Not possible to change field type with active sort

backend/src/baserow/contrib/database/fields/handler.py

@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ class FieldHandler(metaclass=baserow_trace_methods(tracer)):
         # already exists. If so the field cannot be created and an exception is raised.
         if primary and Field.objects.filter(table=table, primary=True).exists():
             raise PrimaryFieldAlreadyExists(
-                f"A primary field already exists for the " f"table {table}."
+                f"A primary field already exists for the table {table}."
             )
 
         # Figure out which model to use and which field types are allowed for the given
@@ -579,6 +579,7 @@ class FieldHandler(metaclass=baserow_trace_methods(tracer)):
             raise IncompatiblePrimaryFieldTypeError(to_field_type_name)
 
         if baserow_field_type_changed:
+            ViewHandler().before_field_type_change(field)
             dependants_broken_due_to_type_change = (
                 from_field_type.get_dependants_which_will_break_when_field_type_changes(
                     field, to_field_type, field_cache

backend/src/baserow/contrib/database/views/handler.py

@@ -222,6 +222,41 @@ class ViewIndexingHandler(metaclass=baserow_trace_methods(tracer)):
 
         return f"i{table_id}:"
 
+    @classmethod
+    def before_field_type_change(cls, field: Field, model=None):
+        """
+        Remove all the indexes for the views that have a sort on the field
+        that is being changed.
+
+        :param field: The field that is being changed.
+        :param model: The model to use for the table. If not provided it will be
+            taken from the field.
+        """
+
+        views = View.objects.filter(
+            id__in=ViewSort.objects.filter(field=field).values("view_id"),
+            db_index_name__isnull=False,
+        )
+        if not views:
+            return
+
+        if model is None:
+            model = field.table.get_model()
+
+        dropped_indexes = set()
+        for view in views:
+            if view.db_index_name in dropped_indexes:
+                continue
+
+            cls.drop_index(
+                view=view,
+                db_index=django_models.Index("id", name=view.db_index_name),
+                model=model,
+            )
+            dropped_indexes.add(view.db_index_name)
+
+        View.objects.filter(id__in=[v.id for v in views]).update(db_index_name=None)
+
     @classmethod
     def _get_index_hash(
         cls, field_order_bys: List[OptionallyAnnotatedOrderBy]
@@ -447,6 +482,12 @@ class ViewIndexingHandler(metaclass=baserow_trace_methods(tracer)):
         ):
             return current_index_name
 
+        cls.drop_index(view, db_index, model)
+
+        return current_index_name
+
+    @classmethod
+    def drop_index(cls, view, db_index, model=None):
         if model is None:
             model = view.table.get_model()
 
@@ -459,8 +500,6 @@ class ViewIndexingHandler(metaclass=baserow_trace_methods(tracer)):
                 view_table_id=view.table_id,
             )
 
-        return current_index_name
-
     @classmethod
     def update_index_by_view_id(cls, view_id: int, nowait=True):
         """
@@ -598,6 +637,16 @@ class ViewHandler(metaclass=baserow_trace_methods(tracer)):
         )
         return views
 
+    def before_field_type_change(self, field: Field):
+        """
+        Allow trigger custom logic before field is changed.
+        By default it calls ViewIndexingHandler.before_field_type_change.
+
+        :param field: The field that is being changed.
+        """
+
+        ViewIndexingHandler.before_field_type_change(field)
+
     def list_workspace_views(
         self,
         user: AbstractUser,

backend/tests/baserow/contrib/database/api/fields/test_field_views.py

@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ from rest_framework.status import (
 from baserow.contrib.database.fields.models import Field, NumberField, TextField
 from baserow.contrib.database.fields.registries import field_type_registry
 from baserow.contrib.database.tokens.handler import TokenHandler
+from baserow.contrib.database.views.handler import ViewIndexingHandler
+from baserow.contrib.database.views.models import ViewSort
 from baserow.core.db import specific_iterator
 from baserow.test_utils.helpers import (
     independent_test_db_connection,
@@ -519,7 +521,7 @@ def test_update_field(api_client, data_fixture):
         url,
         {"name": existing_field.name},
         format="json",
-        HTTP_AUTHORIZATION=f"JWT" f" {token}",
+        HTTP_AUTHORIZATION=f"JWT {token}",
     )
     assert response.status_code == HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST
     assert response.json()["error"] == "ERROR_FIELD_WITH_SAME_NAME_ALREADY_EXISTS"
@@ -530,7 +532,7 @@ def test_update_field(api_client, data_fixture):
         url,
         {"name": too_long_field_name},
         format="json",
-        HTTP_AUTHORIZATION=f"JWT" f" {token}",
+        HTTP_AUTHORIZATION=f"JWT {token}",
     )
     assert response.status_code == HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST
     assert response.json()["error"] == "ERROR_REQUEST_BODY_VALIDATION"
@@ -717,6 +719,38 @@ def test_update_field_number_type_deprecation_error(api_client, data_fixture):
     )
 
 
+@pytest.mark.django_db
+def test_change_field_type_with_active_sort_on_field(api_client, data_fixture):
+    import uuid
+
+    user, token = data_fixture.create_user_and_token()
+    table = data_fixture.create_database_table(user=user)
+    text_field = data_fixture.create_text_field(table=table, name=uuid.uuid4())
+
+    grid = data_fixture.create_grid_view(table=table)
+
+    sort = data_fixture.create_view_sort(view=grid, field=text_field, order="ASC")
+    ViewIndexingHandler.update_index(view=grid)
+
+    grid.refresh_from_db()
+    assert grid.db_index_name is not None
+
+    # Change the field type from text to number
+    url = reverse("api:database:fields:item", kwargs={"field_id": text_field.id})
+    response = api_client.patch(
+        url, {"type": "number"}, format="json", HTTP_AUTHORIZATION=f"JWT {token}"
+    )
+
+    assert response.status_code == HTTP_200_OK
+
+    # Sort is not removed
+    assert ViewSort.objects.filter(id=sort.id).exists()
+
+    # Sort index is removed
+    grid.refresh_from_db()
+    assert grid.db_index_name is None
+
+
 @pytest.mark.django_db
 def test_delete_field(api_client, data_fixture):
     user, token = data_fixture.create_user_and_token()
@@ -858,8 +892,7 @@ def test_update_field_returns_with_error_if_cant_lock_field_if_locked_for_update
         with conn.cursor() as cursor:
             # nosec
             cursor.execute(
-                f"SELECT * FROM database_field where id = {text_field.id} "
-                f"FOR UPDATE"
+                f"SELECT * FROM database_field where id = {text_field.id} FOR UPDATE"
             )
             response = api_client.patch(
                 url,

changelog/entries/unreleased/bug/3519_allow_change_field_type_with_active_sort.json

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+{
+    "type": "bug",
+    "message": "Allow change field type with active sort",
+    "domain": "database",
+    "issue_number": 3519,
+    "bullet_points": [],
+    "created_at": "2025-03-18"
+}