.. meta::
   :description: Set default field values using role-based column presets
   :keywords: hasura, docs, schema, default value, role-based, column preset

.. _column_presets:

Setting default values for fields using role-based column presets
=================================================================

.. contents:: Table of contents
  :backlinks: none
  :depth: 1
  :local:

Let's say you want certain fields to have their values set automatically when not explicitly passed using session
variables or fixed values when a new row is created with a particular :ref:`user role <roles_variables>`.

Hasura GraphQL engine's column presets let you define role-based default values for any field/column. These values
can either be a session variable value or a static value.

.. admonition:: Column preset restricts mutation access for configured role

  If a column has a preset defined for a given role, access to the column for mutations will be restricted for users
  with that role.

**Example:** Say we have a field ``user_id`` in a table ``article`` which is to be set to the id of the user, from
the value of the user's session variable whenever a new row is added to the ``article`` table.

Step 1: Configure a column preset
---------------------------------

The column preset option is available under the ``Permissions`` tab of a table. Open the console and head to
``Data -> article -> Permissions``:

.. thumbnail:: ../../../../img/graphql/manual/schema/column-presets-option.png
   :alt: Add a column preset in the permissions tab

Enable the column preset option to define presets for one or more columns. For each column, you can pick between
setting the preset using a static value or from a session variable.

.. thumbnail:: ../../../../img/graphql/manual/schema/column-presets-value-options.png
   :alt: Configure the column preset

For our chosen example, we'll use the ``from session variable`` option and configure the ``user_id`` column to be
automatically populated based on the value of the ``X-Hasura-User-Id`` session variable.

.. note::

  To set a column preset for a nested object's column, simply set the corresponding column preset in the remote
  table.

Step 2: Run an insert mutation
------------------------------

Head to the GraphiQL interface in the console and try making an insert mutation on the ``article`` table with the
following headers (*to run through this example, don't forget to also grant the* ``user`` *role sufficient permissions
to select from the* ``article`` *table*):

- ``X-Hasura-Role`` --> ``user`` (*to test the behaviour for the configured role*)
- ``X-Hasura-User-Id`` --> ``1`` (*this is the value we should expect in the* ``user_id`` *field*)

As mentioned earlier, you'll notice when you add the ``X-Hasura-Role`` header that the field, ``user_id``, is no longer
available as the mutation type's field:

.. thumbnail:: ../../../../img/graphql/manual/schema/column-preset-schema-change-for-role.png
   :alt: Write an insert mutation

Now, if we run the following insert mutation, we'll see that the ``user_id`` field is indeed being set with the value
passed in the ``X-Hasura-User-Id`` variable:

.. thumbnail:: ../../../../img/graphql/manual/schema/column-preset-mutation-result.png
   :alt: Run the insert mutation

.. note::

  Not passing the configured header will result in a run-time error:
  
  .. code-block:: JSON

    {
        "errors": [
          {
            "path": "$",
            "error": "\"x-hasura-user-id\" header is expected but not found",
            "code": "not-found"
          }
        ]
    }


Also see
--------

- :ref:`postgres_defaults`
- :ref:`sql_functions_as_default`