Inspection and Introspection¶

While we previously used fields_get() to query a model and have been using an arbitrary model from the start, Odoo stores most model metadata inside a few meta-models which allow both querying the system and altering models and fields (with some limitations) on the fly over REST API.

Note

Provides information about Odoo models via its various fields (ir.model)
Provides information about the fields of Odoo models and allows adding custom fields without using Python code (ir.model.fields)

ir.model¶

Provides information about Odoo models via its various fields

name: a human-readable description of the model
model: the name of each model in the system
state: whether the model was generated in Python code (base) or by creating an ir.model record (manual)
field_id: list of the model’s fields through a One2many to ir.model.fields
view_ids: One2many to the Views defined for the model
access_ids: One2many relation to the Access Control set on the model

Note

ir.model can be used to:

query the system for installed models (as a precondition to operations on the model or to explore the system’s content)
get information about a specific model (generally by listing the fields associated with it)
create new models dynamically over REST API

Warning

custom model names must start with x_
the state must be provided and manual, otherwise the model will not be loaded
it is not possible to add new methods to a custom model, only fields

Example¶

Create x_custom_model model record in ir.model object using Create Records API endpoint.

Request:

POST /restapi/1.0/object/ir.model?vals={'name':'Custom Model','model':'x_custom_model','state':'manual'} HTTP/1.1
Host: {your_Odoo_server_url}

Response:

HTTP/1.1 200 OK

{
  'Models': {
      'id': 104,
      'name': 'Custom Model',
      'model': 'x_custom_model',
      'state': 'manual'
      ...
      ...
      ...
  }
}

Inspect a model x_custom_model’s fields using Listing Record Fields API endpoint.

Request:

GET /restapi/1.0/object/x_custom_model/fields_get?attributes=['string','help','type'] HTTP/1.1
Host: {your_Odoo_server_url}

Response:

Note

a custom model will initially contain only the “built-in” fields available on all models

 HTTP/1.1 200 OK

 {
   'fields': {
       'create_uid': {
           'type': 'many2one',
           'string': 'Created by'
       },
       'create_date': {
           'type": 'datetime',
           'string': 'Created on'
       },
       '__last_update': {
           'type': 'datetime',
           'string': 'Last Modified on'
       },
       'write_uid': {
           'type': 'many2one',
           'string': 'Last Updated by'
       },
       'write_date': {
           'type': 'datetime',
           'string': 'Last Updated on'
       },
       'display_name': {
           'type': 'char',
           'string': 'Display Name'
       },
       'id": {
           'type': 'integer',
           'string': 'Id'
       }
   }
}

ir.model.fields¶

Provides information about the fields of Odoo models and allows adding custom fields without using Python code

model_id: Many2one to ir.model to which the field belongs
name: the field’s technical name (used in read or write)
field_description: the field’s user-readable label (e.g. string in fields_get)
ttype: the type of field to create
state: whether the field was created via Python code (base) or via ir.model.fields (manual)
required, readonly, translate: enables the corresponding flag on the field
groups: field-level access control, a Many2many to res.groups
selection, size, on_delete, relation, relation_field, domain: type-specific properties and customizations, see the fields documentation for details

Note

Like custom models, only new fields created with state="manual" are activated as actual fields on the model.

Warning

computed fields can not be added via ir.model.fields, some field meta-information (defaults, onchange) can not be set either

Example¶

Create x_custom model record in ir.model object using Create Records API endpoint.

Request:

POST /restapi/1.0/object/ir.model?vals={'name':'Custom Model','model':'x_custom','state':'manual'} HTTP/1.1
Host: {your_Odoo_server_url}

Response:

HTTP/1.1 200 OK

{
  'Models': {
      'id': 105,
      'name': 'Custom Model',
      'model': 'x_custom',
      'state': 'manual'
      ...
      ...
      ...
  }
}

Create x_name field record in ir.model.fields object using Create Records API endpoint.

Request:

POST /restapi/1.0/object/ir.model.fields?vals={'model_id':105,'name':'x_name','ttype':'char','state':'manual','required':True} HTTP/1.1
Host: {your_Odoo_server_url}

Response:

HTTP/1.1 200 OK

{
  'Fields': {
      'id': 210,
      'name': 'x_name',
      'model_id': [105, 'Custom Model'],
      'ttype': 'char',
      'state': 'manual',
      'required': True
      ...
      ...
      ...
  }
}

Create test record record in x_custom object using Create Records API endpoint.

Request:

POST /restapi/1.0/object/x_custom?vals={'x_name':'test record'} HTTP/1.1
Host: {your_Odoo_server_url}

Response:

HTTP/1.1 200 OK

{
  'Custom Model': {
      'id': 115,
      'x_name': 'test record',
      'display_name': 'test record',
      'create_date': '2017-07-15 14:31:17',
      'create_uid': [1, 'Administrator'],
      'write_date': '2017-07-15 14:31:17',
      'write_uid': [1, 'Administrator'],
      ...
      ...
      ...
  }
}