feat(microflows): expose the Commit flag on create/change activities (#779) — recovered from #67

.claude/skills/mendix/write-microflows.md

@@ -542,15 +542,34 @@ $NewProduct = create Test.Product (
 - Closing `)` followed by semicolon
 - Syntax aligned with CALL MICROFLOW/CALL JAVA ACTION
 
+**The Commit flag** (Studio Pro's "Commit" dropdown) is the optional `commit`
+modifier after the member list:
+
+```mdl
+$Order = create Sales.Order (Number = $Nr);                      -- Commit: No (default)
+$Order = create Sales.Order (Number = $Nr) commit;               -- Commit: Yes
+$Order = create Sales.Order (Number = $Nr) commit without events;-- Commit: YesWithoutEvents
+```
+
+Omit it for the default. This is a **modifier on the create**, not the separate
+`commit $Var;` activity — see COMMIT Object below for that one.
+
 ### CHANGE Object
 
 ```mdl
 change $Product (
   Name = $NewName,
   ModifiedDate = [%CurrentDateTime%]);
 
+-- Commit the changed object as part of the change activity
+change $Product (Name = $NewName) commit;
+change $Product (Name = $NewName) commit without events;
+
 -- Refresh the changed object in the client
 change $Product (Name = $NewName) refresh;
+
+-- Both: commit comes first
+change $Product (Name = $NewName) commit refresh;
 ```
 
 **Note**: Only specify attributes you want to change. Syntax aligned with CREATE.

cmd/mxcli/syntax/features_microflow.go

@@ -82,10 +82,10 @@ func init() {
 		Keywords: []string{
 			"create object", "change object", "commit", "rollback",
 			"delete", "save", "persist", "modify object",
-			"with events", "refresh",
+			"with events", "refresh", "commit flag", "without events",
 		},
-		Syntax:  "$Obj = CREATE Module.Entity (Attr = value);\nCHANGE $Obj (Attr = value);\nCOMMIT $Obj;\nCOMMIT $Obj WITH EVENTS;\nCOMMIT $Obj REFRESH;\nCOMMIT $Obj WITH EVENTS REFRESH;\nDELETE $Obj;\nROLLBACK $Obj;",
-		Example: "$NewOrder = CREATE MyModule.Order (\n  OrderNumber = 'ORD-001',\n  Quantity = $Quantity,\n  CreateDate = [%CurrentDateTime%]\n);\n\nCHANGE $NewOrder (MyModule.Order_Customer = $Customer);\nCOMMIT $NewOrder WITH EVENTS;\nDELETE $OldOrder;\nROLLBACK $DraftOrder;",
+		Syntax:  "$Obj = CREATE Module.Entity (Attr = value) [COMMIT [WITHOUT EVENTS]];\nCHANGE $Obj (Attr = value) [COMMIT [WITHOUT EVENTS]] [REFRESH];\nCOMMIT $Obj;\nCOMMIT $Obj WITH EVENTS;\nCOMMIT $Obj REFRESH;\nCOMMIT $Obj WITH EVENTS REFRESH;\nDELETE $Obj;\nROLLBACK $Obj;\n\n-- The COMMIT modifier on CREATE/CHANGE is the activity's Commit setting\n-- (omitted = No). The standalone COMMIT $Obj is a separate activity.",
+		Example: "$NewOrder = CREATE MyModule.Order (\n  OrderNumber = 'ORD-001',\n  Quantity = $Quantity,\n  CreateDate = [%CurrentDateTime%]\n) COMMIT;\n\nCHANGE $NewOrder (MyModule.Order_Customer = $Customer) COMMIT REFRESH;\nCHANGE $Draft (Status = 'Imported') COMMIT WITHOUT EVENTS;\nDELETE $OldOrder;\nROLLBACK $DraftOrder;",
 		SeeAlso: []string{"microflow.retrieve", "microflow.variables"},
 	})
 

docs/01-project/MDL_QUICK_REFERENCE.md

@@ -270,8 +270,8 @@ it is for pages.
 | Entity declaration | `declare $entity Module.Entity;` | No AS keyword, no = empty |
 | List declaration | `declare $list list of Module.Entity = empty;` | |
 | Assignment | `set $Var = expression;` | Variable must be declared first |
-| Create object | `$Var = create Module.Entity (attr = value);` | |
-| Change object | `change $entity (attr = value) [refresh];` | `refresh` updates the changed object in the client |
+| Create object | `$Var = create Module.Entity (attr = value) [commit [without events]];` | `commit` = Commit Yes, `commit without events` = YesWithoutEvents; omitted = No (the default) |
+| Change object | `change $entity (attr = value) [commit [without events]] [refresh];` | `commit` as above, before `refresh`; `refresh` updates the changed object in the client |
 | Commit | `commit $entity [with events] [refresh];` | |
 | Delete | `delete $entity;` | |
 | Rollback | `rollback $entity [refresh];` | Reverts uncommitted changes |

mdl-examples/doctype-tests/779-commit-flag.mdl

@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+-- Issue #779: the Commit flag on create/change activities.
+--
+-- Before this change MDL could not express the flag at all: the builder hardcoded
+-- Commit: No at both call sites, so every create/change authored through MDL was
+-- written as non-committing regardless of intent, and DESCRIBE MICROFLOW rendered a
+-- committing activity identically to a non-committing one. A describe → edit →
+-- re-exec round-trip therefore silently cleared commit boundaries — the
+-- object-orphaning failure mode the issue reports chasing in Studio Pro.
+--
+-- Three values, matching Mendix's Microflows$Commit enum:
+--
+--   (no modifier)           -> No               (the default, omitted from DESCRIBE)
+--   commit                  -> Yes
+--   commit without events   -> YesWithoutEvents
+--
+-- Verify the round-trip:
+--
+--   mxcli exec 779-commit-flag.mdl -p app.mpr
+--   mxcli -p app.mpr -c "describe microflow Issue779.CommitVariants"
+--
+-- The DESCRIBE output must carry the same modifiers as the source below, and be
+-- re-executable as-is.
+
+create module Issue779;
+create module role Issue779.User;
+
+@position(100, 100)
+create persistent entity Issue779.Order (
+  Number: string(50),
+  Status: string(20)
+);
+
+create microflow Issue779.CommitVariants ()
+returns boolean
+begin
+  -- Default: no modifier, Commit = No. Unchanged from before, so existing
+  -- scripts and existing DESCRIBE output are unaffected.
+  $Draft = create Issue779.Order (Number = 'ORD-0001', Status = 'Draft');
+
+  -- Commit = Yes. Enabling the flag is a one-word diff.
+  $Placed = create Issue779.Order (Number = 'ORD-0002', Status = 'Placed') commit;
+
+  -- Commit = YesWithoutEvents: persists without firing before/after commit events.
+  $Imported = create Issue779.Order (Number = 'ORD-0003', Status = 'Imported') commit without events;
+
+  -- No member list, still takes the modifier.
+  $Blank = create Issue779.Order commit;
+
+  -- change carries the same modifier, before the existing `refresh`.
+  change $Draft (Status = 'Confirmed') commit;
+  change $Placed (Status = 'Shipped') commit without events;
+  change $Imported (Status = 'Reconciled') commit refresh;
+
+  -- refresh alone still parses exactly as it did.
+  change $Blank (Status = 'Void') refresh;
+
+  return true;
+end;
+/
+
+-- The modifier must not be confused with the standalone COMMIT activity. These are
+-- two different things on adjacent lines; mandatory statement semicolons are what
+-- make them decidable.
+create microflow Issue779.ModifierVsActivity ()
+returns boolean
+begin
+  $A = create Issue779.Order (Number = 'ORD-0004');
+  commit $A;
+
+  $B = create Issue779.Order (Number = 'ORD-0005') commit;
+  commit $B with events;
+
+  return true;
+end;
+/

mdl/ast/ast_microflow.go

@@ -219,21 +219,34 @@ type ChangeItem struct {
 	Value     Expression // Value expression
 }
 
-// CreateObjectStmt represents: $Var = CREATE Entity (assignments) [ON ERROR ...]
+// CommitFlag is the Commit setting on a create/change activity, matching Mendix's
+// Microflows$Commit enum. The zero value is CommitNo, which is Mendix's default and
+// is therefore omitted from DESCRIBE output.
+type CommitFlag int
+
+const (
+	CommitNo               CommitFlag = iota // no COMMIT clause
+	CommitYes                                // COMMIT
+	CommitYesWithoutEvents                   // COMMIT WITHOUT EVENTS
+)
+
+// CreateObjectStmt represents: $Var = CREATE Entity (assignments) [COMMIT [WITHOUT EVENTS]] [ON ERROR ...]
 type CreateObjectStmt struct {
 	Variable      string               // Variable name (without $ prefix)
 	EntityType    QualifiedName        // Entity type
 	Changes       []ChangeItem         // SET assignments
+	Commit        CommitFlag           // Commit setting (default CommitNo)
 	ErrorHandling *ErrorHandlingClause // Optional ON ERROR clause
 	Annotations   *ActivityAnnotations // Optional @position, @caption, @color, @annotation
 }
 
 func (s *CreateObjectStmt) isMicroflowStatement() {}
 
-// ChangeObjectStmt represents: CHANGE $Var (assignments)
+// ChangeObjectStmt represents: CHANGE $Var (assignments) [COMMIT [WITHOUT EVENTS]] [REFRESH]
 type ChangeObjectStmt struct {
 	Variable        string               // Variable name
 	Changes         []ChangeItem         // SET assignments
+	Commit          CommitFlag           // Commit setting (default CommitNo)
 	RefreshInClient bool                 // Whether to refresh in client
 	Annotations     *ActivityAnnotations // Optional @position, @caption, @color, @annotation
 }

mdl/backend/mcp/microflow.go

@@ -789,9 +789,9 @@ func memberChangeType(t microflows.MemberChangeType) string {
 // mfCommitType maps a CommitType onto the PED commit enum (Yes / YesWithoutEvents / No).
 func mfCommitType(c microflows.CommitType) string {
 	switch c {
-	case microflows.CommitTypeYes, microflows.CommitTypeYesWithEvents:
+	case microflows.CommitTypeYes:
 		return "Yes"
-	case microflows.CommitTypeNoEvent:
+	case microflows.CommitTypeYesWithoutEvents:
 		return "YesWithoutEvents"
 	default:
 		return "No"

mdl/backend/mcp/microflow_test.go

@@ -438,11 +438,12 @@ func TestMapObjectTree_Loop(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestMfCommitType(t *testing.T) {
 	cases := map[microflows.CommitType]string{
-		microflows.CommitTypeYes:           "Yes",
-		microflows.CommitTypeYesWithEvents: "Yes",
-		microflows.CommitTypeNoEvent:       "YesWithoutEvents",
-		microflows.CommitTypeNo:            "No",
-		microflows.CommitType(""):          "No",
+		microflows.CommitTypeYes:              "Yes",
+		microflows.CommitTypeYesWithoutEvents: "YesWithoutEvents",
+		microflows.CommitTypeNo:               "No",
+		// An unset flag is Mendix's default, No — the same as an unrecognised one.
+		microflows.CommitType(""):         "No",
+		microflows.CommitType("Nonsense"): "No",
 	}
 	for in, want := range cases {
 		if got := mfCommitType(in); got != want {

mdl/executor/cmd_microflows_builder_actions.go

@@ -86,13 +86,27 @@ func (fb *flowBuilder) addChangeVariableAction(s *ast.MfSetStmt) model.ID {
 	return activity.ID
 }
 
+// commitTypeOf maps the AST's Commit modifier onto the stored Mendix enum. Both
+// create and change previously hardcoded CommitTypeNo, so any project authored or
+// round-tripped through MDL had its commit flags silently cleared (#779).
+func commitTypeOf(f ast.CommitFlag) microflows.CommitType {
+	switch f {
+	case ast.CommitYes:
+		return microflows.CommitTypeYes
+	case ast.CommitYesWithoutEvents:
+		return microflows.CommitTypeYesWithoutEvents
+	default:
+		return microflows.CommitTypeNo
+	}
+}
+
 // addCreateObjectAction creates a CREATE OBJECT statement.
 func (fb *flowBuilder) addCreateObjectAction(s *ast.CreateObjectStmt) model.ID {
 	action := &microflows.CreateObjectAction{
 		BaseElement:       model.BaseElement{ID: model.ID(types.GenerateID())},
 		ErrorHandlingType: fb.ehType(s.ErrorHandling),
 		OutputVariable:    s.Variable,
-		Commit:            microflows.CommitTypeNo,
+		Commit:            commitTypeOf(s.Commit),
 	}
 	// Set entity reference as qualified name (BY_NAME_REFERENCE)
 	entityQN := ""
@@ -238,7 +252,7 @@ func (fb *flowBuilder) addChangeObjectAction(s *ast.ChangeObjectStmt) model.ID {
 		BaseElement:       model.BaseElement{ID: model.ID(types.GenerateID())},
 		ErrorHandlingType: fb.ehType(nil),
 		ChangeVariable:    s.Variable,
-		Commit:            microflows.CommitTypeNo,
+		Commit:            commitTypeOf(s.Commit),
 		RefreshInClient:   s.RefreshInClient || len(s.Changes) == 0,
 	}
 

mdl/executor/cmd_microflows_format_action.go

@@ -19,6 +19,24 @@ import (
 
 // formatActivity formats a single microflow activity as an MDL statement.
 
+// commitModifier renders the Commit flag of a create/change activity as the MDL
+// modifier, or "" for Mendix's default (No) so the common case stays unwritten.
+// The leading space is included, since the caller appends it directly after the
+// member list.
+//
+// Before #779 this was never emitted: DESCRIBE could not distinguish a committing
+// create from a non-committing one, and re-executing its output cleared the flag.
+func commitModifier(c microflows.CommitType) string {
+	switch c {
+	case microflows.CommitTypeYes:
+		return " commit"
+	case microflows.CommitTypeYesWithoutEvents:
+		return " commit without events"
+	default:
+		return ""
+	}
+}
+
 // escapeExpressionValue escapes raw control characters inside string literals
 // of a Mendix expression value so it can be safely embedded in MDL output.
 // The lexer's STRING_LITERAL rule forbids raw \r and \n inside single-quoted
@@ -256,9 +274,9 @@ func formatAction(
 				}
 				members = append(members, fmt.Sprintf("%s = %s", memberName, escapeExpressionValue(m.Value)))
 			}
-			return fmt.Sprintf("$%s = create %s (%s);", outputVar, entityName, strings.Join(members, ", "))
+			return fmt.Sprintf("$%s = create %s (%s)%s;", outputVar, entityName, strings.Join(members, ", "), commitModifier(a.Commit))
 		}
-		return fmt.Sprintf("$%s = create %s;", outputVar, entityName)
+		return fmt.Sprintf("$%s = create %s%s;", outputVar, entityName, commitModifier(a.Commit))
 
 	case *microflows.ChangeObjectAction:
 		varName := a.ChangeVariable
@@ -287,14 +305,14 @@ func formatAction(
 				members = append(members, fmt.Sprintf("%s = %s", memberName, escapeExpressionValue(m.Value)))
 			}
 			if a.RefreshInClient {
-				return fmt.Sprintf("change $%s (%s) refresh;", varName, strings.Join(members, ", "))
+				return fmt.Sprintf("change $%s (%s)%s refresh;", varName, strings.Join(members, ", "), commitModifier(a.Commit))
 			}
-			return fmt.Sprintf("change $%s (%s);", varName, strings.Join(members, ", "))
+			return fmt.Sprintf("change $%s (%s)%s;", varName, strings.Join(members, ", "), commitModifier(a.Commit))
 		}
 		if a.RefreshInClient {
-			return fmt.Sprintf("change $%s refresh;", varName)
+			return fmt.Sprintf("change $%s%s refresh;", varName, commitModifier(a.Commit))
 		}
-		return fmt.Sprintf("change $%s;", varName)
+		return fmt.Sprintf("change $%s%s;", varName, commitModifier(a.Commit))
 
 	case *microflows.CommitObjectsAction:
 		varName := a.CommitVariable