("Process " + processName + " code reference: ", codeReference, expectedClass);
+                              validateSimpleCodeReference("Process " + processName + " code reference:", codeReference, expectedClass);
                            }
                         }
                      }
@@ -1476,6 +1545,14 @@ public class QInstanceValidator
                }
             }
 
+            if(process.getCancelStep() != null)
+            {
+               if(assertCondition(process.getCancelStep().getCode() != null, "Cancel step is missing a code reference, in process " + processName))
+               {
+                  validateSimpleCodeReference("Process " + processName + " cancel step code reference: ", process.getCancelStep().getCode(), BackendStep.class);
+               }
+            }
+
             ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
             // if the process has a schedule, make sure required schedule data populated //
             ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -1487,7 +1564,11 @@ public class QInstanceValidator
 
             if(process.getVariantBackend() != null)
             {
-               assertCondition(qInstance.getBackend(process.getVariantBackend()) != null, "Process " + processName + ", a variant backend was not found named " + process.getVariantBackend());
+               if(qInstance.getBackends() != null)
+               {
+                  assertCondition(qInstance.getBackend(process.getVariantBackend()) != null, "Process " + processName + ", a variant backend was not found named " + process.getVariantBackend());
+               }
+
                assertCondition(process.getVariantRunStrategy() != null, "A variant run strategy was not set for process " + processName + " (which does specify a variant backend)");
             }
             else

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/SecretsManagerUtils.java

@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.instances;
 
 import java.io.File;
 import java.io.IOException;
+import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
 import java.util.Objects;
 import java.util.Optional;
 import com.amazonaws.auth.AWSStaticCredentialsProvider;
@@ -113,7 +114,7 @@ public class SecretsManagerUtils
             dotEnv.renameTo(new File(".env.backup-" + System.currentTimeMillis()));
          }
 
-         FileUtils.writeStringToFile(dotEnv, fullEnv.toString());
+         FileUtils.writeStringToFile(dotEnv, fullEnv.toString(), StandardCharsets.UTF_8);
       }
       else
       {

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/logging/LogPair.java

@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ public class LogPair
       }
       else if(value instanceof LogPair[] subLogPairs)
       {
-         String subLogPairsString = Arrays.stream(subLogPairs).map(LogPair::toString).collect(Collectors.joining(","));
+         String subLogPairsString = Arrays.stream(subLogPairs).filter(Objects::nonNull).map(LogPair::toString).collect(Collectors.joining(","));
          valueString = '{' + subLogPairsString + '}';
       }
       else if(value instanceof UnsafeSupplier<?, ?> us)

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/logging/QLogger.java

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging;
 
 
+import java.io.Serializable;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Collections;
@@ -147,6 +148,28 @@ public class QLogger
 
 
 
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public <T extends Throwable> T warnAndThrow(T t, LogPair... logPairs) throws T
+   {
+      warn(t.getMessage(), t, logPairs);
+      throw (t);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public <T extends Throwable> T errorAndThrow(T t, LogPair... logPairs) throws T
+   {
+      error(t.getMessage(), t, logPairs);
+      throw (t);
+   }
+
+
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
@@ -257,6 +280,16 @@ public class QLogger
 
 
 
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void debug(LogPair... logPairs)
+   {
+      logger.warn(() -> makeJsonString(null, null, logPairs));
+   }
+
+
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
@@ -397,6 +430,16 @@ public class QLogger
 
 
 
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void warn(LogPair... logPairs)
+   {
+      logger.warn(() -> makeJsonString(null, null, logPairs));
+   }
+
+
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
@@ -457,6 +500,16 @@ public class QLogger
 
 
 
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void error(LogPair... logPairs)
+   {
+      logger.warn(() -> makeJsonString(null, null, logPairs));
+   }
+
+
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
@@ -595,7 +648,10 @@ public class QLogger
             {
                user = session.getUser().getIdReference();
             }
-            sessionLogPair = logPair("session", logPair("id", session.getUuid()), logPair("user", user));
+
+            LogPair variantsLogPair = getVariantsLogPair(session);
+
+            sessionLogPair = logPair("session", logPair("id", session.getUuid()), logPair("user", user), variantsLogPair);
          }
 
          try
@@ -615,6 +671,38 @@ public class QLogger
 
 
 
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   private static LogPair getVariantsLogPair(QSession session)
+   {
+      LogPair variantsLogPair = null;
+      try
+      {
+         if(session.getBackendVariants() != null)
+         {
+            LogPair[] variants = new LogPair[session.getBackendVariants().size()];
+
+            int i = 0;
+            for(Map.Entry<String, Serializable> entry : session.getBackendVariants().entrySet())
+            {
+               variants[i] = new LogPair(entry.getKey(), entry.getValue());
+            }
+
+            variantsLogPair = new LogPair("variants", variants);
+         }
+      }
+      catch(Exception e)
+      {
+         ////////////////
+         // leave null //
+         ////////////////
+      }
+      return variantsLogPair;
+   }
+
+
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/MetaDataProducerInterface.java

@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model;
 
 
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.MetaDataProducerOutput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.QInstance;
-import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.TopLevelMetaDataInterface;
 
 
 /*******************************************************************************
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.TopLevelMetaDataInterface;
  ** implement this interface.  or, same idea for a QRecordEntity that provides
  ** its own TableMetaData.
  *******************************************************************************/
-public interface MetaDataProducerInterface<T extends TopLevelMetaDataInterface>
+public interface MetaDataProducerInterface<T extends MetaDataProducerOutput>
 {
    int DEFAULT_SORT_ORDER = 500;
 

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/actions/AbstractActionInput.java

@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QInstanceValidationException;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.instances.QInstanceValidator;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.QLogger;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.QInstance;
-import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.authentication.QAuthenticationMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.session.QSession;
 
 
@@ -93,22 +92,13 @@ public class AbstractActionInput
 
 
 
-   /*******************************************************************************
-    **
-    *******************************************************************************/
-   @JsonIgnore
-   public QAuthenticationMetaData getAuthenticationMetaData()
-   {
-      return (getInstance().getAuthentication());
-   }
-
-
-
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Getter for instance
     **
+    ** Deprecated.  Please use QContext.getInstance() instead
     *******************************************************************************/
    @JsonIgnore
+   @Deprecated
    public QInstance getInstance()
    {
       return (QContext.getQInstance());
@@ -119,8 +109,10 @@ public class AbstractActionInput
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Getter for session
     **
+    ** Deprecated.  Please use QContext.getSession() instead
     *******************************************************************************/
    @JsonIgnore
+   @Deprecated
    public QSession getSession()
    {
       return (QContext.getQSession());

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/actions/audits/AuditDetailAccumulator.java

@@ -152,5 +152,8 @@ public class AuditDetailAccumulator implements Serializable
    }
 
 
+   /***************************************************************************
+    **
+    ***************************************************************************/
    private record TableNameAndPrimaryKey(String tableName, Serializable primaryKey) {}
 }

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/actions/metadata/MetaDataOutput.java

@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.frontend.QFrontendProcessMe
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.frontend.QFrontendReportMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.frontend.QFrontendTableMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.frontend.QFrontendWidgetMetaData;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.help.QHelpContent;
 
 
 /*******************************************************************************
@@ -47,8 +48,9 @@ public class MetaDataOutput extends AbstractActionOutput
    private Map<String, QFrontendWidgetMetaData>  widgets;
    private Map<String, String>                   environmentValues;
 
-   private List<AppTreeNode> appTree;
-   private QBrandingMetaData branding;
+   private List<AppTreeNode>               appTree;
+   private QBrandingMetaData               branding;
+   private Map<String, List<QHelpContent>> helpContents;
 
 
 
@@ -226,4 +228,25 @@ public class MetaDataOutput extends AbstractActionOutput
       this.environmentValues = environmentValues;
    }
 
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Setter for helpContents
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void setHelpContents(Map<String, List<QHelpContent>> helpContents)
+   {
+      this.helpContents = helpContents;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for helpContents
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public Map<String, List<QHelpContent>> getHelpContents()
+   {
+      return helpContents;
+   }
 }

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/actions/processes/ProcessState.java

@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Optional;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.data.QRecord;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.processes.QFrontendStepMetaData;
 
 
 /*******************************************************************************
@@ -41,6 +42,11 @@ public class ProcessState implements Serializable
    private List<String>              stepList     = new ArrayList<>();
    private Optional<String>          nextStepName = Optional.empty();
 
+   /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+   // maybe, remove this altogether - just let the frontend compute & send if needed... but how does it know last version...? //
+   /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+   private List<QFrontendStepMetaData> updatedFrontendStepList = null;
+
 
 
    /*******************************************************************************
@@ -139,4 +145,36 @@ public class ProcessState implements Serializable
    {
       this.stepList = stepList;
    }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for updatedFrontendStepList
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public List<QFrontendStepMetaData> getUpdatedFrontendStepList()
+   {
+      return (this.updatedFrontendStepList);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Setter for updatedFrontendStepList
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void setUpdatedFrontendStepList(List<QFrontendStepMetaData> updatedFrontendStepList)
+   {
+      this.updatedFrontendStepList = updatedFrontendStepList;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for updatedFrontendStepList
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public ProcessState withUpdatedFrontendStepList(List<QFrontendStepMetaData> updatedFrontendStepList)
+   {
+      this.updatedFrontendStepList = updatedFrontendStepList;
+      return (this);
+   }
+
 }

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/actions/processes/RunBackendStepOutput.java

@@ -27,10 +27,14 @@ import java.math.BigDecimal;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.context.QContext;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QRuntimeException;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.AbstractActionOutput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.audits.AuditInput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.audits.AuditSingleInput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.data.QRecord;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.processes.QFrontendStepMetaData;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.processes.QProcessMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.ValueUtils;
 
 
@@ -40,9 +44,13 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.ValueUtils;
  *******************************************************************************/
 public class RunBackendStepOutput extends AbstractActionOutput implements Serializable
 {
+   private String processName;
+
    private ProcessState processState;
    private Exception    exception; // todo - make optional
 
+   private String overrideLastStepName; // todo - does this need to go into state too??
+
    private List<AuditInput> auditInputList = new ArrayList<>();
 
 
@@ -78,6 +86,7 @@ public class RunBackendStepOutput extends AbstractActionOutput implements Serial
    public void seedFromRequest(RunBackendStepInput runBackendStepInput)
    {
       this.processState = runBackendStepInput.getProcessState();
+      this.processName = runBackendStepInput.getProcessName();
    }
 
 
@@ -312,4 +321,111 @@ public class RunBackendStepOutput extends AbstractActionOutput implements Serial
       auditInput.addAuditSingleInput(auditSingleInput);
    }
 
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for overrideLastStepName
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public String getOverrideLastStepName()
+   {
+      return (this.overrideLastStepName);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Setter for overrideLastStepName
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void setOverrideLastStepName(String overrideLastStepName)
+   {
+      this.overrideLastStepName = overrideLastStepName;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for overrideLastStepName
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public RunBackendStepOutput withOverrideLastStepName(String overrideLastStepName)
+   {
+      this.overrideLastStepName = overrideLastStepName;
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void updateStepList(List<String> stepList)
+   {
+      getProcessState().setStepList(stepList);
+
+      if(processName == null)
+      {
+         throw (new QRuntimeException("ProcessName was not set in this object, therefore updateStepList cannot complete successfully.  Try to manually call setProcessName as a work around."));
+      }
+
+      QProcessMetaData processMetaData = QContext.getQInstance().getProcess(processName);
+
+      ArrayList<QFrontendStepMetaData> updatedFrontendStepList = new ArrayList<>(stepList.stream()
+         .map(name -> processMetaData.getStep(name))
+         .filter(step -> step instanceof QFrontendStepMetaData)
+         .map(step -> (QFrontendStepMetaData) step)
+         .toList());
+
+      setUpdatedFrontendStepList(updatedFrontendStepList);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for processName
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public String getProcessName()
+   {
+      return (this.processName);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Setter for processName
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void setProcessName(String processName)
+   {
+      this.processName = processName;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for processName
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public RunBackendStepOutput withProcessName(String processName)
+   {
+      this.processName = processName;
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for updatedFrontendStepList
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public List<QFrontendStepMetaData> getUpdatedFrontendStepList()
+   {
+      return (this.processState.getUpdatedFrontendStepList());
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Setter for updatedFrontendStepList
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void setUpdatedFrontendStepList(List<QFrontendStepMetaData> updatedFrontendStepList)
+   {
+      this.processState.setUpdatedFrontendStepList(updatedFrontendStepList);
+   }
+
 }

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/actions/processes/RunProcessOutput.java

@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Optional;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.AbstractActionOutput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.data.QRecord;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.processes.QFrontendStepMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.ValueUtils;
 
 
@@ -327,4 +328,25 @@ public class RunProcessOutput extends AbstractActionOutput implements Serializab
    {
       return exception;
    }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void setUpdatedFrontendStepList(List<QFrontendStepMetaData> updatedFrontendStepList)
+   {
+      this.processState.setUpdatedFrontendStepList(updatedFrontendStepList);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public List<QFrontendStepMetaData> getUpdatedFrontendStepList()
+   {
+      return this.processState.getUpdatedFrontendStepList();
+   }
+
 }

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/actions/tables/QueryHint.java

@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+/*
+ * QQQ - Low-code Application Framework for Engineers.
+ * Copyright (C) 2021-2024.  Kingsrook, LLC
+ * 651 N Broad St Ste 205 # 6917 | Middletown DE 19709 | United States
+ * contact@kingsrook.com
+ * https://github.com/Kingsrook/
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the
+ * License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables;
+
+
+/*******************************************************************************
+ ** Information about the query that an application (or qqq service) may know and
+ ** want to tell the backend, that can help influence how the backend processes
+ ** query.
+ **
+ ** For example, a query with potentially a large result set, for MySQL backend,
+ ** we may want to configure the result set to stream results rather than do its
+ ** default in-memory thing.  See RDBMSQueryAction for usage.
+ *******************************************************************************/
+public enum QueryHint
+{
+   POTENTIALLY_LARGE_NUMBER_OF_RESULTS,
+   MAY_USE_READ_ONLY_BACKEND
+}

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/actions/tables/aggregate/AggregateInput.java

@@ -23,8 +23,10 @@ package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.aggregate;
 
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.EnumSet;
 import java.util.List;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.AbstractTableActionInput;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.QueryHint;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.QQueryFilter;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.QueryJoin;
 
@@ -44,6 +46,8 @@ public class AggregateInput extends AbstractTableActionInput
 
    private List<QueryJoin> queryJoins = null;
 
+   private EnumSet<QueryHint> queryHints = EnumSet.noneOf(QueryHint.class);
+
 
 
    /*******************************************************************************
@@ -55,6 +59,30 @@ public class AggregateInput extends AbstractTableActionInput
 
 
 
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Constructor
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public AggregateInput(String tableName)
+   {
+      this();
+      setTableName(tableName);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   @Override
+   public AggregateInput withTableName(String tableName)
+   {
+      super.withTableName(tableName);
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Getter for filter
     **
@@ -302,4 +330,78 @@ public class AggregateInput extends AbstractTableActionInput
       return (this);
    }
 
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for queryHints
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public EnumSet<QueryHint> getQueryHints()
+   {
+      return (this.queryHints);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Setter for queryHints
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void setQueryHints(EnumSet<QueryHint> queryHints)
+   {
+      this.queryHints = queryHints;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for queryHints
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public AggregateInput withQueryHints(EnumSet<QueryHint> queryHints)
+   {
+      this.queryHints = queryHints;
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for queryHints
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public AggregateInput withQueryHint(QueryHint queryHint)
+   {
+      if(this.queryHints == null)
+      {
+         this.queryHints = EnumSet.noneOf(QueryHint.class);
+      }
+      this.queryHints.add(queryHint);
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for queryHints
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public AggregateInput withoutQueryHint(QueryHint queryHint)
+   {
+      if(this.queryHints != null)
+      {
+         this.queryHints.remove(queryHint);
+      }
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** null-safely check if query hints map contains the specified hint
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public boolean hasQueryHint(QueryHint queryHint)
+   {
+      if(this.queryHints == null)
+      {
+         return (false);
+      }
+
+      return (queryHints.contains(queryHint));
+   }
 }

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/actions/tables/count/CountInput.java

@@ -23,8 +23,10 @@ package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.count;
 
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.EnumSet;
 import java.util.List;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.AbstractTableActionInput;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.QueryHint;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.QQueryFilter;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.QueryJoin;
 
@@ -42,6 +44,8 @@ public class CountInput extends AbstractTableActionInput
    private List<QueryJoin> queryJoins           = null;
    private Boolean         includeDistinctCount = false;
 
+   private EnumSet<QueryHint> queryHints = EnumSet.noneOf(QueryHint.class);
+
 
 
    /*******************************************************************************
@@ -207,4 +211,78 @@ public class CountInput extends AbstractTableActionInput
       return (this);
    }
 
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for queryHints
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public EnumSet<QueryHint> getQueryHints()
+   {
+      return (this.queryHints);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Setter for queryHints
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void setQueryHints(EnumSet<QueryHint> queryHints)
+   {
+      this.queryHints = queryHints;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for queryHints
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public CountInput withQueryHints(EnumSet<QueryHint> queryHints)
+   {
+      this.queryHints = queryHints;
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for queryHints
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public CountInput withQueryHint(QueryHint queryHint)
+   {
+      if(this.queryHints == null)
+      {
+         this.queryHints = EnumSet.noneOf(QueryHint.class);
+      }
+      this.queryHints.add(queryHint);
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for queryHints
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public CountInput withoutQueryHint(QueryHint queryHint)
+   {
+      if(this.queryHints != null)
+      {
+         this.queryHints.remove(queryHint);
+      }
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** null-safely check if query hints map contains the specified hint
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public boolean hasQueryHint(QueryHint queryHint)
+   {
+      if(this.queryHints == null)
+      {
+         return (false);
+      }
+
+      return (queryHints.contains(queryHint));
+   }
 }

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/actions/tables/get/GetInput.java

@@ -25,10 +25,12 @@ package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.get;
 import java.io.Serializable;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.EnumSet;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.QBackendTransaction;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.AbstractTableActionInput;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.QueryHint;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.QueryOrGetInputInterface;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.QueryJoin;
 
@@ -60,6 +62,8 @@ public class GetInput extends AbstractTableActionInput implements QueryOrGetInpu
    private boolean            includeAssociations       = false;
    private Collection<String> associationNamesToInclude = null;
 
+   private EnumSet<QueryHint> queryHints = EnumSet.noneOf(QueryHint.class);
+
 
 
    /*******************************************************************************
@@ -462,4 +466,79 @@ public class GetInput extends AbstractTableActionInput implements QueryOrGetInpu
       return (this);
    }
 
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for queryHints
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public EnumSet<QueryHint> getQueryHints()
+   {
+      return (this.queryHints);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Setter for queryHints
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void setQueryHints(EnumSet<QueryHint> queryHints)
+   {
+      this.queryHints = queryHints;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for queryHints
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public GetInput withQueryHints(EnumSet<QueryHint> queryHints)
+   {
+      this.queryHints = queryHints;
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for queryHints
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public GetInput withQueryHint(QueryHint queryHint)
+   {
+      if(this.queryHints == null)
+      {
+         this.queryHints = EnumSet.noneOf(QueryHint.class);
+      }
+      this.queryHints.add(queryHint);
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for queryHints
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public GetInput withoutQueryHint(QueryHint queryHint)
+   {
+      if(this.queryHints != null)
+      {
+         this.queryHints.remove(queryHint);
+      }
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** null-safely check if query hints map contains the specified hint
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public boolean hasQueryHint(QueryHint queryHint)
+   {
+      if(this.queryHints == null)
+      {
+         return (false);
+      }
+
+      return (queryHints.contains(queryHint));
+   }
+
 }

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/actions/tables/insert/InsertInput.java

@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ public class InsertInput extends AbstractTableActionInput
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
-   public InsertInput withRecordEntities(List<QRecordEntity> recordEntityList)
+   public InsertInput withRecordEntities(List<? extends QRecordEntity> recordEntityList)
    {
       for(QRecordEntity recordEntity : CollectionUtils.nonNullList(recordEntityList))
       {

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/actions/tables/query/JoinsContext.java

@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.fields.QFieldMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.fields.QFieldType;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.joins.QJoinMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.security.MultiRecordSecurityLock;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.security.NullValueBehaviorUtil;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.security.QSecurityKeyType;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.security.RecordSecurityLock;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.security.RecordSecurityLockFilters;
@@ -377,7 +378,7 @@ public class JoinsContext
             {
                securityFieldTableAlias = matchedQueryJoin.getJoinTableOrItsAlias();
             }
-            tmpTable = instance.getTable(securityFieldTableAlias);
+            tmpTable = instance.getTable(aliasToTableNameMap.getOrDefault(securityFieldTableAlias, securityFieldTableAlias));
 
             ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
             // set the baseTableOrAlias for the next iteration to be this join's joinTableOrAlias //
@@ -465,8 +466,8 @@ public class JoinsContext
       //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
       // check if the key type has an all-access key, and if so, if it's set to true for the current user/session //
       //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-      QSecurityKeyType securityKeyType = instance.getSecurityKeyType(recordSecurityLock.getSecurityKeyType());
-      boolean haveAllAccessKey = false;
+      QSecurityKeyType securityKeyType  = instance.getSecurityKeyType(recordSecurityLock.getSecurityKeyType());
+      boolean          haveAllAccessKey = false;
       if(StringUtils.hasContent(securityKeyType.getAllAccessKeyName()))
       {
          //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -550,7 +551,7 @@ public class JoinsContext
             ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
             // handle user with no values -- they can only see null values, and only iff the lock's null-value behavior is ALLOW //
             ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-            if(RecordSecurityLock.NullValueBehavior.ALLOW.equals(recordSecurityLock.getNullValueBehavior()))
+            if(RecordSecurityLock.NullValueBehavior.ALLOW.equals(NullValueBehaviorUtil.getEffectiveNullValueBehavior(recordSecurityLock)))
             {
                lockCriteria.add(new QFilterCriteria(fieldName, QCriteriaOperator.IS_BLANK));
             }
@@ -569,7 +570,7 @@ public class JoinsContext
             // else, if user/session has some values, build an IN rule -                                                //
             // noting that if the lock's null-value behavior is ALLOW, then we actually want IS_NULL_OR_IN, not just IN //
             //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-            if(RecordSecurityLock.NullValueBehavior.ALLOW.equals(recordSecurityLock.getNullValueBehavior()))
+            if(RecordSecurityLock.NullValueBehavior.ALLOW.equals(NullValueBehaviorUtil.getEffectiveNullValueBehavior(recordSecurityLock)))
             {
                lockCriteria.add(new QFilterCriteria(fieldName, QCriteriaOperator.IS_NULL_OR_IN, securityKeyValues));
             }
@@ -1117,7 +1118,7 @@ public class JoinsContext
          if(useExposedJoins)
          {
             QTableMetaData mainTable = QContext.getQInstance().getTable(mainTableName);
-            for(ExposedJoin exposedJoin : mainTable.getExposedJoins())
+            for(ExposedJoin exposedJoin : CollectionUtils.nonNullList(mainTable.getExposedJoins()))
             {
                if(exposedJoin.getJoinTable().equals(joinTableName))
                {
@@ -1158,6 +1159,7 @@ public class JoinsContext
    }
 
 
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/actions/tables/query/QQueryFilter.java

@@ -25,13 +25,19 @@ package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query;
 import java.io.Serializable;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Arrays;
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Objects;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QUserFacingException;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.instances.QMetaDataVariableInterpreter;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.QLogger;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.expressions.AbstractFilterExpression;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.expressions.FilterVariableExpression;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.CollectionUtils;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.StringUtils;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.ValueUtils;
 
 
@@ -232,6 +238,28 @@ public class QQueryFilter implements Serializable, Cloneable
 
 
 
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** fluent method to add a new criteria
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public QQueryFilter withCriteria(String fieldName, QCriteriaOperator operator, Collection<? extends Serializable> values)
+   {
+      addCriteria(new QFilterCriteria(fieldName, operator, values));
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** fluent method to add a new criteria
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public QQueryFilter withCriteria(String fieldName, QCriteriaOperator operator, Serializable... values)
+   {
+      addCriteria(new QFilterCriteria(fieldName, operator, values));
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
@@ -411,6 +439,88 @@ public class QQueryFilter implements Serializable, Cloneable
 
 
 
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Replaces any FilterVariables' variableNames with one constructed from the field
+    ** name, criteria, and index, camel style
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void prepForBackend()
+   {
+      Map<String, Integer> fieldOperatorMap = new HashMap<>();
+      for(QFilterCriteria criterion : getCriteria())
+      {
+         if(criterion.getValues() != null)
+         {
+            int criteriaIndex = 1;
+            int valueIndex    = 0;
+            for(Serializable value : criterion.getValues())
+            {
+               ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+               // keep track of what the index is for this criterion, this way if there are //
+               // more than one with the same id/operator values, we can differentiate      //
+               ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+               String backendName = getBackendName(criterion, valueIndex);
+               if(!fieldOperatorMap.containsKey(backendName))
+               {
+                  fieldOperatorMap.put(backendName, criteriaIndex);
+               }
+               else
+               {
+                  criteriaIndex = fieldOperatorMap.get(backendName) + 1;
+                  fieldOperatorMap.put(backendName, criteriaIndex);
+               }
+
+               if(value instanceof FilterVariableExpression fve)
+               {
+                  if(criteriaIndex > 1)
+                  {
+                     backendName += criteriaIndex;
+                  }
+                  fve.setVariableName(backendName);
+               }
+
+               valueIndex++;
+            }
+         }
+      }
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** builds up a backend name for a field variable expression
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   private String getBackendName(QFilterCriteria criterion, int valueIndex)
+   {
+      StringBuilder backendName = new StringBuilder();
+      for(String fieldNameParts : criterion.getFieldName().split("\\."))
+      {
+         backendName.append(StringUtils.ucFirst(fieldNameParts));
+      }
+
+      for(String operatorParts : criterion.getOperator().name().split("_"))
+      {
+         backendName.append(StringUtils.ucFirst(operatorParts.toLowerCase()));
+      }
+
+      if(criterion.getOperator().equals(QCriteriaOperator.BETWEEN) || criterion.getOperator().equals(QCriteriaOperator.NOT_BETWEEN))
+      {
+         if(valueIndex == 0)
+         {
+            backendName.append("From");
+         }
+         else
+         {
+            backendName.append("To");
+         }
+      }
+
+      return (StringUtils.lcFirst(backendName.toString()));
+   }
+
+
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Replace any criteria values that look like ${input.XXX} with the value of XXX
     ** from the supplied inputValues map.
@@ -419,8 +529,10 @@ public class QQueryFilter implements Serializable, Cloneable
     ** QQueryFilter - e.g., if it's one that defined in metaData, and that we don't
     ** want to be (permanently) changed!!
     *******************************************************************************/
-   public void interpretValues(Map<String, Serializable> inputValues)
+   public void interpretValues(Map<String, Serializable> inputValues) throws QException
    {
+      List<Exception> caughtExceptions = new ArrayList<>();
+
       QMetaDataVariableInterpreter variableInterpreter = new QMetaDataVariableInterpreter();
       variableInterpreter.addValueMap("input", inputValues);
       for(QFilterCriteria criterion : getCriteria())
@@ -431,24 +543,45 @@ public class QQueryFilter implements Serializable, Cloneable
 
             for(Serializable value : criterion.getValues())
             {
-               if(value instanceof AbstractFilterExpression<?>)
+               try
                {
-                  /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-                  // todo - do we want to try to interpret values within the expression? //
-                  // e.g., greater than now minus ${input.noOfDays}                      //
-                  /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-                  newValues.add(value);
+                  if(value instanceof AbstractFilterExpression<?>)
+                  {
+                     ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+                     // if a filter variable expression, evaluate the input values, which //
+                     // will replace the variables with the corresponding actual values   //
+                     ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+                     if(value instanceof FilterVariableExpression filterVariableExpression)
+                     {
+                        newValues.add(filterVariableExpression.evaluateInputValues(inputValues));
+                     }
+                     else
+                     {
+                        newValues.add(value);
+                     }
+                  }
+                  else
+                  {
+                     String       valueAsString    = ValueUtils.getValueAsString(value);
+                     Serializable interpretedValue = variableInterpreter.interpretForObject(valueAsString);
+                     newValues.add(interpretedValue);
+                  }
                }
-               else
+               catch(Exception e)
                {
-                  String       valueAsString    = ValueUtils.getValueAsString(value);
-                  Serializable interpretedValue = variableInterpreter.interpretForObject(valueAsString);
-                  newValues.add(interpretedValue);
+                  caughtExceptions.add(e);
                }
             }
             criterion.setValues(newValues);
          }
       }
+
+      if(!caughtExceptions.isEmpty())
+      {
+         String  message       = "Error interpreting filter values: " + StringUtils.joinWithCommasAndAnd(caughtExceptions.stream().map(e -> e.getMessage()).toList());
+         boolean allUserFacing = caughtExceptions.stream().allMatch(QUserFacingException.class::isInstance);
+         throw (allUserFacing ? new QUserFacingException(message) : new QException(message));
+      }
    }
 
 

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/actions/tables/query/QueryInput.java

@@ -25,19 +25,24 @@ package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.EnumSet;
+import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Set;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.QBackendTransaction;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.reporting.RecordPipe;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.AbstractTableActionInput;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.QueryHint;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.QueryOrGetInputInterface;
 
 
 /*******************************************************************************
  ** Input data for the Query action
  **
+ ** Todo - maybe make a class between AbstractTableActionInput and {QueryInput,
+ ** CountInput, and AggregateInput}, with common attributes for all of these
+ ** "read" operations (like, queryHints,
  *******************************************************************************/
-public class QueryInput extends AbstractTableActionInput implements QueryOrGetInputInterface
+public class QueryInput extends AbstractTableActionInput implements QueryOrGetInputInterface, Cloneable
 {
    private QBackendTransaction transaction;
    private QQueryFilter        filter;
@@ -73,22 +78,6 @@ public class QueryInput extends AbstractTableActionInput implements QueryOrGetIn
 
 
 
-   /*******************************************************************************
-    ** Information about the query that an application (or qqq service) may know and
-    ** want to tell the backend, that can help influence how the backend processes
-    ** query.
-    **
-    ** For example, a query with potentially a large result set, for MySQL backend,
-    ** we may want to configure the result set to stream results rather than do its
-    ** default in-memory thing.  See RDBMSQueryAction for usage.
-    *******************************************************************************/
-   public enum QueryHint
-   {
-      POTENTIALLY_LARGE_NUMBER_OF_RESULTS
-   }
-
-
-
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
@@ -109,6 +98,40 @@ public class QueryInput extends AbstractTableActionInput implements QueryOrGetIn
 
 
 
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   @Override
+   public QueryInput clone() throws CloneNotSupportedException
+   {
+      QueryInput clone = (QueryInput) super.clone();
+
+      if(fieldsToTranslatePossibleValues != null)
+      {
+         clone.fieldsToTranslatePossibleValues = new HashSet<>(fieldsToTranslatePossibleValues);
+      }
+
+      if(queryJoins != null)
+      {
+         clone.queryJoins = new ArrayList<>(queryJoins);
+      }
+
+      if(clone.associationNamesToInclude != null)
+      {
+         clone.associationNamesToInclude = new HashSet<>(associationNamesToInclude);
+      }
+
+      if(queryHints != null)
+      {
+         clone.queryHints = EnumSet.noneOf(QueryHint.class);
+         clone.queryHints.addAll(queryHints);
+      }
+
+      return (clone);
+   }
+
+
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Getter for filter
     **
@@ -648,4 +671,19 @@ public class QueryInput extends AbstractTableActionInput implements QueryOrGetIn
       return (this);
    }
 
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** null-safely check if query hints map contains the specified hint
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public boolean hasQueryHint(QueryHint queryHint)
+   {
+      if(this.queryHints == null)
+      {
+         return (false);
+      }
+
+      return (queryHints.contains(queryHint));
+   }
+
 }

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/actions/tables/query/QueryJoin.java

@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.StringUtils;
  ** JoinsContext is constructed before executing a query, and not meant to be set
  ** by users.
  *******************************************************************************/
-public class QueryJoin
+public class QueryJoin implements Cloneable
 {
    private String        baseTableOrAlias;
    private String        joinTable;
@@ -69,6 +69,40 @@ public class QueryJoin
 
 
 
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   @Override
+   public QueryJoin clone()
+   {
+      try
+      {
+         QueryJoin clone = (QueryJoin) super.clone();
+
+         if(joinMetaData != null)
+         {
+            clone.joinMetaData = joinMetaData.clone();
+         }
+
+         if(securityCriteria != null)
+         {
+            clone.securityCriteria = new ArrayList<>();
+            for(QFilterCriteria securityCriterion : securityCriteria)
+            {
+               clone.securityCriteria.add(securityCriterion.clone());
+            }
+         }
+
+         return clone;
+      }
+      catch(CloneNotSupportedException e)
+      {
+         throw new AssertionError();
+      }
+   }
+
+
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** define the types of joins - INNER, LEFT, RIGHT, or FULL.
     *******************************************************************************/
@@ -417,4 +451,20 @@ public class QueryJoin
       return (this);
    }
 
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   @Override
+   public String toString()
+   {
+      return "QueryJoin{base="
+         + baseTableOrAlias + ", joinTable='"
+         + joinTable + ", joinMetaData="
+         + (joinMetaData == null ? null : joinMetaData.getName()) + ", alias='"
+         + alias + ", select="
+         + select + ", type="
+         + type + '}';
+   }
 }

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/actions/tables/query/QueryOutput.java

@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ public class QueryOutput extends AbstractActionOutput implements Serializable
       }
       else
       {
-         storage = new QueryOutputList();
+         storage = new QueryOutputList(queryInput);
       }
    }
 

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/actions/tables/query/QueryOutputList.java

@@ -24,7 +24,10 @@ package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query;
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.QLogger;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.data.QRecord;
+import org.apache.logging.log4j.Level;
+import static com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.LogUtils.logPair;
 
 
 /*******************************************************************************
@@ -33,15 +36,50 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.data.QRecord;
  *******************************************************************************/
 class QueryOutputList implements QueryOutputStorageInterface
 {
-   private List<QRecord> records = new ArrayList<>();
+   private static final QLogger LOG = QLogger.getLogger(QueryOutputList.class);
+
+   private final String        tableName;
+   private       List<QRecord> records = new ArrayList<>();
+
+   private static int LOG_SIZE_INFO_OVER  = 50_000;
+   private static int LOG_SIZE_WARN_OVER  = 100_000;
+   private static int LOG_SIZE_ERROR_OVER = 250_000;
 
 
 
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
-   public QueryOutputList()
+   public QueryOutputList(QueryInput queryInput)
    {
+      tableName = queryInput.getTableName();
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   private void logSize(int sizeBefore, int sizeAfter)
+   {
+      Level level = null;
+      if(sizeBefore < LOG_SIZE_ERROR_OVER && sizeAfter >= LOG_SIZE_ERROR_OVER)
+      {
+         level = Level.ERROR;
+      }
+      else if(sizeBefore < LOG_SIZE_WARN_OVER && sizeAfter >= LOG_SIZE_WARN_OVER)
+      {
+         level = Level.WARN;
+      }
+      else if(sizeBefore < LOG_SIZE_INFO_OVER && sizeAfter >= LOG_SIZE_INFO_OVER)
+      {
+         level = Level.INFO;
+      }
+
+      if(level != null)
+      {
+         LOG.log(level, "Large number of records in QueryOutputList", new Throwable(), logPair("noRecords", sizeAfter), logPair("tableName", tableName));
+      }
    }
 
 
@@ -52,7 +90,9 @@ class QueryOutputList implements QueryOutputStorageInterface
    @Override
    public void addRecord(QRecord record)
    {
+      int sizeBefore = this.records.size();
       records.add(record);
+      logSize(sizeBefore, this.records.size());
    }
 
 
@@ -63,7 +103,9 @@ class QueryOutputList implements QueryOutputStorageInterface
    @Override
    public void addRecords(List<QRecord> records)
    {
+      int sizeBefore = this.records.size();
       this.records.addAll(records);
+      logSize(sizeBefore, this.records.size());
    }
 
 
@@ -77,4 +119,36 @@ class QueryOutputList implements QueryOutputStorageInterface
       return (records);
    }
 
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Setter for LOG_SIZE_INFO_OVER
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public static void setLogSizeInfoOver(int logSizeInfoOver)
+   {
+      QueryOutputList.LOG_SIZE_INFO_OVER = logSizeInfoOver;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Setter for LOG_SIZE_WARN_OVER
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public static void setLogSizeWarnOver(int logSizeWarnOver)
+   {
+      QueryOutputList.LOG_SIZE_WARN_OVER = logSizeWarnOver;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Setter for LOG_SIZE_ERROR_OVER
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public static void setLogSizeErrorOver(int logSizeErrorOver)
+   {
+      QueryOutputList.LOG_SIZE_ERROR_OVER = logSizeErrorOver;
+   }
 }

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/actions/tables/query/expressions/AbstractFilterExpression.java

@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.expressions;
 
 
 import java.io.Serializable;
+import java.util.Map;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
 
 
 /*******************************************************************************
@@ -33,7 +35,20 @@ public abstract class AbstractFilterExpression<T extends Serializable> implement
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
-   public abstract T evaluate();
+   public abstract T evaluate() throws QException;
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Evaluate the expression, given a map of input values.
+    **
+    ** By default, this will defer to the evaluate(void) method - but, a subclass
+    ** (e.g., FilterVariableExpression) may react differently.
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public T evaluateInputValues(Map<String, Serializable> inputValues) throws QException
+   {
+      return evaluate();
+   }
 
 
 

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/actions/tables/query/expressions/FilterVariableExpression.java

@@ -0,0 +1,214 @@
+/*
+ * QQQ - Low-code Application Framework for Engineers.
+ * Copyright (C) 2021-2023.  Kingsrook, LLC
+ * 651 N Broad St Ste 205 # 6917 | Middletown DE 19709 | United States
+ * contact@kingsrook.com
+ * https://github.com/Kingsrook/
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the
+ * License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.expressions;
+
+
+import java.io.Serializable;
+import java.util.Map;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QUserFacingException;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.ValueUtils;
+
+
+/*******************************************************************************
+ **
+ *******************************************************************************/
+public class FilterVariableExpression extends AbstractFilterExpression<Serializable>
+{
+   private String variableName;
+   private String fieldName;
+   private String operator;
+   private int    valueIndex = 0;
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   @Override
+   public Serializable evaluate() throws QException
+   {
+      throw (new QUserFacingException("Missing variable value."));
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   @Override
+   public Serializable evaluateInputValues(Map<String, Serializable> inputValues) throws QException
+   {
+      if(!inputValues.containsKey(variableName) || "".equals(ValueUtils.getValueAsString(inputValues.get(variableName))))
+      {
+         throw (new QUserFacingException("Missing value for variable: " + variableName));
+      }
+      return (inputValues.get(variableName));
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Constructor
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public FilterVariableExpression()
+   {
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Constructor
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   private FilterVariableExpression(String fieldName, int valueIndex)
+   {
+      this.fieldName = fieldName;
+      this.valueIndex = valueIndex;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for valueIndex
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public int getValueIndex()
+   {
+      return (this.valueIndex);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Setter for valueIndex
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void setValueIndex(int valueIndex)
+   {
+      this.valueIndex = valueIndex;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for valueIndex
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public FilterVariableExpression withValueIndex(int valueIndex)
+   {
+      this.valueIndex = valueIndex;
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for fieldName
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public String getFieldName()
+   {
+      return (this.fieldName);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Setter for fieldName
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void setFieldName(String fieldName)
+   {
+      this.fieldName = fieldName;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for fieldName
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public FilterVariableExpression withFieldName(String fieldName)
+   {
+      this.fieldName = fieldName;
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for variableName
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public String getVariableName()
+   {
+      return (this.variableName);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Setter for variableName
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void setVariableName(String variableName)
+   {
+      this.variableName = variableName;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for variableName
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public FilterVariableExpression withVariableName(String variableName)
+   {
+      this.variableName = variableName;
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for operator
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public String getOperator()
+   {
+      return (this.operator);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Setter for operator
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void setOperator(String operator)
+   {
+      this.operator = operator;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for operator
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public FilterVariableExpression withOperator(String operator)
+   {
+      this.operator = operator;
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+}