What causes "Unsupported model for inplace edit" in opf/openproject?

Only request inplace edits for models registered in OpenProject::InplaceEdit::UpdateRegistry (list keys in console).

opf/openproject · error · ArgumentError

Unsupported model for inplace edit

Error message

Unsupported model for inplace edit

What it means

InplaceEditFieldsController#resolve_model_class takes the 'model' request parameter, camelizes it, and resolves it only against classes present in OpenProject::InplaceEdit::UpdateRegistry. The resolved class must additionally be an ApplicationRecord descendant that responds to .visible; otherwise ArgumentError('Unsupported model for inplace edit'). This whitelist exists because the endpoint would otherwise allow arbitrary attribute edits on any model.

Solutions

Only request inplace edits for models registered in OpenProject::InplaceEdit::UpdateRegistry (list keys in console).
If a legitimate model is missing, register it with handler and contract so it passes both resolve_model_class and invoke_update_handler.
Ensure the registered class is an ActiveRecord model exposing a .visible scope.

Example fix

# before (client requests an unregistered model)
fetch('/inplace_edit_fields?model=meeting&attribute=name')

# after (guard client-side against the whitelist)
const SUPPORTED = ['project', 'work_package'];
if (!SUPPORTED.includes(model)) return;
fetch(`/inplace_edit_fields?model=${model}&attribute=name`)

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

klass = OpenProject::InplaceEdit::UpdateRegistry.resolve_model_class(params[:model])
return head :not_found unless klass && klass < ApplicationRecord && klass.respond_to?(:visible)

Type guard

def inplace_model?(param)
  klass = OpenProject::InplaceEdit::UpdateRegistry.resolve_model_class(param)
  !klass.nil? && klass < ApplicationRecord && klass.respond_to?(:visible)
end

Try / catch

begin
  resolve_model_class(params[:model])
rescue ArgumentError
  head :not_found
end

Prevention

Drive the frontend model list from the registry keys instead of a duplicated hardcoded list.
Never broaden resolve_model_class to arbitrary constantize — the whitelist is the security boundary.
When adding a model, register it first, then ship the UI that requests it.

When it happens

Trigger: GET/POST /inplace_edit_fields with model=<class not in the registry> — e.g. 'user', 'milestone' or a misspelled value — or a registered class that fails the ApplicationRecord/.visible checks.

Common situations: Frontend code updated to offer inline edit on a new model before the backend registered it; stale JS requesting a model removed from the registry; a fork adding a non-AR model (plain class) to the registry.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of opf/openproject@d9742c43f3 (2026-08-21). Data as JSON: /api/errors/20ad34bf70521071. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at app/controllers/inplace_edit_fields_controller.rb:119

  end

  def find_model
    model_class = resolve_model_class(params[:model])
    @model = model_class.visible.find(params[:id])
  rescue ActiveRecord::RecordNotFound, ArgumentError
    head :not_found
  end

  def resolve_model_class(model_param)
    return nil if model_param.blank?

    model_class =
      update_registry.resolve_model_class(model_param)

    unless model_class &&
           model_class < ApplicationRecord &&
           model_class.respond_to?(:visible)
      raise ArgumentError, "Unsupported model for inplace edit"
    end

    model_class
  end

  def set_attribute
    @attribute = params[:attribute].to_sym
  end

  def authorize_project_custom_field_visibility!
    return unless @model.is_a?(Project)

    custom_field_id = @attribute.to_s.delete_prefix("custom_field_").to_i
    unless ProjectCustomField.visible(current_user, project: @model).exists?(custom_field_id)
      head :not_found
    end
  end

View on GitHub (pinned to d9742c43f3)