Merge pull request #1441 from datajoint/fix/1433-allow-leading-underscore-in-attribute-names

fix(#1433): clear error for leading-underscore attribute names

Author: dimitri-yatsenko

src/datajoint/declare.py

@@ -855,6 +855,14 @@ def compile_attribute(
     DataJointError
         If syntax is invalid, primary key is nullable, or blob has invalid default.
     """
+    if line.lstrip().startswith("_"):
+        raise DataJointError(
+            f'Attribute name in line "{line}" starts with an underscore. '
+            "Names with leading underscore are reserved for platform-managed "
+            "columns (e.g. _job_start_time, _singleton). Use a regular "
+            "attribute name; if you need to control visibility at the call "
+            "site, use proj()."
+        )
     try:
         match = attribute_parser.parse_string(line + "#", parse_all=True)
     except pp.ParseException as err:

tests/unit/test_declare_hidden_attribute.py

@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+"""Unit tests for the leading-underscore guard in attribute declarations.
+
+Regression coverage for issue #1433: declarations like ``_hidden: bool``
+previously failed with a cryptic ``pyparsing.ParseException``. The framework
+intentionally does not support user-defined hidden attributes — those names
+are reserved for platform-managed columns (e.g. ``_job_start_time``,
+``_singleton``) which DataJoint injects programmatically after parsing.
+
+This test ensures the user gets a clear ``DataJointError`` pointing to the
+right alternative, not a parser-internals error.
+"""
+
+import pytest
+
+from datajoint.declare import attribute_parser, compile_attribute
+from datajoint.errors import DataJointError
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "line",
+    [
+        "_hidden: bool",
+        "_params_hash: varchar(32)",
+        "  _leading_whitespace: int32",
+    ],
+)
+def test_compile_attribute_rejects_leading_underscore(line):
+    """The leading-underscore guard fires before the parser, so adapter is unused."""
+    with pytest.raises(DataJointError, match="reserved for platform-managed"):
+        compile_attribute(line, in_key=False, foreign_key_sql=[], context={}, adapter=None)
+
+
+def test_parser_still_rejects_leading_underscore():
+    """Parser regex itself remains strict; the helpful error fires before the parser."""
+    import pyparsing as pp
+
+    with pytest.raises(pp.ParseException):
+        attribute_parser.parse_string("_hidden: bool#", parse_all=True)
+
+
+def test_parser_still_accepts_plain_names():
+    match = attribute_parser.parse_string("name: varchar(40)#", parse_all=True)
+    assert match["name"] == "name"
+
+
+def test_parser_rejects_digit_start():
+    """Numeric leading char remains invalid (preserved behavior)."""
+    import pyparsing as pp
+
+    with pytest.raises(pp.ParseException):
+        attribute_parser.parse_string("1bad: int32#", parse_all=True)