openerp-discovery — Discover Query Methods for Any Business Object

First read

../openerp-shared/SKILL.md

(Authentication, Exit Codes, Output Contracts).

../openerp-domains/SKILL.md

Three-Step Discovery Workflow

# 1) Find the object's FormId (search BOS_ObjectType)
openerp objects --keyword Sales Order
#   → Rows contain [FID, FName, FSubSystemId], where FID is the FormId (e.g., SAL_SaleOrder)

# 2) Query available fields of the object
openerp schema SAL_SaleOrder --fields-only
#   → Each entry includes field key/Chinese name/type/related object(lookUpForm)

# 3) Retrieve data using the discovered fields
openerp query --form-id SAL_SaleOrder \
  --fields "FBillNo,FDate,FCustId.FName,FMaterialId.FNumber,FQty" \
  --filter "FBillNo='XSDD000006'" --top 20

Recall before discovery, document after discovery: Before starting the three-step discovery, run

ls ~/.config/openerp/object-notes/

to check if there is any existing experience for the FormId; after successfully querying, write the verified fields/filters/pitfalls back to

object-notes/{FormId}.{profile}.md

. For conventions, see §6 "Object Experience" in

../openerp-shared/SKILL.md

.

Key Rules (Verified through Practice, Must Follow)

• Do not add entry/sub-entry prefixes to field keys. ExecuteBillQuery flattens header and sub-entry fields into the same namespace: directly use the key for sub-entry fields (e.g.,

  FMaterialId

  ,

  FQty

  ), do not write

  FEntity.FMaterialId

  /

  FSaleOrderEntry.FQty

  (this will trigger an error "Field identified as FEntity does not exist").
• Drill down related fields with dots:

  FSupplierId.FName

  ,

  FMaterialId.FNumber

  ,

  FCustId.FNumber

  . If the

  lookUpForm

  of a field in the schema output is non-empty, it means it is a related field, and you can use dots to retrieve fields of the related object.
• Field names are case-sensitive, take the actual schema output as the standard (the same concept may be

  FMaterialId

  /

  FMATERIALID

  /

  FMaterialID

  in different documents).
• Queries must include filters or --top to avoid full table scans; use

  --page-all

  for results exceeding 2000 rows.
• If an entire column of a field is

  null

  : this is mostly due to lack of data permissions or incorrect field spelling → go back to

  schema

  to verify.

Naming Pitfalls and Unsupported Items

• Use

  STK_Inventory

  (current inventory balance object) for real-time stock quantity, not

  STK_InventoryQuery

  (the latter is a query interface with no field model). This has been encapsulated as

  openerp inventory balance list

  .
• Reports/account tables (model type 900, named with GUID, such as "Sales Order Execution Details/Sales Details"): still not supported, need to use

  GetSysReportData

  ; or reproduce using corresponding documents (e.g.,

  SAL_OUTSTOCK

  outbound details).
• For individual objects,

  QueryBusinessInfo

  returns an empty model (e.g., workshop cost calculation

  CB_SFCCostCalBill

  ) → no queryable fields, cannot use the general query process.

objects Command

openerp objects --keyword <name keyword>     # Must provide a convergence condition
openerp objects --subsystem <subsystem>       # Filter by subsystem
openerp objects --keyword Outsourcing --top 30

schema Command

openerp schema <FormId>               # Complete metadata
openerp schema <FormId> --fields-only # Simplified field list (recommended)