Multi value text choices #7323

XingY · 2026-01-12T21:16:51Z

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Pull request overview

This PR adds support for multi-value text choice properties in LabKey, enabling users to select multiple values for text choice fields. This functionality is controlled by an experimental feature flag and is currently only supported on PostgreSQL databases.

Changes:

Added allowMultiChoiceProperties() method to various DomainKind implementations (DatasetDomainKind, ListDomainKind, DataClassDomainKind, SampleTypeDomainKind)
Implemented new array comparison operators (ARRAY_CONTAINS_ALL, ARRAY_CONTAINS_ANY, ARRAY_CONTAINS_NONE, ARRAY_MATCHES, ARRAY_NOT_MATCHES) for filtering multi-choice fields
Added support for PostgreSQL array types in SQL dialects and JDBC type handling
Updated frontend dependencies to version 7.13.0-fb-mvtc.4 for @labkey/components and 1.45.0-fb-mvtc.2 for @labkey/api

Reviewed changes

Copilot reviewed 29 out of 33 changed files in this pull request and generated 7 comments.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
study/src/org/labkey/study/model/DatasetDomainKind.java	Enables multi-choice properties for datasets
list/src/org/labkey/list/model/ListDomainKind.java	Enables multi-choice properties for lists
experiment/src/org/labkey/experiment/api/DataClassDomainKind.java	Enables multi-choice properties for data classes
api/src/org/labkey/api/exp/api/SampleTypeDomainKind.java	Enables multi-choice properties for sample types
query/src/org/labkey/query/QueryServiceImpl.java	Registers new array comparison operators
api/src/org/labkey/api/data/CompareType.java	Implements array filtering operators and clause classes
api/src/org/labkey/api/exp/PropertyType.java	Adds MULTI_CHOICE property type implementation
api/src/org/labkey/api/data/dialect/SqlDialect.java	Adds overloaded getJDBCArrayType method for array handling
api/src/org/labkey/api/data/dialect/BasePostgreSqlDialect.java	Maps ARRAY JDBC type to PostgreSQL text[] type
api/src/org/labkey/api/data/JdbcType.java	Implements conversion logic for ARRAY type
api/src/org/labkey/api/data/MultiChoice.java	Adds export/import formatting methods for multi-choice display
api/src/org/labkey/api/exp/property/DomainKind.java	Renames method from allowMultiTextChoiceProperties to allowMultiChoiceProperties
api/src/org/labkey/api/exp/property/DomainUtil.java	Adds allowMultiChoice helper method with feature flag check
api/src/org/labkey/api/reader/TabLoader.java	Adds special quote parsing for multi-choice array columns
api/src/org/labkey/api/settings/AppProps.java	Adds MULTI_VALUE_TEXT_CHOICE feature flag constant
api/webapp/clientapi/ext3/FilterDialog.js	Fixes validation to handle null input values
api/schemas/queryCustomView.xsd	Adds array operator enumerations to schema
experiment/src/org/labkey/experiment/ExperimentModule.java	Registers experimental feature flag and adds usage metric
pipeline/package.json, experiment/package.json, core/package.json, assay/package.json	Updates @labkey/components dependency to feature branch version
**/package-lock.json	Updates lockfiles with new dependency versions

Files not reviewed (4)

assay/package-lock.json: Language not supported
core/package-lock.json: Language not supported
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Copilot · 2026-01-13T19:03:45Z

api/src/org/labkey/api/exp/PropertyType.java

+            if ((value instanceof java.sql.Array array))
+                property.arrayValue = MultiChoice.Array.from(array);
+            else if (value != null)
+                property.arrayValue = MultiChoice.Array.from(new Object[]{value});


The setValue method in PropertyType.MULTI_CHOICE doesn't handle the case where value is null. When value is null, property.arrayValue will remain unchanged (or undefined), which might not be the expected behavior. Consider explicitly setting property.arrayValue to null when value is null.

Suggested change

property.arrayValue = MultiChoice.Array.from(new Object[]{value});

property.arrayValue = MultiChoice.Array.from(new Object[]{value});

else

property.arrayValue = null;

Copilot · 2026-01-13T19:03:45Z

api/src/org/labkey/api/data/ColumnRenderPropertiesImpl.java

    public static final String STORAGE_UNIQUE_ID_CONCEPT_URI = "http://www.labkey.org/types#storageUniqueId";
    public static final String STORAGE_UNIQUE_ID_SEQUENCE_PREFIX = "org.labkey.api.StorageUniqueId";
    public static final String TEXT_CHOICE_CONCEPT_URI = "http://www.labkey.org/types#textChoice";
+    //public static final String MULTI_VALUE_TEXT_CHOICE_CONCEPT_URI = "http://www.labkey.org/types#mvTextChoice";


There's a commented-out constant MULTI_VALUE_TEXT_CHOICE_CONCEPT_URI. If this constant is not needed, the commented line should be removed to keep the code clean. If it might be needed in the future, consider adding a comment explaining why it's commented out.

Suggested change

//public static final String MULTI_VALUE_TEXT_CHOICE_CONCEPT_URI = "http://www.labkey.org/types#mvTextChoice";

Copilot · 2026-01-13T19:03:46Z

api/src/org/labkey/api/data/CompareType.java

+    /** TODO:
+     *             <xsd:enumeration value="arrayisempty"/>
+     *             <xsd:enumeration value="arrayisnotempty"/>
+     */


There's a TODO comment indicating that arrayisempty and arrayisnotempty operators are not yet implemented, but they are already added to the XSD schema (lines 101-102 in queryCustomView.xsd). This creates an inconsistency where the schema allows these operators but the backend doesn't support them. Either implement these operators or remove them from the XSD until they are ready.

Copilot · 2026-01-13T19:03:46Z

experiment/src/org/labkey/experiment/ExperimentModule.java

            OptionalFeatureService.get().addExperimentalFeatureFlag(NameGenerator.EXPERIMENTAL_ALLOW_GAP_COUNTER, "Allow gap with withCounter and rootSampleCount expression",
                "Check this option if gaps in the count generated by withCounter or rootSampleCount name expression are allowed.", true);
+            OptionalFeatureService.get().addExperimentalFeatureFlag(AppProps.MULTI_VALUE_TEXT_CHOICE, "Allow multi-value Text Choice properties",
+                    "Support selecting more than one values for text choice fields", false);


The experimental feature flag description has a grammatical error: "more than one values" should be "more than one value" (singular).

Suggested change

"Support selecting more than one values for text choice fields", false);

"Support selecting more than one value for text choice fields", false);

Copilot · 2026-01-13T19:03:47Z

api/src/org/labkey/api/settings/AppProps.java

    String QUANTITY_COLUMN_SUFFIX_TESTING = "quantityColumnSuffixTesting";
    String GENERATE_CONTROLLER_FIRST_URLS = "generateControllerFirstUrls";
    String REJECT_CONTROLLER_FIRST_URLS = "rejectControllerFirstUrls";
+    String MULTI_VALUE_TEXT_CHOICE = "multiChoiceDataType";


There's a naming inconsistency: the constant is named MULTI_VALUE_TEXT_CHOICE but the actual value is "multiChoiceDataType". The value should be more consistent with the constant name, such as "multiValueTextChoice" or the constant should be renamed to match the value. This makes the code harder to understand and maintain.

Suggested change

String MULTI_VALUE_TEXT_CHOICE = "multiChoiceDataType";

String MULTI_VALUE_TEXT_CHOICE = "multiValueTextChoice";

Copilot · 2026-01-13T19:03:47Z

api/src/org/labkey/api/data/CompareType.java

+    public Collection getCollectionParam(Object value)
+    {
+        if (value instanceof Collection)
+        {
+            return (Collection)value;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            List<String> values = new ArrayList<>();
+            if (value != null)
+            {
+                if (value.toString().trim().isEmpty())
+                {
+                    values.add(null);
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    values.addAll(parseParams(value, getValueSeparator(), isNewLineSeparatorAllowed()));
+                }
+            }
+            return values;
+        }
+    }


The getCollectionParam method has package-private visibility (no access modifier), but it's being called from non-static inner classes that extend CompareType. This method should be either protected to allow subclass access or private if it's only meant for internal use. Given that it's being called from the new ARRAY_* CompareType instances, it should be protected.

Copilot · 2026-01-13T19:03:47Z

api/src/org/labkey/api/data/dialect/SqlDialect.java

+        }
+        else
+        {
+            typeName = getJDBCArrayType(array[0]);


In the new getJDBCArrayType(Object[] array) method, when the array is non-empty (line 1346), there's no null check on array[0]. If the array contains null as the first element, this will cause a NullPointerException when calling getJDBCArrayType(array[0]). Consider adding a null check or iterating to find the first non-null element.

Suggested change

typeName = getJDBCArrayType(array[0]);

// Find the first non-null element to infer the JDBC type. If all elements are null,

// fall back to the same component-type-based inference used for empty arrays.

Object firstNonNull = null;

for (Object element : array)

{

if (element != null)

{

firstNonNull = element;

break;

}

}

if (firstNonNull != null)

{

typeName = getJDBCArrayType(firstNonNull);

}

else

{

// All elements are null; infer type from component type as for empty arrays.

Class<?> componentType = array.getClass().getComponentType();

if (String.class.equals(componentType))

{

typeName = getJDBCArrayType("");

}

else if (Integer.class.equals(componentType))

{

typeName = getJDBCArrayType(Integer.valueOf(0));

}

else if (Long.class.equals(componentType))

{

typeName = getJDBCArrayType(Long.valueOf(0L));

}

else if (Double.class.equals(componentType))

{

typeName = getJDBCArrayType(Double.valueOf(0.0d));

}

else if (Float.class.equals(componentType))

{

typeName = getJDBCArrayType(Float.valueOf(0.0f));

}

else if (Boolean.class.equals(componentType))

{

typeName = getJDBCArrayType(Boolean.FALSE);

}

else

{

// Fallback to VARCHAR which is the safest for most text use-cases

typeName = getSqlTypeName(JdbcType.VARCHAR);

if (typeName != null)

typeName = typeName.toLowerCase();

}

}

XingY added 4 commits January 8, 2026 12:39

Multi choices

685f9ed

Multi value text choices

322bd91

fix empty array

672a750

crlf

11f042c

This was referenced Jan 12, 2026

Add Array filter types LabKey/labkey-api-js#204

Open

Multi value text choices LabKey/labkey-ui-components#1923

Open

support filters

65538dc

XingY requested review from Copilot and labkey-matthewb January 13, 2026 17:42

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of XingY January 13, 2026 18:53 View session

Copilot AI reviewed Jan 13, 2026

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Multi value text choices #7323

Multi value text choices #7323

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XingY commented Jan 12, 2026 •

edited

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	"Support selecting more than one values for text choice fields", false);
	"Support selecting more than one value for text choice fields", false);

	String MULTI_VALUE_TEXT_CHOICE = "multiChoiceDataType";
	String MULTI_VALUE_TEXT_CHOICE = "multiValueTextChoice";

-            typeName = getJDBCArrayType(array[0]);
+            // Find the first non-null element to infer the JDBC type. If all elements are null,
+            // fall back to the same component-type-based inference used for empty arrays.
+            Object firstNonNull = null;
+            for (Object element : array)
+            {
+                if (element != null)
+                {
+                    firstNonNull = element;
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+            if (firstNonNull != null)
+            {
+                typeName = getJDBCArrayType(firstNonNull);
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                // All elements are null; infer type from component type as for empty arrays.
+                Class<?> componentType = array.getClass().getComponentType();
+                if (String.class.equals(componentType))
+                {
+                    typeName = getJDBCArrayType("");
+                }
+                else if (Integer.class.equals(componentType))
+                {
+                    typeName = getJDBCArrayType(Integer.valueOf(0));
+                }
+                else if (Long.class.equals(componentType))
+                {
+                    typeName = getJDBCArrayType(Long.valueOf(0L));
+                }
+                else if (Double.class.equals(componentType))
+                {
+                    typeName = getJDBCArrayType(Double.valueOf(0.0d));
+                }
+                else if (Float.class.equals(componentType))
+                {
+                    typeName = getJDBCArrayType(Float.valueOf(0.0f));
+                }
+                else if (Boolean.class.equals(componentType))
+                {
+                    typeName = getJDBCArrayType(Boolean.FALSE);
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    // Fallback to VARCHAR which is the safest for most text use-cases
+                    typeName = getSqlTypeName(JdbcType.VARCHAR);
+                    if (typeName != null)
+                        typeName = typeName.toLowerCase();
+                }
+            }

Multi value text choices #7323

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XingY commented Jan 12, 2026 •

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