[Django] #34130: order_by() has no effect on values()/values_list()

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Django

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Nov 1, 2022, 7:02:44 AM11/1/22
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#34130: order_by() has no effect on values()/values_list()
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: Michal | Owner: nobody
Dabski |
Type: Bug | Status: new
Component: Database | Version: 3.2
layer (models, ORM) | Keywords:
Severity: Normal | queryset,ordering,values,values_list
Triage Stage: | Has patch: 0
Unreviewed |
Needs documentation: 0 | Needs tests: 0
Patch needs improvement: 0 | Easy pickings: 0
UI/UX: 0 |
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
I have encounteded a bug with a model that has default ordering. I am
making a query with `order_by()` without parameters to avoid ordering and
then use `values()` or` values_list()` to extract a subset of fields. The
end result is an ordered queryset.

It appears that `values()` restores model's default ordering if called
after `order_by()`, except if queryset is already ordered by cystom
ordering (e.g. `order_by('name')`), in which case order_by is maintained.

Django 3.2.16


The model:
{{{
class Dashboard(models.Model):
name = models.CharField(max_length=100)
order = models.PositiveIntegerField(default=1)

class Meta:
ordering = 'order',
}}}
Note: it is important that the model defineds `ordering`


To reproduce issue:

{{{
# Queryset is ordered by default field as expected ✔
str(Dashboard.objects.all().values('name').ordered)
Out[44]: 'True'

# Queryset is not ordered after adding order_by() as expected ✔
str(Dashboard.objects.all().order_by().ordered)
Out[54]: 'False'

# adding values() call somehow restores default ordering. Expected
behaviour is for QS to remain unordered ✖
str(Dashboard.objects.all().order_by().values('name').ordered)
Out[42]: 'True'

# placing order_by() after values() works as expected ✔
str(Dashboard.objects.all().values('name').order_by().ordered)
Out[48]: 'False'

}}}

In my case I am using order_by() to avoid using JOIN in the query when I
know that order does not matter, but resulting query does make a join
unbeknownst to me and makes the more complex ordered query.

The documentation for values/values_list and order_by does not appear to
mention this behaviour so I am assuming it is not intentional.

--
Ticket URL: <https://code.djangoproject.com/ticket/34130>
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Django

unread,
Nov 1, 2022, 7:03:48 AM11/1/22
to django-...@googlegroups.com
#34130: order_by() has no effect on values()/values_list()
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: Michal Dabski | Owner: nobody
Type: Bug | Status: new
Component: Database layer | Version: 3.2
(models, ORM) |
Severity: Normal | Resolution:
Keywords: | Triage Stage:
queryset,ordering,values,values_list| Unreviewed
Has patch: 0 | Needs documentation: 0

Needs tests: 0 | Patch needs improvement: 0
Easy pickings: 0 | UI/UX: 0
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Description changed by Michal Dabski:

Old description:

New description:

I have encounteded a bug with a model that has default ordering. I am
making a query with `order_by()` without parameters to avoid ordering and
then use `values()` or` values_list()` to extract a subset of fields. The
end result is an ordered queryset.

It appears that `values()` restores model's default ordering if called
after `order_by()`, except if queryset is already ordered by cystom
ordering (e.g. `order_by('name')`), in which case order_by is maintained.

Django 3.2.16


The model:
{{{
class Dashboard(models.Model):
name = models.CharField(max_length=100)
order = models.PositiveIntegerField(default=1)

class Meta:
ordering = 'order',
}}}
Note: it is important that the model defineds `ordering`


To reproduce issue:

{{{
# Queryset is ordered by default field as expected ✔

Dashboard.objects.all().values('name').ordered
Out[44]: True

# Queryset is not ordered after adding order_by() as expected ✔

Dashboard.objects.all().order_by().ordered
Out[54]: False

# adding values() call somehow restores default ordering. Expected
behaviour is for QS to remain unordered ✖

Dashboard.objects.all().order_by().values('name').ordered
Out[42]: True

# placing order_by() after values() works as expected ✔

Dashboard.objects.all().values('name').order_by().ordered
Out[48]: False

}}}

In my case I am using order_by() to avoid using JOIN in the query when I
know that order does not matter, but resulting query does make a join
unbeknownst to me and makes the more complex ordered query.

The documentation for values/values_list and order_by does not appear to
mention this behaviour so I am assuming it is not intentional.

--

--
Ticket URL: <https://code.djangoproject.com/ticket/34130#comment:1>

Django

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Nov 1, 2022, 8:39:11 AM11/1/22
to django-...@googlegroups.com
#34130: order_by() has no effect on values()/values_list()
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: Michal Dabski | Owner: nobody
Type: Bug | Status: closed

Component: Database layer | Version: 3.2
(models, ORM) |
Severity: Normal | Resolution: needsinfo

Keywords: | Triage Stage:
queryset,ordering,values,values_list| Unreviewed
Has patch: 0 | Needs documentation: 0
Needs tests: 0 | Patch needs improvement: 0
Easy pickings: 0 | UI/UX: 0
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Changes (by Mariusz Felisiak):

* status: new => closed
* resolution: => needsinfo


Comment:

Thanks for this report, however I cannot reproduce this issue on Django
3.2.16, 4.0.x, 4.1.x, or on the current `main` branch. Please reopen the
ticket if you can debug your issue and provide a sample project that
reproduces this issue.

--
Ticket URL: <https://code.djangoproject.com/ticket/34130#comment:2>

Django

unread,
Nov 1, 2022, 12:51:11 PM11/1/22
to django-...@googlegroups.com
#34130: order_by() has no effect on values()/values_list()
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: Michal Dabski | Owner: nobody
Type: Bug | Status: closed
Component: Database layer | Version: 3.2
(models, ORM) |
Severity: Normal | Resolution: needsinfo
Keywords: | Triage Stage:
queryset,ordering,values,values_list| Unreviewed
Has patch: 0 | Needs documentation: 0
Needs tests: 0 | Patch needs improvement: 0
Easy pickings: 0 | UI/UX: 0
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------

Comment (by Michal Dabski):

My bad, the model uses modeltranslation library, but its not immediately
obvious by looking at the queryset class. I will raise the issue with the
library maintainer.

--
Ticket URL: <https://code.djangoproject.com/ticket/34130#comment:3>

Django

unread,
Nov 1, 2022, 1:00:48 PM11/1/22
to django-...@googlegroups.com
#34130: order_by() has no effect on values()/values_list()
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: Michal Dabski | Owner: nobody
Type: Bug | Status: closed
Component: Database layer | Version: 3.2
(models, ORM) |
Severity: Normal | Resolution: invalid

Keywords: | Triage Stage:
queryset,ordering,values,values_list| Unreviewed
Has patch: 0 | Needs documentation: 0
Needs tests: 0 | Patch needs improvement: 0
Easy pickings: 0 | UI/UX: 0
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Changes (by Michal Dabski):

* resolution: needsinfo => invalid


--
Ticket URL: <https://code.djangoproject.com/ticket/34130#comment:4>

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