Bug: [Model] Limitation in Boolean Support (true/false) in `update()`/`save()`/`insert()`

[datamweb]

PHP Version

8.3

CodeIgniter4 Version

v4.5.4

CodeIgniter4 Installation Method

Composer (using codeigniter4/appstarter)

Which operating systems have you tested for this bug?

Windows

Which server did you use?

apache

Database

No response

What happened?

$this->update($messageId, [
  'is_pinned'     => false,
]);

 ------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Line   src\Models\MessageModel.php
 ------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  107    Parameter #2 $row of method Datamweb\BlankPackage\Models\BaseModel::update() expects array<int|string,
         float|int|object|string|null>|object|null, array<string, int|false|null> given.
 ------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Currently, CodeIgniter 4 does not support boolean values (true and false) in models due to restrictions in the PHPStan typing declaration (@phpstan-type row_array). https://github.com/codeigniter4/CodeIgniter4/blob/153922e60fd9ec61c5799afd7d8328a4f382716e/system/BaseModel.php#L50 This definition only allows int, float, null, string, and object types, effectively preventing boolean values from being used in database operations.

This issue is particularly problematic because certain database drivers natively support boolean values, and they should be allowed for use directly.

Database Driver Details

Database	Boolean Support	Data Type	Accepted Values
MySQL	Yes	TINYINT(1)	true / false (1/0)
PostgreSQL	Yes	BOOLEAN	true / false
SQL Server	Yes	BIT	true / false (1/0)
SQLite	No (requires conversion)	INTEGER	1 / 0
OCI8 (Oracle)	No (requires conversion)	NUMBER	1 / 0

Steps to Reproduce

To address this limitation and allow boolean values, it is suggested to:

1. Update the PHPStan-type declaration to support boolean values (true and false) for all supported databases.

   * @phpstan-type row_array               array<int|string, float|int|null|object|string|bool> 

2. Add automatic conversion for databases that do not support boolean values directly (like SQLite and OCI8) by converting true to 1 and false to 0.

Example Code for Handling Boolean Conversion

protected function prepareDataForSQLiteAndOCI8(array $data): array
{
    $dbDriver = $this->db->DBDriver;

    if ($dbDriver === 'SQLite3' || $dbDriver === 'OCI8') {
        foreach ($data as $key => $value) {
            if (is_bool($value)) {
                $data[$key] = $value ? 1 : 0;
            }
        }
    }

    return $data;
}

These changes will ensure better compatibility with all database drivers, allowing proper handling of boolean values in databases that do not natively support them.

Expected Output

Manually casting boolean values is a workaround and places unnecessary burden on developers. CodeIgniter 4 should handle these conversions internally, especially given that:

Many database drivers natively support boolean values (true and false). The framework should abstract away such differences, allowing developers to focus on business logic rather than database-specific nuances.

In conclusion, while manual casting (e.g., (int)false OR 1/0) solves the problem for now, this limitation should not exist, as proper support for boolean values will make the framework more robust and user-friendly.

Anything else?

No response

[kenjis]

It seems bool is missing in the PHPDoc type.

[michalsn]

If only PHPDoc is on the way to supporting booleans, then that's a good thing to change.

I'm not a big fan of point 2. This would mean that each write query would be subject to an additional loop check of all passed arguments. Seems like a big waste of time/resources - for this one thing.

If we want "magic" we have Entities or Data conversion in the model. When we use Query Builder we're responsible for the values we use/allow. If a certain database does not support booleans, it's not a framework's fault.

[datamweb]

Data conversion in the model.

@michalsn So, you prefer something similar to the code below and believe the user should adapt it for compatibility like this?

    // Hooks before insert and update
    protected $beforeInsert = ['prepareDataForSQLiteAndOCI8'];
    protected $beforeUpdate = ['prepareDataForSQLiteAndOCI8'];

    /**
     * Prepare data before saving or updating.
     * This method adjusts 'is_pinned' field for specific database drivers like SQLite and OCI8.
     *
     * @param array $data The data being inserted or updated
     * @return array Modified data
     */
    private function prepareDataForSQLiteAndOCI8(array $data): array
    {
        // Get the database driver
        $dbDriver = $this->db->DBDriver;

        // Adjust 'is_pinned' for SQLite and OCI8 drivers
        if (($dbDriver === 'SQLite3' || $dbDriver === 'OCI8') && isset($data['data']['is_pinned'])) {
            $data['data']['is_pinned'] = $data['data']['is_pinned'] ? 1 : 0;
        }

        return $data;
    }

[michalsn]

@datamweb I was thinking more about model field casting, although I don't remember if we have access to a database object there.