Allow custom attributes for model fields

[Tom Turner]

I want to add a custom attributes to a Django model field

name = models.CharField(max_length=255, data_merge=True)

I want to do this so i can loop round my fields and see if this field is set.

        for field in Project._meta.get_fields(include_parents=False, include_hidden=False):
            if field.extra_info.data_merge:
                   // do something here

I haven't been the first to ask for this see ​https://stackoverflow.com/questions/20679057/adding-custom-attributes-to-django-model-field

I understand that you might not won't any attribute won't be good as it could hide error. So one could do

name = models.CharField(max_length=255, meta_data={'data_merge':True})

If you accept this enhancement I am happy to write a patch, test and documentation. Please let me know.

[Tim Graham]

What's the problem with writing a custom model field? My inclination is that allowing a dictionary of arbitrary options isn't a good design as it can be used and abused for any purpose and different Django applications might choose conflicting key names for different purposes.

[Tom Turner]

I would have to write a custom field for all the different types of models that i use CharField, FloatField, ForeignKey, PositiveSmallIntegerField, IntegerField etc

[Tim Graham]

Please write to the DevelopersMailingList to see if there's consensus. Perhaps someone will have an idea about a more elegant approach.