Fixed up Pylance issues WITHOUT destroying half the functionality we just did.

inventory/models/users.py

@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ class User(db.Model, ImageAttachable):
     image: Mapped[Optional['Image']] = relationship('Image', back_populates='user', passive_deletes=True)
 
     ui_eagerload = tuple()
+    ui_order_cols = ('first_name', 'last_name',)
 
     @property
     def identifier(self) -> str:

inventory/ui/blueprint.py

@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 from flask import Blueprint, request, render_template, jsonify, abort
+from sqlalchemy.engine import ScalarResult
 from sqlalchemy.exc import IntegrityError
+from sqlalchemy.sql import Select
 from typing import Any, Optional, List, cast, Type, Iterable
 
 from .defaults import (
@@ -45,21 +47,49 @@ def call(Model: type, name: str, *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> Any:
 def list_items(model_name):
     Model = get_model_class(model_name)
     text = (request.args.get("q") or "").strip() or None
+
     limit_param = request.args.get("limit")
-    limit: int | None = None if limit_param in (None, "", "0", "-1") else min(int(limit_param), 500)
+    # 0 / -1 / blank => unlimited (pass 0)
+    if limit_param in (None, "", "0", "-1"):
+        effective_limit = 0
+    else:
+        effective_limit = min(int(limit_param), 500)
+
     offset = int(request.args.get("offset", 0))
     view = (request.args.get("view") or "json").strip()
 
-    # Build kwargs so we only include 'limit' when it's an int
-    qkwargs: dict[str, Any] = {"text": text, "offset": offset}
-    if limit is not None:
-        qkwargs["limit"] = limit
+    sort = (request.args.get("sort") or "").strip() or None
+    direction = (request.args.get("dir") or request.args.get("direction") or "asc").lower()
+    if direction not in ("asc", "desc"):
+        direction = "asc"
 
-    rows_iter: Iterable[Any] = (
-        call(Model, "ui_query", db.session, **qkwargs)
-        or default_query(db.session, Model, **qkwargs)
-    )
-    rows = list(rows_iter)
+    qkwargs: dict[str, Any] = {
+        "text": text,
+        "limit": effective_limit,
+        "offset": offset,
+        "sort": sort,
+        "direction": direction,
+    }
+
+    # Prefer per-model override. Contract: return list[Model] OR a Select (SA 2.x).
+    rows_any: Any = call(Model, "ui_query", db.session, **qkwargs)
+    if rows_any is None:
+        rows = default_query(db.session, Model, **qkwargs)
+    elif isinstance(rows_any, list):
+        rows = rows_any
+    elif isinstance(rows_any, Select):
+        rows = list(cast(ScalarResult[Any], db.session.execute(rows_any).scalars()))
+    else:
+        # If someone returns a Result or other iterable of models
+        try:
+            # Try SQLAlchemy Result-like
+            scalars = getattr(rows_any, "scalars", None)
+            if callable(scalars):
+                rows = list(cast(ScalarResult[Any], scalars()))
+            else:
+                rows = list(rows_any)
+        except TypeError:
+            rows = [rows_any]
 
     items = [
         (call(Model, "ui_serialize", r, view=view) or default_serialize(Model, r, view=view))

inventory/ui/defaults.py

@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
-from sqlalchemy import select, or_
+from sqlalchemy import select, asc as sa_asc, desc as sa_desc
 from sqlalchemy.inspection import inspect
+from sqlalchemy.sql import Select
+from sqlalchemy.orm import Query
+from typing import Any, Optional, cast
 
 PREFERRED_LABELS = ("identifier", "name", "first_name", "last_name", "description")
 
@@ -25,46 +28,57 @@ def infer_label_attr(Model):
             return a
     raise RuntimeError(f"No label-like mapped column on {Model.__name__} (tried {PREFERRED_LABELS})")
 
-def default_query(session, Model, *, text=None, limit=100, offset=0, filters=None, order=None):
-    label_name = infer_label_attr(Model)
-    label_col  = _mapped_column(Model, label_name)  # guaranteed not None now
+def default_query(
+    session,
+    Model,
+    *,
+    text: Optional[str] = None,
+    limit: int = 0,
+    offset: int = 0,
+    sort: Optional[str] = None,
+    direction: str = "asc",
+) -> list[Any]:
+    """
+    SA 2.x ONLY. Returns list[Model].
 
-    stmt = select(Model)
+    Hooks:
+      - ui_search(stmt: Select, text: str) -> Select
+      - ui_sort(stmt: Select, sort: str, direction: str) -> Select
+      - ui_order_cols: tuple[str, ...]  # default ordering columns
+    """
+    stmt: Select[Any] = select(Model)
 
-    # Eager loads if class defines them (expects loader options like selectinload(...))
-    for opt in getattr(Model, "ui_eagerload", ()) or ():
-        stmt = stmt.options(opt)
+    # Optional per-model search hook
+    ui_search = getattr(Model, "ui_search", None)
+    if callable(ui_search) and text:
+        stmt = cast(Select[Any], ui_search(stmt, text))
 
-    # Text search across mapped columns only
-    if text:
-        cols = getattr(Model, "ui_search_cols", None) or (label_name,)
-        mapped = [ _mapped_column(Model, c) for c in cols ]
-        mapped = [ c for c in mapped if c is not None ]
-        if mapped:
-            stmt = stmt.where(or_(*[ c.ilike(f"%{text}%") for c in mapped ]))
-
-    # Filters (exact-match) across mapped columns only
-    if filters:
-        for k, v in filters.items():
-            if v is None:
-                continue
-            col = _mapped_column(Model, k)
+    # Sorting priority:
+    # 1. explicit sort param
+    # 2. per-model ui_sort hook
+    # 3. per-model ui_order_cols default ordering
+    if sort:
+        ui_sort = getattr(Model, "ui_sort", None)
+        if callable(ui_sort):
+            stmt = cast(Select[Any], ui_sort(stmt, sort, direction))
+        else:
+            col = getattr(Model, sort, None)
             if col is not None:
-                stmt = stmt.where(col == v)
-
-    # Order by mapped columns (fallback to label)
-    order_cols = order or getattr(Model, "ui_order_cols", None) or (label_name,)
-    for c in order_cols:
-        col = _mapped_column(Model, c)
+                stmt = stmt.order_by(sa_desc(col) if direction == "desc" else sa_asc(col))
+    else:
+        order_cols = getattr(Model, "ui_order_cols", ())
+        if order_cols:
+            for colname in order_cols:
+                col = getattr(Model, colname, None)
                 if col is not None:
-            stmt = stmt.order_by(col)
+                    stmt = stmt.order_by(sa_asc(col))
 
-    # stmt = stmt.limit(limit).offset(offset)
-    if limit is not None:
-        stmt = stmt.limit(limit)
     if offset:
         stmt = stmt.offset(offset)
-    return session.execute(stmt).scalars().all()
+    if limit > 0:
+        stmt = stmt.limit(limit)
+
+    return list(session.execute(stmt).scalars().all())
 
 def default_create(session, Model, payload):
     label = infer_label_attr(Model)
@@ -73,16 +87,6 @@ def default_create(session, Model, payload):
     session.commit()
     return obj
 
-# def default_update(session, Model, id_, payload):
-#     obj = session.get(Model, id_)
-#     if not obj:
-#         return None
-#     label = infer_label_attr(Model)
-#     if (nv := payload.get(label) or payload.get("name")):
-#         setattr(obj, label, nv)
-#     session.commit()
-#     return obj
-
 def default_update(session, Model, id_, payload):
     obj = session.get(Model, id_)
     if not obj: