Merge branch 'rel/0.20.0'

Convert Kingsrook/qqq to GitHub Actions

.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/

README.md

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ You can also use fine-grained jars:
 
 ## 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/
 

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.

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)),
+----

pom.xml

@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
    </modules>
 
    <properties>
-      <revision>0.20.0-SNAPSHOT</revision>
+      <revision>0.20.0</revision>
 
       <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
       <project.reporting.outputEncoding>UTF-8</project.reporting.outputEncoding>
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
       <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>
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@
                <dependency>
                   <groupId>com.puppycrawl.tools</groupId>
                   <artifactId>checkstyle</artifactId>
-                  <version>9.0</version>
+                  <version>10.16.0</version>
                </dependency>
             </dependencies>
             <executions>
@@ -209,6 +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/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/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/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/metadata/MetaDataAction.java

@@ -218,6 +218,8 @@ public class MetaDataAction
 
       metaDataOutput.setEnvironmentValues(metaDataInput.getInstance().getEnvironmentValues());
 
+      metaDataOutput.setHelpContents(metaDataInput.getInstance().getHelpContent());
+
       // todo post-customization - can do whatever w/ the result if you want?
 
       return metaDataOutput;

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

@@ -500,7 +500,6 @@ public class PermissionsHelper
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
-   @SuppressWarnings("checkstyle:indentation")
    static PermissionSubType getEffectivePermissionSubType(QPermissionRules rules, PermissionSubType originalPermissionSubType)
    {
       if(rules == null || rules.getLevel() == null)
@@ -515,10 +514,10 @@ 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 +526,30 @@ 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 +1,110 @@
+/*
+ * 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.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 = runProcessInput.getInstance().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

@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ 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;
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@ 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;
@@ -71,7 +73,17 @@ 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 +94,7 @@ 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 +179,7 @@ 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 +202,44 @@ 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. //
@@ -335,6 +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 //
          ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -357,7 +364,7 @@ public class RunProcessAction
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Run a single backend step.
     *******************************************************************************/
-   private RunBackendStepOutput 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());

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/GenerateReportAction.java

@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ 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;
@@ -417,7 +418,8 @@ public class GenerateReportAction extends AbstractQActionFunction<ReportInput, R
             queryInput.setTableName(dataSource.getSourceTable());
             queryInput.setFilter(queryFilter);
             queryInput.setQueryJoins(dataSource.getQueryJoins());
-            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);
 
             queryInput.setShouldTranslatePossibleValues(true);
             queryInput.setFieldsToTranslatePossibleValues(setupFieldsToTranslatePossibleValues(reportInput, dataSource, new JoinsContext(reportInput.getInstance(), dataSource.getSourceTable(), dataSource.getQueryJoins(), queryInput.getFilter())));

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/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).
@@ -228,6 +346,8 @@ 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)

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());
+   }
+
+
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
@@ -268,6 +291,8 @@ 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)

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;
@@ -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);
    }
 

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());
@@ -445,9 +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/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/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

@@ -105,14 +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 stepName    = nameValuePairs.get("step");
          String widgetName  = nameValuePairs.get("widget");
          String slotName    = nameValuePairs.get("slot");
 
@@ -143,7 +150,7 @@ 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))
          {
@@ -153,6 +160,10 @@ public class QInstanceHelpContentManager
          {
             processHelpContentForWidget(key, widgetName, slotName, roles, helpContent);
          }
+         else if(nameValuePairs.containsKey("instanceLevel"))
+         {
+            processHelpContentForInstance(key, slotName, roles, helpContent);
+         }
       }
       catch(Exception e)
       {
@@ -165,7 +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)
@@ -212,7 +223,21 @@ public class QInstanceHelpContentManager
       }
       else
       {
-         LOG.info("Unrecognized key format for table help content", logPair("key", key));
+         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);
+            }
+         }
       }
    }
 
@@ -307,6 +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());
@@ -1468,7 +1536,7 @@ 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 +1544,14 @@ 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 +1563,11 @@ 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/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

@@ -107,8 +107,10 @@ public class AbstractActionInput
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Getter for instance
     **
+    ** Deprecated.  Please use QContext.getInstance() instead
     *******************************************************************************/
    @JsonIgnore
+   @Deprecated
    public QInstance getInstance()
    {
       return (QContext.getQInstance());
@@ -119,8 +121,10 @@ 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/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

@@ -49,8 +49,7 @@ public class RunBackendStepOutput extends AbstractActionOutput implements Serial
    private ProcessState processState;
    private Exception    exception; // todo - make optional
 
-   private String                      overrideLastStepName;
-   private List<QFrontendStepMetaData> updatedFrontendStepList = null;
+   private String overrideLastStepName; // todo - does this need to go into state too??
 
    private List<AuditInput> auditInputList = new ArrayList<>();
 
@@ -416,7 +415,7 @@ public class RunBackendStepOutput extends AbstractActionOutput implements Serial
     *******************************************************************************/
    public List<QFrontendStepMetaData> getUpdatedFrontendStepList()
    {
-      return (this.updatedFrontendStepList);
+      return (this.processState.getUpdatedFrontendStepList());
    }
 
 
@@ -426,18 +425,7 @@ public class RunBackendStepOutput extends AbstractActionOutput implements Serial
     *******************************************************************************/
    public void setUpdatedFrontendStepList(List<QFrontendStepMetaData> updatedFrontendStepList)
    {
-      this.updatedFrontendStepList = updatedFrontendStepList;
-   }
-
-
-
-   /*******************************************************************************
-    ** Fluent setter for updatedFrontendStepList
-    *******************************************************************************/
-   public RunBackendStepOutput withUpdatedFrontendStepList(List<QFrontendStepMetaData> updatedFrontendStepList)
-   {
-      this.updatedFrontendStepList = updatedFrontendStepList;
-      return (this);
+      this.processState.setUpdatedFrontendStepList(updatedFrontendStepList);
    }
 
 }

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

@@ -46,8 +46,6 @@ public class RunProcessOutput extends AbstractActionOutput implements Serializab
    private String              processUUID;
    private Optional<Exception> exception = Optional.empty();
 
-   private List<QFrontendStepMetaData> updatedFrontendStepList = null;
-
 
 
    /*******************************************************************************
@@ -334,32 +332,21 @@ public class RunProcessOutput extends AbstractActionOutput implements Serializab
 
 
    /*******************************************************************************
-    ** Getter for updatedFrontendStepList
-    *******************************************************************************/
-   public List<QFrontendStepMetaData> getUpdatedFrontendStepList()
-   {
-      return (this.updatedFrontendStepList);
-   }
-
-
-
-   /*******************************************************************************
-    ** Setter for updatedFrontendStepList
+    **
     *******************************************************************************/
    public void setUpdatedFrontendStepList(List<QFrontendStepMetaData> updatedFrontendStepList)
    {
-      this.updatedFrontendStepList = updatedFrontendStepList;
+      this.processState.setUpdatedFrontendStepList(updatedFrontendStepList);
    }
 
 
 
    /*******************************************************************************
-    ** Fluent setter for updatedFrontendStepList
+    **
     *******************************************************************************/
-   public RunProcessOutput withUpdatedFrontendStepList(List<QFrontendStepMetaData> updatedFrontendStepList)
+   public List<QFrontendStepMetaData> getUpdatedFrontendStepList()
    {
-      this.updatedFrontendStepList = updatedFrontendStepList;
-      return (this);
+      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);
+
 
 
    /*******************************************************************************
@@ -302,4 +306,78 @@ 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/query/QueryInput.java

@@ -31,12 +31,16 @@ 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, Cloneable
 {
@@ -74,22 +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
-   }
-
-
-
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
@@ -683,4 +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/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/dashboard/widgets/FilterAndColumnsSetupData.java

@@ -0,0 +1,196 @@
+/*
+ * 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.model.dashboard.widgets;
+
+
+import java.util.List;
+
+
+/*******************************************************************************
+ ** Model containing datastructure expected by frontend filter and columns setup widget
+ **
+ *******************************************************************************/
+public class FilterAndColumnsSetupData extends QWidgetData
+{
+   private String       tableName;
+   private Boolean      allowVariables = false;
+   private Boolean      hideColumns    = false;
+   private List<String> filterDefaultFieldNames;
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public FilterAndColumnsSetupData()
+   {
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public FilterAndColumnsSetupData(String tableName, Boolean allowVariables, Boolean hideColumns, List<String> filterDefaultFieldNames)
+   {
+      this.tableName = tableName;
+      this.allowVariables = allowVariables;
+      this.hideColumns = hideColumns;
+      this.filterDefaultFieldNames = filterDefaultFieldNames;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for type
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public String getType()
+   {
+      return WidgetType.FILTER_AND_COLUMNS_SETUP.getType();
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for tableName
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public String getTableName()
+   {
+      return (this.tableName);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Setter for tableName
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void setTableName(String tableName)
+   {
+      this.tableName = tableName;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for tableName
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public FilterAndColumnsSetupData withTableName(String tableName)
+   {
+      this.tableName = tableName;
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for hideColumns
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public Boolean getHideColumns()
+   {
+      return (this.hideColumns);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Setter for hideColumns
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void setHideColumns(Boolean hideColumns)
+   {
+      this.hideColumns = hideColumns;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for hideColumns
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public FilterAndColumnsSetupData withHideColumns(Boolean hideColumns)
+   {
+      this.hideColumns = hideColumns;
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for filterDefaultFieldNames
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public List<String> getFilterDefaultFieldNames()
+   {
+      return (this.filterDefaultFieldNames);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Setter for filterDefaultFieldNames
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void setFilterDefaultFieldNames(List<String> filterDefaultFieldNames)
+   {
+      this.filterDefaultFieldNames = filterDefaultFieldNames;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for filterDefaultFieldNames
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public FilterAndColumnsSetupData withFilterDefaultFieldNames(List<String> filterDefaultFieldNames)
+   {
+      this.filterDefaultFieldNames = filterDefaultFieldNames;
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for allowVariables
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public Boolean getAllowVariables()
+   {
+      return (this.allowVariables);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Setter for allowVariables
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void setAllowVariables(Boolean allowVariables)
+   {
+      this.allowVariables = allowVariables;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for allowVariables
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public FilterAndColumnsSetupData withAllowVariables(Boolean allowVariables)
+   {
+      this.allowVariables = allowVariables;
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+}

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/dashboard/widgets/WidgetType.java

@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ public enum WidgetType
    DYNAMIC_FORM("dynamicForm"),
    DATA_BAG_VIEWER("dataBagViewer"),
    PIVOT_TABLE_SETUP("pivotTableSetup"),
-   REPORT_SETUP("reportSetup"),
+   FILTER_AND_COLUMNS_SETUP("filterAndColumnsSetup"),
    SCRIPT_VIEWER("scriptViewer");
 
 

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

@@ -49,6 +49,11 @@ public @interface QField
     *******************************************************************************/
    String backendName() default "";
 
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   boolean isPrimaryKey() default false;
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/

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

@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+/*
+ * 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.data;
+
+
+import java.lang.annotation.ElementType;
+import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
+import java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy;
+import java.lang.annotation.Target;
+
+
+/*******************************************************************************
+ ** Marker - that a piece of code should be ignored (e.g., a field not treated as
+ ** a @QField)
+ *******************************************************************************/
+@Target({ ElementType.FIELD, ElementType.METHOD })
+@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
+public @interface QIgnore
+{
+}

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

@@ -35,12 +35,15 @@ import java.util.LinkedHashMap;
 import java.util.LinkedList;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonIgnore;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.QLogger;
 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.model.statusmessages.QErrorMessage;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.statusmessages.QWarningMessage;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.CollectionUtils;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.StringUtils;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.ValueUtils;
 import org.apache.commons.lang3.SerializationUtils;
 import static com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.LogUtils.logPair;
@@ -462,6 +465,7 @@ public class QRecord implements Serializable
    }
 
 
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Getter for a single field's value
     **
@@ -616,6 +620,22 @@ public class QRecord implements Serializable
 
 
 
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for errors
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   @JsonIgnore
+   public String getErrorsAsString()
+   {
+      if(CollectionUtils.nullSafeHasContents(errors))
+      {
+         return StringUtils.join("; ", errors.stream().map(e -> e.getMessage()).toList());
+      }
+      return ("");
+   }
+
+
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Setter for errors
     **
@@ -732,6 +752,22 @@ public class QRecord implements Serializable
 
 
 
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for warnings
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   @JsonIgnore
+   public String getWarningsAsString()
+   {
+      if(CollectionUtils.nullSafeHasContents(warnings))
+      {
+         return StringUtils.join("; ", warnings.stream().map(e -> e.getMessage()).toList());
+      }
+      return ("");
+   }
+
+
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Setter for warnings
     *******************************************************************************/
@@ -742,6 +778,18 @@ public class QRecord implements Serializable
 
 
 
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluently Add one warning to this record
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public QRecord withWarning(QWarningMessage warning)
+   {
+      addWarning(warning);
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Fluent setter for warnings
     *******************************************************************************/

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

@@ -218,6 +218,7 @@ public abstract class QRecordEntity
    }
 
 
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
@@ -296,7 +297,19 @@ public abstract class QRecordEntity
                   }
                   else
                   {
-                     LOG.debug("Skipping field without @QField annotation", logPair("class", c.getSimpleName()), logPair("fieldName", fieldName));
+                     Optional<QIgnore>      ignoreAnnotation      = getQIgnoreAnnotation(c, fieldName);
+                     Optional<QAssociation> associationAnnotation = getQAssociationAnnotation(c, fieldName);
+
+                     if(ignoreAnnotation.isPresent() || associationAnnotation.isPresent())
+                     {
+                        ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+                        // silently skip if marked as an association or an ignore //
+                        ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+                     }
+                     else
+                     {
+                        LOG.debug("Skipping field without @QField annotation", logPair("class", c.getSimpleName()), logPair("fieldName", fieldName));
+                     }
                   }
                }
                else
@@ -360,6 +373,16 @@ public abstract class QRecordEntity
 
 
 
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public static Optional<QIgnore> getQIgnoreAnnotation(Class<? extends QRecordEntity> c, String ignoreName)
+   {
+      return (getAnnotationOnField(c, QIgnore.class, ignoreName));
+   }
+
+
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
@@ -419,9 +442,9 @@ public abstract class QRecordEntity
          }
          else
          {
-            if(!method.getName().equals("getClass"))
+            if(!method.getName().equals("getClass") && method.getAnnotation(QIgnore.class) == null)
             {
-               LOG.debug("Method [" + method.getName() + "] looks like a getter, but its return type, [" + method.getReturnType() + "], isn't supported.");
+               LOG.debug("Method [" + method.getName() + "] in [" + method.getDeclaringClass().getSimpleName() + "] looks like a getter, but its return type, [" + method.getReturnType().getSimpleName() + "], isn't supported.");
             }
          }
       }

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

@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ public interface QRecordEnum
          {
             if(!method.getName().equals("getClass") && !method.getName().equals("getDeclaringClass") && !method.getName().equals("getPossibleValueId"))
             {
-               LOG.debug("Method [" + method.getName() + "] looks like a getter, but its return type, [" + method.getReturnType() + "], isn't supported.");
+               LOG.debug("Method [" + method.getName() + "] in [" + method.getDeclaringClass().getSimpleName() + "] looks like a getter, but its return type, [" + method.getReturnType().getSimpleName() + "], isn't supported.");
             }
          }
       }

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

@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.MetaDataProducerInterface;
  ** MetaDataProducerHelper, to put point at a package full of these, and populate
  ** your whole QInstance.
  *******************************************************************************/
-public abstract class MetaDataProducer<T extends TopLevelMetaDataInterface> implements MetaDataProducerInterface<T>
+public abstract class MetaDataProducer<T extends MetaDataProducerOutput> implements MetaDataProducerInterface<T>
 {
 
 }

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

@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ public class MetaDataProducerHelper
          {
             try
             {
-               TopLevelMetaDataInterface metaData = producer.produce(instance);
+               MetaDataProducerOutput metaData = producer.produce(instance);
                if(metaData != null)
                {
                   metaData.addSelfToInstance(instance);

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

@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+/*
+ * 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.metadata;
+
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.List;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.CollectionUtils;
+
+
+/*******************************************************************************
+ ** Output object for a MetaDataProducer, which contains multiple meta-data
+ ** objects.
+ *******************************************************************************/
+public class MetaDataProducerMultiOutput implements MetaDataProducerOutput
+{
+   private List<MetaDataProducerOutput> contents;
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   @Override
+   public void addSelfToInstance(QInstance instance)
+   {
+      for(MetaDataProducerOutput metaDataProducerOutput : CollectionUtils.nonNullList(contents))
+      {
+         metaDataProducerOutput.addSelfToInstance(instance);
+      }
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void add(MetaDataProducerOutput metaDataProducerOutput)
+   {
+      if(contents == null)
+      {
+         contents = new ArrayList<>();
+      }
+      contents.add(metaDataProducerOutput);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public MetaDataProducerMultiOutput with(MetaDataProducerOutput metaDataProducerOutput)
+   {
+      add(metaDataProducerOutput);
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public <T extends MetaDataProducerOutput> List<T> getEach(Class<T> c)
+   {
+      List<T> rs = new ArrayList<>();
+
+      for(MetaDataProducerOutput content : contents)
+      {
+         if(content instanceof MetaDataProducerMultiOutput multiOutput)
+         {
+            rs.addAll(multiOutput.getEach(c));
+         }
+         else if(c.isInstance(content))
+         {
+            rs.add(c.cast(content));
+         }
+      }
+
+      return (rs);
+   }
+
+}

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

@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+/*
+ * 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.metadata;
+
+
+/*******************************************************************************
+ ** Interface to mark objects that can be produced by a MetaDataProducer.
+ **
+ ** These would usually be TopLevelMetaData objects (a table, a process, etc)
+ ** but can also be a MetaDataProducerMultiOutput, to produce multiple objects
+ ** from one producer.
+ *******************************************************************************/
+public interface MetaDataProducerOutput
+{
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** call the appropriate methods on a QInstance to add ourselves to it.
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   void addSelfToInstance(QInstance instance);
+
+}

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

@@ -33,7 +33,9 @@ import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonIgnore;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.metadata.JoinGraph;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.metadata.MetaDataAction;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.instances.QInstanceHelpContentManager;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.instances.QInstanceValidationKey;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.instances.QInstanceValidationState;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.AbstractActionInput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.metadata.MetaDataInput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.metadata.MetaDataOutput;
@@ -44,6 +46,8 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.branding.QBrandingMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.dashboard.QWidgetMetaDataInterface;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.frontend.AppTreeNode;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.frontend.AppTreeNodeType;
+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.joins.QJoinMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.layout.QAppMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.messaging.QMessagingProviderMetaData;
@@ -79,7 +83,7 @@ public class QInstance
    private QAuthenticationMetaData                  authentication      = null;
    private QBrandingMetaData                        branding            = null;
    private Map<String, QAutomationProviderMetaData> automationProviders = new HashMap<>();
-   private Map<String, QMessagingProviderMetaData> messagingProviders = new HashMap<>();
+   private Map<String, QMessagingProviderMetaData>  messagingProviders  = new HashMap<>();
 
    ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
    // Important to use LinkedHashmap here, to preserve the order in which entries are added. //
@@ -100,6 +104,8 @@ public class QInstance
 
    private Map<String, QSupplementalInstanceMetaData> supplementalMetaData = new LinkedHashMap<>();
 
+   protected Map<String, List<QHelpContent>> helpContent;
+
    private String              deploymentMode;
    private Map<String, String> environmentValues = new LinkedHashMap<>();
    private String              defaultTimeZoneId = "UTC";
@@ -107,10 +113,13 @@ public class QInstance
    private QPermissionRules defaultPermissionRules = QPermissionRules.defaultInstance();
    private QAuditRules      defaultAuditRules      = QAuditRules.defaultInstanceLevelNone();
 
-   // todo - lock down the object (no more changes allowed) after it's been validated?
+   //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+   // todo - lock down the object (no more changes allowed) after it's been validated? //
+   //  if doing so, may need to copy all of the collections into read-only versions... //
+   //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
    @JsonIgnore
-   private boolean hasBeenValidated = false;
+   private QInstanceValidationState validationState = QInstanceValidationState.PENDING;
 
    private Map<String, String> memoizedTablePaths   = new HashMap<>();
    private Map<String, String> memoizedProcessPaths = new HashMap<>();
@@ -794,32 +803,58 @@ public class QInstance
     *******************************************************************************/
    public boolean getHasBeenValidated()
    {
-      return hasBeenValidated;
+      return validationState.equals(QInstanceValidationState.COMPLETE);
    }
 
 
 
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** If pass a QInstanceValidationKey (which can only be instantiated by the validator),
-    ** then the hasBeenValidated field will be set to true.
+    ** then the validationState will be set to COMPLETE.
     **
-    ** Else, if passed a null, hasBeenValidated will be reset to false - e.g., to
+    ** Else, if passed a null, the validationState will be reset to PENDING.  e.g., to
     ** re-trigger validation (can be useful in tests).
     *******************************************************************************/
    public void setHasBeenValidated(QInstanceValidationKey key)
    {
       if(key == null)
       {
-         this.hasBeenValidated = false;
+         this.validationState = QInstanceValidationState.PENDING;
       }
       else
       {
-         this.hasBeenValidated = true;
+         this.validationState = QInstanceValidationState.COMPLETE;
       }
    }
 
 
 
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** If pass a QInstanceValidationKey (which can only be instantiated by the validator),
+    ** then the validationState set to RUNNING.
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void setValidationIsRunning(QInstanceValidationKey key)
+   {
+      if(key != null)
+      {
+         this.validationState = QInstanceValidationState.RUNNING;
+      }
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** check if the instance is currently running validation.
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public boolean getValidationIsRunning()
+   {
+      return validationState.equals(QInstanceValidationState.RUNNING);
+   }
+
+
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Getter for branding
     **
@@ -1380,4 +1415,74 @@ public class QInstance
       this.schedulableTypes = schedulableTypes;
    }
 
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for helpContent
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public Map<String, List<QHelpContent>> getHelpContent()
+   {
+      return (this.helpContent);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Setter for helpContent
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void setHelpContent(Map<String, List<QHelpContent>> helpContent)
+   {
+      this.helpContent = helpContent;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for helpContent
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public QInstance withHelpContent(Map<String, List<QHelpContent>> helpContent)
+   {
+      this.helpContent = helpContent;
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for adding 1 helpContent (for a slot)
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public QInstance withHelpContent(String slot, QHelpContent helpContent)
+   {
+      if(this.helpContent == null)
+      {
+         this.helpContent = new HashMap<>();
+      }
+
+      List<QHelpContent> listForSlot = this.helpContent.computeIfAbsent(slot, (k) -> new ArrayList<>());
+      QInstanceHelpContentManager.putHelpContentInList(helpContent, listForSlot);
+
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** remove a helpContent for a slot based on its set of roles
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void removeHelpContent(String slot, Set<HelpRole> roles)
+   {
+      if(this.helpContent == null)
+      {
+         return;
+      }
+
+      List<QHelpContent> listForSlot = this.helpContent.get(slot);
+      if(listForSlot == null)
+      {
+         return;
+      }
+
+      QInstanceHelpContentManager.removeHelpContentByRoleSetFromList(roles, listForSlot);
+   }
+
 }

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

@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata;
  ** Interface for meta-data classes that can be added directly (e.g, at the top
  ** level) to a QInstance (such as a QTableMetaData - not a QFieldMetaData).
  *******************************************************************************/
-public interface TopLevelMetaDataInterface
+public interface TopLevelMetaDataInterface extends MetaDataProducerOutput
 {
 
    /*******************************************************************************

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/fields/CaseChangeBehavior.java

@@ -0,0 +1,172 @@
+/*
+ * 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.metadata.fields;
+
+
+import java.io.Serializable;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Objects;
+import java.util.function.Function;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.values.ValueBehaviorApplier;
+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.tables.QTableMetaData;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.CollectionUtils;
+
+
+/*******************************************************************************
+ ** Field behavior that changes the case of string values.
+ *******************************************************************************/
+public enum CaseChangeBehavior implements FieldBehavior<CaseChangeBehavior>, FieldBehaviorForFrontend, FieldFilterBehavior<CaseChangeBehavior>
+{
+   NONE(null),
+   TO_UPPER_CASE((String s) -> s.toUpperCase()),
+   TO_LOWER_CASE((String s) -> s.toLowerCase());
+
+
+   private final Function<String, String> function;
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   CaseChangeBehavior(Function<String, String> function)
+   {
+      this.function = function;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   @Override
+   public CaseChangeBehavior getDefault()
+   {
+      return (NONE);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   @Override
+   public void apply(ValueBehaviorApplier.Action action, List<QRecord> recordList, QInstance instance, QTableMetaData table, QFieldMetaData field)
+   {
+      if(this.equals(NONE))
+      {
+         return;
+      }
+
+      switch(this)
+      {
+         case TO_UPPER_CASE, TO_LOWER_CASE -> applyFunction(recordList, table, field);
+         default -> throw new IllegalStateException("Unexpected enum value: " + this);
+      }
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   private void applyFunction(List<QRecord> recordList, QTableMetaData table, QFieldMetaData field)
+   {
+      String fieldName = field.getName();
+      for(QRecord record : CollectionUtils.nonNullList(recordList))
+      {
+         String value = record.getValueString(fieldName);
+         if(value != null && function != null)
+         {
+            record.setValue(fieldName, function.apply(value));
+         }
+      }
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   @Override
+   public Serializable applyToFilterCriteriaValue(Serializable value, QInstance instance, QTableMetaData table, QFieldMetaData field)
+   {
+      if(this.equals(NONE) || function == null)
+      {
+         return (value);
+      }
+
+      if(value instanceof String s)
+      {
+         String newValue = function.apply(s);
+         if(!Objects.equals(value, newValue))
+         {
+            return (newValue);
+         }
+      }
+
+      return (value);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   @Override
+   public boolean allowMultipleBehaviorsOfThisType()
+   {
+      return (false);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   @Override
+   public List<String> validateBehaviorConfiguration(QTableMetaData tableMetaData, QFieldMetaData fieldMetaData)
+   {
+      if(this == NONE)
+      {
+         return Collections.emptyList();
+      }
+
+      List<String> errors      = new ArrayList<>();
+      String       errorSuffix = " field [" + fieldMetaData.getName() + "] in table [" + tableMetaData.getName() + "]";
+
+      if(fieldMetaData.getType() != null)
+      {
+         if(!fieldMetaData.getType().isStringLike())
+         {
+            errors.add("A CaseChange was a applied to a non-String-like field:" + errorSuffix);
+         }
+      }
+
+      return (errors);
+   }
+
+}

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/fields/DisplayFormat.java

@@ -49,7 +49,6 @@ public interface DisplayFormat
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
-   @SuppressWarnings("checkstyle:Indentation")
    static String getExcelFormat(String javaDisplayFormat)
    {
       if(javaDisplayFormat == null)
@@ -58,21 +57,21 @@ public interface DisplayFormat
       }
 
       return switch(javaDisplayFormat)
-         {
-            case DisplayFormat.DEFAULT -> null;
-            case DisplayFormat.COMMAS -> "#,##0";
-            case DisplayFormat.DECIMAL1 -> "0.0";
-            case DisplayFormat.DECIMAL2 -> "0.00";
-            case DisplayFormat.DECIMAL3 -> "0.000";
-            case DisplayFormat.DECIMAL1_COMMAS -> "#,##0.0";
-            case DisplayFormat.DECIMAL2_COMMAS -> "#,##0.00";
-            case DisplayFormat.DECIMAL3_COMMAS -> "#,##0.000";
-            case DisplayFormat.CURRENCY -> "$#,##0.00";
-            case DisplayFormat.PERCENT -> "0%";
-            case DisplayFormat.PERCENT_POINT1 -> "0.0%";
-            case DisplayFormat.PERCENT_POINT2 -> "0.00%";
-            default -> null;
-         };
+      {
+         case DisplayFormat.DEFAULT -> null;
+         case DisplayFormat.COMMAS -> "#,##0";
+         case DisplayFormat.DECIMAL1 -> "0.0";
+         case DisplayFormat.DECIMAL2 -> "0.00";
+         case DisplayFormat.DECIMAL3 -> "0.000";
+         case DisplayFormat.DECIMAL1_COMMAS -> "#,##0.0";
+         case DisplayFormat.DECIMAL2_COMMAS -> "#,##0.00";
+         case DisplayFormat.DECIMAL3_COMMAS -> "#,##0.000";
+         case DisplayFormat.CURRENCY -> "$#,##0.00";
+         case DisplayFormat.PERCENT -> "0%";
+         case DisplayFormat.PERCENT_POINT1 -> "0.0%";
+         case DisplayFormat.PERCENT_POINT2 -> "0.00%";
+         default -> null;
+      };
 
    }
 }

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/fields/FieldBehaviorForFrontend.java

@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+/*
+ * 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.metadata.fields;
+
+
+import java.io.Serializable;
+
+
+/*******************************************************************************
+ ** Marker interface for a field behavior which you might want to send to a
+ ** frontend (e.g., so it can edit values to match what'll happen in the backend).
+ *******************************************************************************/
+public interface FieldBehaviorForFrontend extends Serializable
+{
+}

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/fields/FieldDisplayBehavior.java

@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.fields;
 
 
 /*******************************************************************************
- **
+ ** Interface to mark a field behavior as one to be used during generating
+ ** display values.
  *******************************************************************************/
 public interface FieldDisplayBehavior<T extends FieldDisplayBehavior<T>> extends FieldBehavior<T>
 {

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/fields/FieldFilterBehavior.java

@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+/*
+ * 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.metadata.fields;
+
+
+import java.io.Serializable;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.QInstance;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.tables.QTableMetaData;
+
+
+/*******************************************************************************
+ ** Interface to mark a field behavior as one to be used before a query filter
+ ** is executed.
+ *******************************************************************************/
+public interface FieldFilterBehavior<T extends FieldFilterBehavior<T>> extends FieldBehavior<T>
+{
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Apply the filter to a value from a criteria.
+    ** If you don't want to change the input value, return the parameter.
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   Serializable applyToFilterCriteriaValue(Serializable value, QInstance instance, QTableMetaData table, QFieldMetaData field);
+
+}

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/frontend/QFrontendFieldMetaData.java

@@ -23,13 +23,17 @@ package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.frontend;
 
 
 import java.io.Serializable;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonInclude;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonInclude.Include;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.fields.FieldAdornment;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.fields.FieldBehavior;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.fields.FieldBehaviorForFrontend;
 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.help.QHelpContent;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.CollectionUtils;
 
 
 /*******************************************************************************
@@ -53,6 +57,8 @@ public class QFrontendFieldMetaData
    private List<FieldAdornment> adornments;
    private List<QHelpContent>   helpContents;
 
+   private List<FieldBehaviorForFrontend> behaviors;
+
    //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
    // do not add setters.  take values from the source-object in the constructor!! //
    //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -75,6 +81,18 @@ public class QFrontendFieldMetaData
       this.adornments = fieldMetaData.getAdornments();
       this.defaultValue = fieldMetaData.getDefaultValue();
       this.helpContents = fieldMetaData.getHelpContents();
+
+      for(FieldBehavior<?> behavior : CollectionUtils.nonNullCollection(fieldMetaData.getBehaviors()))
+      {
+         if(behavior instanceof FieldBehaviorForFrontend fbff)
+         {
+            if(behaviors == null)
+            {
+               behaviors = new ArrayList<>();
+            }
+            behaviors.add(fbff);
+         }
+      }
    }
 
 
@@ -198,4 +216,14 @@ public class QFrontendFieldMetaData
       return helpContents;
    }
 
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for fieldBehaviors
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public List<FieldBehaviorForFrontend> getBehaviors()
+   {
+      return behaviors;
+   }
 }

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/frontend/QFrontendTableMetaData.java

@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.AbstractActionInput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.QBackendMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.QInstance;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.fields.QFieldMetaData;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.help.QHelpContent;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.sharing.ShareableTableMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.tables.Capability;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.tables.ExposedJoin;
@@ -76,7 +77,8 @@ public class QFrontendTableMetaData
    private boolean usesVariants;
    private String  variantTableLabel;
 
-   private ShareableTableMetaData shareableTableMetaData;
+   private ShareableTableMetaData          shareableTableMetaData;
+   private Map<String, List<QHelpContent>> helpContents;
 
    //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
    // do not add setters.  take values from the source-object in the constructor!! //
@@ -172,6 +174,8 @@ public class QFrontendTableMetaData
          usesVariants = true;
          variantTableLabel = actionInput.getInstance().getTable(backend.getVariantOptionsTableName()).getLabel();
       }
+
+      this.helpContents = tableMetaData.getHelpContent();
    }
 
 
@@ -382,4 +386,15 @@ public class QFrontendTableMetaData
    {
       return shareableTableMetaData;
    }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for helpContents
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public Map<String, List<QHelpContent>> getHelpContents()
+   {
+      return helpContents;
+   }
 }

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/joins/JoinType.java

@@ -44,14 +44,13 @@ public enum JoinType
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
-   @SuppressWarnings("checkstyle:indentation")
    public JoinType flip()
    {
       return switch(this)
-         {
-            case ONE_TO_MANY -> MANY_TO_ONE;
-            case MANY_TO_ONE -> ONE_TO_MANY;
-            case MANY_TO_MANY, ONE_TO_ONE -> this;
-         };
+      {
+         case ONE_TO_MANY -> MANY_TO_ONE;
+         case MANY_TO_ONE -> ONE_TO_MANY;
+         case MANY_TO_MANY, ONE_TO_ONE -> this;
+      };
    }
 }

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/processes/QProcessMetaData.java

@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ public class QProcessMetaData implements QAppChildMetaData, MetaDataWithPermissi
    private List<QStepMetaData>        stepList; // these are the steps that are ran, by-default, in the order they are ran in
    private Map<String, QStepMetaData> steps; // this is the full map of possible steps
 
+   private QBackendStepMetaData cancelStep;
+
    private QIcon icon;
 
    private QScheduleMetaData schedule;
@@ -675,6 +677,7 @@ public class QProcessMetaData implements QAppChildMetaData, MetaDataWithPermissi
    }
 
 
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Getter for variantRunStrategy
     *******************************************************************************/
@@ -746,4 +749,35 @@ public class QProcessMetaData implements QAppChildMetaData, MetaDataWithPermissi
       return steps;
    }
 
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for cancelStep
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public QBackendStepMetaData getCancelStep()
+   {
+      return (this.cancelStep);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Setter for cancelStep
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void setCancelStep(QBackendStepMetaData cancelStep)
+   {
+      this.cancelStep = cancelStep;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for cancelStep
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public QProcessMetaData withCancelStep(QBackendStepMetaData cancelStep)
+   {
+      this.cancelStep = cancelStep;
+      return (this);
+   }
+
 }

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/queues/SQSPollerSettings.java

@@ -0,0 +1,128 @@
+/*
+ * 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.metadata.queues;
+
+
+/*******************************************************************************
+ ** settings that can be applied to either an SQSQueue or an SQSQueueProvider,
+ ** to control what the SQSQueuePoller does when it receives from AWS.
+ *******************************************************************************/
+public class SQSPollerSettings
+{
+   private Integer maxNumberOfMessages;
+   private Integer waitTimeSeconds;
+   private Integer maxLoops;
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for maxNumberOfMessages
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public Integer getMaxNumberOfMessages()
+   {
+      return (this.maxNumberOfMessages);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Setter for maxNumberOfMessages
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void setMaxNumberOfMessages(Integer maxNumberOfMessages)
+   {
+      this.maxNumberOfMessages = maxNumberOfMessages;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for maxNumberOfMessages
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public SQSPollerSettings withMaxNumberOfMessages(Integer maxNumberOfMessages)
+   {
+      this.maxNumberOfMessages = maxNumberOfMessages;
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for waitTimeSeconds
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public Integer getWaitTimeSeconds()
+   {
+      return (this.waitTimeSeconds);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Setter for waitTimeSeconds
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void setWaitTimeSeconds(Integer waitTimeSeconds)
+   {
+      this.waitTimeSeconds = waitTimeSeconds;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for waitTimeSeconds
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public SQSPollerSettings withWaitTimeSeconds(Integer waitTimeSeconds)
+   {
+      this.waitTimeSeconds = waitTimeSeconds;
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for maxLoops
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public Integer getMaxLoops()
+   {
+      return (this.maxLoops);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Setter for maxLoops
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void setMaxLoops(Integer maxLoops)
+   {
+      this.maxLoops = maxLoops;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for maxLoops
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public SQSPollerSettings withMaxLoops(Integer maxLoops)
+   {
+      this.maxLoops = maxLoops;
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+}

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/queues/SQSQueueMetaData.java

@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+/*
+ * 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.metadata.queues;
+
+
+/*******************************************************************************
+ ** SQS subclass of meta-data for a specific Queue
+ *******************************************************************************/
+public class SQSQueueMetaData extends QQueueMetaData
+{
+   private SQSPollerSettings pollerSettings;
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for pollerSettings
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public SQSPollerSettings getPollerSettings()
+   {
+      return (this.pollerSettings);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Setter for pollerSettings
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void setPollerSettings(SQSPollerSettings pollerSettings)
+   {
+      this.pollerSettings = pollerSettings;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for pollerSettings
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public SQSQueueMetaData withPollerSettings(SQSPollerSettings pollerSettings)
+   {
+      this.pollerSettings = pollerSettings;
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+}

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/queues/SQSQueueProviderMetaData.java

@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ public class SQSQueueProviderMetaData extends QQueueProviderMetaData
    private String region;
    private String baseURL;
 
+   private SQSPollerSettings pollerSettings;
+
 
 
    /*******************************************************************************
@@ -196,4 +198,35 @@ public class SQSQueueProviderMetaData extends QQueueProviderMetaData
       return (this);
    }
 
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for pollerSettings
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public SQSPollerSettings getPollerSettings()
+   {
+      return (this.pollerSettings);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Setter for pollerSettings
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void setPollerSettings(SQSPollerSettings pollerSettings)
+   {
+      this.pollerSettings = pollerSettings;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for pollerSettings
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public SQSQueueProviderMetaData withPollerSettings(SQSPollerSettings pollerSettings)
+   {
+      this.pollerSettings = pollerSettings;
+      return (this);
+   }
+
 }

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/serialization/QStepMetaDataDeserializer.java

@@ -39,18 +39,21 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.processes.QStepMetaData;
  *******************************************************************************/
 public class QStepMetaDataDeserializer extends JsonDeserializer<QStepMetaData>
 {
+
+   /***************************************************************************
+    **
+    ***************************************************************************/
    @Override
-   @SuppressWarnings("checkstyle:Indentation")
    public QStepMetaData deserialize(JsonParser jsonParser, DeserializationContext deserializationContext) throws IOException, JacksonException
    {
       TreeNode treeNode = jsonParser.readValueAsTree();
       String   stepType = DeserializerUtils.readTextValue(treeNode, "stepType");
       Class<? extends QStepMetaData> targetClass = switch(stepType)
-         {
-            case "backend" -> QBackendStepMetaData.class;
-            case "frontend" -> QFrontendStepMetaData.class;
-            default -> throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unsupported StepType " + stepType + " for deserialization");
-         };
+      {
+         case "backend" -> QBackendStepMetaData.class;
+         case "frontend" -> QFrontendStepMetaData.class;
+         default -> throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unsupported StepType " + stepType + " for deserialization");
+      };
       return (DeserializerUtils.reflectivelyDeserialize(targetClass, treeNode));
    }
 

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/tables/QTableMetaData.java

@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import java.util.Optional;
 import java.util.Set;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.customizers.TableCustomizers;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.instances.QInstanceHelpContentManager;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.QLogger;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.data.QRecordEntity;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.data.QRecordEntityField;
@@ -43,6 +44,8 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.TopLevelMetaDataInterface;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.audits.QAuditRules;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.code.QCodeReference;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.fields.QFieldMetaData;
+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.layout.QAppChildMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.layout.QIcon;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.permissions.MetaDataWithPermissionRules;
@@ -110,6 +113,9 @@ public class QTableMetaData implements QAppChildMetaData, Serializable, MetaData
 
    private ShareableTableMetaData shareableTableMetaData;
 
+   protected Map<String, List<QHelpContent>> helpContent;
+
+
 
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Default constructor.
@@ -158,11 +164,26 @@ public class QTableMetaData implements QAppChildMetaData, Serializable, MetaData
    public QTableMetaData withFieldsFromEntity(Class<? extends QRecordEntity> entityClass) throws QException
    {
       List<QRecordEntityField> recordEntityFieldList = QRecordEntity.getFieldList(entityClass);
+
+      boolean setPrimaryKey = false;
+
       for(QRecordEntityField recordEntityField : recordEntityFieldList)
       {
          QFieldMetaData field = new QFieldMetaData(recordEntityField.getGetter());
          addField(field);
+
+         if(recordEntityField.getFieldAnnotation().isPrimaryKey())
+         {
+            if(setPrimaryKey)
+            {
+               throw (new QException("Attempt to set more than one field as primary key (" + primaryKeyField + "," + field.getName() + ")."));
+            }
+
+            setPrimaryKeyField(field.getName());
+            setPrimaryKey = true;
+         }
       }
+
       return (this);
    }
 
@@ -624,6 +645,18 @@ public class QTableMetaData implements QAppChildMetaData, Serializable, MetaData
 
 
 
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** fluent setter for both recordLabelFormat and recordLabelFields
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public QTableMetaData withRecordLabelFormatAndFields(String format, String... fields)
+   {
+      setRecordLabelFormat(format);
+      setRecordLabelFields(Arrays.asList(fields));
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Getter for recordLabelFields
     **
@@ -1388,6 +1421,7 @@ public class QTableMetaData implements QAppChildMetaData, Serializable, MetaData
    }
 
 
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Getter for shareableTableMetaData
     *******************************************************************************/
@@ -1418,4 +1452,73 @@ public class QTableMetaData implements QAppChildMetaData, Serializable, MetaData
    }
 
 
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Getter for helpContent
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public Map<String, List<QHelpContent>> getHelpContent()
+   {
+      return (this.helpContent);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Setter for helpContent
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void setHelpContent(Map<String, List<QHelpContent>> helpContent)
+   {
+      this.helpContent = helpContent;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for helpContent
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public QTableMetaData withHelpContent(Map<String, List<QHelpContent>> helpContent)
+   {
+      this.helpContent = helpContent;
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Fluent setter for adding 1 helpContent (for a slot)
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public QTableMetaData withHelpContent(String slot, QHelpContent helpContent)
+   {
+      if(this.helpContent == null)
+      {
+         this.helpContent = new HashMap<>();
+      }
+
+      List<QHelpContent> listForSlot = this.helpContent.computeIfAbsent(slot, (k) -> new ArrayList<>());
+      QInstanceHelpContentManager.putHelpContentInList(helpContent, listForSlot);
+
+      return (this);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** remove a helpContent for a slot based on its set of roles
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void removeHelpContent(String slot, Set<HelpRole> roles)
+   {
+      if(this.helpContent == null)
+      {
+         return;
+      }
+
+      List<QHelpContent> listForSlot = this.helpContent.get(slot);
+      if(listForSlot == null)
+      {
+         return;
+      }
+
+      QInstanceHelpContentManager.removeHelpContentByRoleSetFromList(roles, listForSlot);
+   }
+
 }

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

@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import java.util.Set;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.QQueryFilter;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.data.QAssociation;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.data.QField;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.data.QIgnore;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.data.QRecord;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.data.QRecordEntity;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.fields.ValueTooLongBehavior;
@@ -77,7 +78,9 @@ public class QueryStat extends QRecordEntity
    ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
    // non-persistent fields - used to help build the record //
    ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-   private String       tableName;
+   @QIgnore
+   private String tableName;
+
    private Set<String>  joinTableNames;
    private QQueryFilter queryFilter;
 
@@ -384,6 +387,7 @@ public class QueryStat extends QRecordEntity
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Getter for queryFilter
     *******************************************************************************/
+   @QIgnore
    public QQueryFilter getQueryFilter()
    {
       return (this.queryFilter);
@@ -446,6 +450,7 @@ public class QueryStat extends QRecordEntity
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Getter for joinTableNames
     *******************************************************************************/
+   @QIgnore
    public Set<String> getJoinTableNames()
    {
       return (this.joinTableNames);

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

@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+/*
+ * 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.savedreports;
+
+
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.dashboard.widgets.AbstractWidgetRenderer;
+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;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.dashboard.widgets.FilterAndColumnsSetupData;
+
+
+/*******************************************************************************
+ **
+ *******************************************************************************/
+public class SavedReportsFilterAndColumnsSetupRenderer extends AbstractWidgetRenderer
+{
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   @Override
+   public RenderWidgetOutput render(RenderWidgetInput input) throws QException
+   {
+      return (new RenderWidgetOutput(new FilterAndColumnsSetupData(null, true, false, null)));
+   }
+}

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

@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ public class SavedReportsMetaDataProvider
    public static final String RENDER_REPORT_PROCESS_VALUES_WIDGET = "renderReportProcessValuesWidget";
 
 
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
@@ -234,8 +235,8 @@ public class SavedReportsMetaDataProvider
          .withName("reportSetupWidget")
          .withLabel("Filters and Columns")
          .withIsCard(true)
-         .withType(WidgetType.REPORT_SETUP.getType())
-         .withCodeReference(new QCodeReference(DefaultWidgetRenderer.class));
+         .withType(WidgetType.FILTER_AND_COLUMNS_SETUP.getType())
+         .withCodeReference(new QCodeReference(SavedReportsFilterAndColumnsSetupRenderer.class));
    }
 
 

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

@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.common.TimeZonePossibleValueSourceMetaDataProvider;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.data.QAssociation;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.data.QField;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.data.QIgnore;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.data.QRecord;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.data.QRecordEntity;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.fields.DisplayFormat;
@@ -434,6 +435,7 @@ public class ScheduledJob extends QRecordEntity
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Getter for jobParameters - but a map of just the key=value pairs.
     *******************************************************************************/
+   @QIgnore
    public Map<String, String> getJobParametersMap()
    {
       if(CollectionUtils.nullSafeIsEmpty(this.jobParameters))
@@ -469,6 +471,7 @@ public class ScheduledJob extends QRecordEntity
    }
 
 
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Getter for repeatSeconds
     *******************************************************************************/

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

@@ -0,0 +1,125 @@
+/*
+ * 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.session;
+
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.List;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.context.QContext;
+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.security.QSecurityKeyType;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.StringUtils;
+
+
+/*******************************************************************************
+ ** Special session, indicating that an action being executed is being done not
+ ** on behalf of a (human or otherwise) user - but instead, is the application/
+ ** system itself.
+ **
+ ** Generally this means, escalated privileges - e.g., permission to all tables,
+ ** processes etc, and all security keys (e.g., all-access keys).
+ *******************************************************************************/
+public class QSystemUserSession extends QSession
+{
+   private static final QLogger LOG = QLogger.getLogger(QSystemUserSession.class);
+
+   private static List<String> allAccessKeyNames = null;
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Constructor
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public QSystemUserSession()
+   {
+      super();
+
+      ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      // always give system user all of the all-access keys //
+      ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      for(String allAccessKeyName : getAllAccessKeyNames())
+      {
+         withSecurityKeyValue(allAccessKeyName, true);
+      }
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** System User Sessions should always have permission to all the things.
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   @Override
+   public boolean hasPermission(String permissionName)
+   {
+      return (true);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   private List<String> getAllAccessKeyNames()
+   {
+      if(allAccessKeyNames == null)
+      {
+         QInstance qInstance = QContext.getQInstance();
+         if(qInstance == null)
+         {
+            LOG.warn("QInstance was not set in context when creating a QSystemUserSession and trying to prime allAccessKeyNames... This SystemUserSession will NOT have any allAccessKeys.");
+            return (Collections.emptyList());
+         }
+
+         ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+         // ideally only 1 thread would do this, but, it's cheap, so don't bother locking.    //
+         // and, if multiple get in, only the last one will assign to the field, so, s/b fine //
+         ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+         List<String> list = new ArrayList<>();
+         for(QSecurityKeyType securityKeyType : qInstance.getSecurityKeyTypes().values())
+         {
+            if(StringUtils.hasContent(securityKeyType.getAllAccessKeyName()))
+            {
+               list.add(securityKeyType.getAllAccessKeyName());
+            }
+         }
+
+         LOG.info("Initialized allAccessKeyNames for SystemUserSessions as: " + list);
+         allAccessKeyNames = list;
+      }
+
+      return (allAccessKeyNames);
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Meant for use in tests - to explicitly null-out the allAccessKeyNames field.
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   static void unsetAllAccessKeyNames()
+   {
+      allAccessKeyNames = null;
+   }
+
+}

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/modules/authentication/implementations/Auth0AuthenticationModule.java

@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.QInstance;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.authentication.Auth0AuthenticationMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.security.QSecurityKeyType;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.session.QSession;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.session.QSystemUserSession;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.session.QUser;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.modules.authentication.QAuthenticationModuleCustomizerInterface;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.modules.authentication.QAuthenticationModuleInterface;
@@ -150,10 +151,7 @@ public class Auth0AuthenticationModule implements QAuthenticationModuleInterface
    ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
    // this is how we allow the actions within this class to work without themselves having a logged-in user. //
    ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-   private static QSession chickenAndEggSession = new QSession()
-   {
-
-   };
+   private static QSession chickenAndEggSession = null;
 
 
 
@@ -163,14 +161,29 @@ public class Auth0AuthenticationModule implements QAuthenticationModuleInterface
     *******************************************************************************/
    private QSession getChickenAndEggSession()
    {
-      for(String typeName : QContext.getQInstance().getSecurityKeyTypes().keySet())
+      if(chickenAndEggSession == null)
       {
-         QSecurityKeyType keyType = QContext.getQInstance().getSecurityKeyType(typeName);
-         if(StringUtils.hasContent(keyType.getAllAccessKeyName()))
+         ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+         // if the static field is null, then let's make a new session;                //
+         // prime it with all all-access keys; and then set it in the static field.    //
+         // and, if 2 threads get in here at the same time, no real harm will be done, //
+         // other than creating the session twice, and whoever loses the race, that'll //
+         // be the one that stays in the field                                         //
+         ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+         QSession newChickenAndEggSession = new QSession();
+
+         for(String typeName : QContext.getQInstance().getSecurityKeyTypes().keySet())
          {
-            chickenAndEggSession = chickenAndEggSession.withSecurityKeyValue(keyType.getAllAccessKeyName(), true);
+            QSecurityKeyType keyType = QContext.getQInstance().getSecurityKeyType(typeName);
+            if(StringUtils.hasContent(keyType.getAllAccessKeyName()))
+            {
+               newChickenAndEggSession.withSecurityKeyValue(keyType.getAllAccessKeyName(), true);
+            }
          }
+
+         chickenAndEggSession = newChickenAndEggSession;
       }
+
       return (chickenAndEggSession);
    }
 
@@ -196,7 +209,7 @@ public class Auth0AuthenticationModule implements QAuthenticationModuleInterface
             // process a sessionUUID - looks up userSession record - cannot create token this way. //
             /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
             String sessionUUID = context.get(SESSION_UUID_KEY);
-            LOG.debug("Creating session from sessionUUID (userSession)", logPair("sessionUUID", maskForLog(sessionUUID)));
+            LOG.trace("Creating session from sessionUUID (userSession)", logPair("sessionUUID", maskForLog(sessionUUID)));
             if(sessionUUID != null)
             {
                accessToken = getAccessTokenFromSessionUUID(metaData, sessionUUID);
@@ -254,7 +267,7 @@ public class Auth0AuthenticationModule implements QAuthenticationModuleInterface
                // decode the credentials from the header auth //
                /////////////////////////////////////////////////
                String base64Credentials = context.get(BASIC_AUTH_KEY).trim();
-               LOG.info("Creating session from basicAuthentication", logPair("base64Credentials", maskForLog(base64Credentials)));
+               LOG.trace("Creating session from basicAuthentication", logPair("base64Credentials", maskForLog(base64Credentials)));
                accessToken = getAccessTokenFromBase64BasicAuthCredentials(metaData, auth, base64Credentials);
             }
             catch(Auth0Exception e)
@@ -273,7 +286,7 @@ public class Auth0AuthenticationModule implements QAuthenticationModuleInterface
             // process an api key - looks up client application token (creating token if needed) //
             ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
             String apiKey = context.get(API_KEY);
-            LOG.info("Creating session from apiKey (accessTokenTable)", logPair("apiKey", maskForLog(apiKey)));
+            LOG.trace("Creating session from apiKey (accessTokenTable)", logPair("apiKey", maskForLog(apiKey)));
             if(apiKey != null)
             {
                accessToken = getAccessTokenFromApiKey(metaData, apiKey);
@@ -479,6 +492,11 @@ public class Auth0AuthenticationModule implements QAuthenticationModuleInterface
          return (true);
       }
 
+      if(session instanceof QSystemUserSession)
+      {
+         return (true);
+      }
+
       if(session == null)
       {
          return (false);

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/modules/authentication/implementations/TableBasedAuthenticationModule.java

@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ 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.authentication.TableBasedAuthenticationMetaData;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.session.QSession;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.session.QSystemUserSession;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.session.QUser;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.modules.authentication.QAuthenticationModuleInterface;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.state.InMemoryStateProvider;
@@ -256,6 +257,11 @@ public class TableBasedAuthenticationModule implements QAuthenticationModuleInte
          return (true);
       }
 
+      if(session instanceof QSystemUserSession)
+      {
+         return (true);
+      }
+
       if(session == null)
       {
          return (false);

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/modules/backend/implementations/memory/MemoryRecordStore.java

@@ -769,7 +769,6 @@ public class MemoryRecordStore
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
-   @SuppressWarnings("checkstyle:indentation")
    private static Serializable computeAggregate(List<QRecord> records, Aggregate aggregate, QTableMetaData table)
    {
       String            fieldName = aggregate.getFieldName();

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/modules/backend/implementations/mock/MockCountAction.java

@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ public class MockCountAction implements CountInterface
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
-   @SuppressWarnings("checkstyle:MagicNumber")
    public CountOutput execute(CountInput countInput) throws QException
    {
       try

qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/modules/backend/implementations/mock/MockQueryAction.java

@@ -95,10 +95,8 @@ public class MockQueryAction implements QueryInterface
     ** Get a mock value to use, based on its type.
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
-   @SuppressWarnings("checkstyle:MagicNumber")
    public static Serializable getMockValue(QTableMetaData table, String field)
    {
-      // @formatter:off // IJ can't do new-style switch correctly yet...
       return switch(table.getField(field).getType())
       {
          case STRING -> UUID.randomUUID().toString();
@@ -112,7 +110,6 @@ public class MockQueryAction implements QueryInterface
          case PASSWORD -> "abc***234";
          default -> throw new IllegalStateException("Unexpected value: " + table.getField(field).getType());
       };
-      // @formatter:on
    }
 
 }