Missing lookup filters for interface object fields

[cybarox]

Deployment Type

Self-hosted

NetBox Version

v4.0.5

Python Version

3.11

Linked Issue

16261

16354

Steps to Reproduce

NetBox v4.0.x - Observed Behavior

1. Setup a fresh NetBox v4.0.x installation
2. Import new Site

   ---
   name: Test Site 
   slug: test_site
   status: active
   facility: Facility 1

3. Import Manufacturer

   --- 
   name: Test Manufacturer
   slug: test_manufacturer

4. Import Device Type

   ---
   manufacturer: Test Manufacturer
   model: Test Model
   slug: test_model
   u_height: 0
   interfaces:
   - name: eth0
     type: 1000base-t
   - name: eth1
     type: 1000base-t

5. Import Device Role

   ---
   name: Test Role
   slug: test_role
   color: ffff00

6. Import Devices

   ---
   - name: Test Device 1
     role: Test Role
     manufacturer: Test Manufacturer
     device_type: Test Model
     slug: test_device_1
     site: Test Site
     status: active
   - name: Test Device 2
     role: Test Role
     manufacturer: Test Manufacturer
     device_type: Test Model
     slug: test_device_1
     site: Test Site
     status: active

7. Import Interfaces

   ---
   - id: 1
     mac_address: DE:AD:BE:EF:00:69
   - id: 2
     mac_address: 00:00:00:00:00:00
   - id: 3
     mac_address: DE:AD:BE:EF:00:42
   - id: 4
     mac_address: 00:00:00:00:00:01

8. Use GraphQL Webgui Query

   Query:

   query vendor_query($mac_vendor: [String!], $facility_name: String!, $device_role: [String!]) {
     site_list(filters: {facility: {exact: $facility_name}}) {
       name
       devices(filters: {role: $device_role}) {
         name
         interfaces(filters: {mac_address: {i_contains: $mac_vendor}}) {
           name
           mac_address
         }
       }
     }
   }

   Query Variables

   {
     "mac_vendor": "DE:AD",
     "facility_name": "Facility 1",
     "device_role": "test_role"
   }

9. Query Result

   {
     "data": null,
     "errors": [
       {
         "message": "String cannot represent a non string value: {i_contains: $mac_vendor}",
         "locations": [
           {
             "line": 6,
             "column": 41
           }
         ]
       }
     ]
   }

NetBox v3.7.6 - Expected Behavior

1. Setup a fresh NetBox v3.7.6 installation
2. Import new Site

   ---
   name: Test Site 
   slug: test_site
   status: active
   facility: Facility 1

3. Import Manufacturer

   --- 
   name: Test Manufacturer
   slug: test_manufacturer

4. Import Device Type

   ---
   manufacturer: Test Manufacturer
   model: Test Model
   slug: test_model
   u_height: 0
   interfaces:
   - name: eth0
     type: 1000base-t
   - name: eth1
     type: 1000base-t

5. Import Device Role

   ---
   name: Test Role
   slug: test_role
   color: ffff00

6. Import Devices

   ---
   - name: Test Device 1
     role: Test Role
     manufacturer: Test Manufacturer
     device_type: Test Model
     slug: test_device_1
     site: Test Site
     status: active
   - name: Test Device 2
     role: Test Role
     manufacturer: Test Manufacturer
     device_type: Test Model
     slug: test_device_1
     site: Test Site
     status: active

7. Import Interfaces

   ---
   - id: 1
     mac_address: DE:AD:BE:EF:00:69
   - id: 2
     mac_address: 00:00:00:00:00:00
   - id: 3
     mac_address: DE:AD:BE:EF:00:42
   - id: 4
     mac_address: 00:00:00:00:00:01

8. Use GraphQL Webgui Query

   Query:

   query vendor_query($mac_vendor: [String!], $facility_name: [String!], $device_role: [String!]) {
     site_list(facility: $facility_name) {
       name
       devices(role: $device_role) {
         name
         interfaces(mac_address__ic: $mac_vendor) {
           name
           mac_address
         }
       }
     }
   }

   Query Variables

   {
     "mac_vendor": "DE:AD",
     "facility_name": "Facility 1",
     "device_role": "test_role"
   }

9. Query Result

   {
     "data": {
       "site_list": [
         {
           "name": "Test Site",
           "devices": [
             {
               "name": "Test Device 1",
               "interfaces": [
                 {
                   "name": "eth0",
                   "mac_address": "DE:AD:BE:EF:00:69"
                 }
               ]
             },
             {
               "name": "Test Device 2",
               "interfaces": [
                 {
                   "name": "eth0",
                   "mac_address": "DE:AD:BE:EF:00:42"
                 }
               ]
             }
           ]
         }
       ]
     }
   }

[jeffgdotorg]

Thanks for reporting an unexpected behavior you've encountered in NetBox. While I was able to reproduce the behavior in the lab, the team consensus is that MAC addresses are not currently expected to be filterable in this way.

Please close this issue and open a new one using the feature request template, and using the Proposed functionality and Use case sections of that template to explain why this feature matters to you.

[cybarox]

As already mentioned in #16261. We used this feature in versions prior to 4.0.x. The removal of this, perhaps unintended, feature is unfortunately a breaking change for us. With 3.7.6 the filtering of this field is possible with GraphQL.

[jeffgdotorg]

If you can demonstrate that this change represents a functional regression, I'm willing to reconsider the FR characterization. Please update your issue body as follows:

• Open your Steps to reproduce with the assumption of a freshly installed system with an empty database
• Include an example that illustrates that this worked, and the GraphQL query you used that got it to work, in a particular 3.7 release
• Remove mention of the demo system, whose wide-open admin access and nightly resets make it an unreliable target for reporting bugs

I'm asking for these extra hoops not to discourage you, but to enable the very small team of maintainers to spend their time tracking down and fixing defects rather than interpolating aspects of the report that may seem obvious from your perspective.

[cybarox]

@jeffgdotorg I've updated the issue above.