From f7e9dbc27efe31968a9d673322c5a86a45b93ef4 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Simon Willison <swillison@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 26 May 2026 14:02:37 -0700
Subject: [PATCH] Tweaked design of create query page

---
 datasette/templates/query_create.html | 37 +++++++++++++++++++--------
 tests/test_queries.py                 | 24 +++++++++++++++--
 2 files changed, 49 insertions(+), 12 deletions(-)

diff --git a/datasette/templates/query_create.html b/datasette/templates/query_create.html
index cdf91799..cb14ada4 100644
--- a/datasette/templates/query_create.html
+++ b/datasette/templates/query_create.html
@@ -94,12 +94,18 @@ form.sql .query-create-sql textarea#sql-editor {
 .query-create-options input[type=checkbox] {
     margin: 0;
 }
-.query-create-option-note {
+.query-create-option-note,
+.query-create-analysis-note {
     color: #4f5b6d;
     flex-basis: 100%;
     font-size: 0.82rem;
+}
+.query-create-option-note {
     margin: -0.45rem 0 0;
 }
+.query-create-analysis-note {
+    margin: 0;
+}
 .query-create-action {
     margin: 0.35rem 0 1rem;
 }
@@ -160,9 +166,9 @@ form.sql .query-create-sql textarea#sql-editor {
     <p class="query-create-sql sql-editor"><textarea id="sql-editor" name="sql"{% if sql %} style="height: {{ sql.split("\n")|length + 2 }}em"{% endif %}>{{ sql }}</textarea></p>
 
     <p class="query-create-options">
+        <span class="query-create-analysis-note" data-query-create-analysis-note aria-live="polite">{% if analysis_error %}This query cannot be saved until the SQL is valid.{% elif not has_sql %}Enter SQL to analyze this query.{% elif analysis_is_write %}This query updates data in the database.{% else %}This is a read-only query.{% endif %}</span>
         <input type="hidden" name="is_private" value="0">
         <label><input type="checkbox" name="is_private" value="1"{% if is_private %} checked{% endif %}> Private</label>
-        <label><input type="checkbox" data-query-create-writable{% if analysis_is_write %} checked{% endif %} disabled> Writable</label>
         <span class="query-create-option-note">Queries marked private can only be seen by you, their creator.</span>
     </p>
     {% if sql and analysis_is_write %}
@@ -249,10 +255,25 @@ window.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => {
   const submitButton = form
     ? form.querySelector("[data-query-create-submit]")
     : null;
-  const writableCheckbox = form
-    ? form.querySelector("[data-query-create-writable]")
+  const analysisNote = form
+    ? form.querySelector("[data-query-create-analysis-note]")
     : null;
 
+  function updateAnalysisNote(data) {
+    if (!analysisNote) {
+      return;
+    }
+    if (data.analysis_error) {
+      analysisNote.textContent = "This query cannot be saved until the SQL is valid.";
+    } else if (data.has_sql === false) {
+      analysisNote.textContent = "Enter SQL to analyze this query.";
+    } else if (data.analysis_is_write) {
+      analysisNote.textContent = "This query updates data in the database.";
+    } else {
+      analysisNote.textContent = "This is a read-only query.";
+    }
+  }
+
   window.datasetteSqlParameters.setupSqlParameterRefresh({
     form,
     url: form.dataset.analyzeUrl,
@@ -262,9 +283,7 @@ window.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => {
       if (submitButton) {
         submitButton.disabled = data.save_disabled;
       }
-      if (writableCheckbox) {
-        writableCheckbox.checked = data.analysis_is_write;
-      }
+      updateAnalysisNote(data);
     },
     onError(error) {
       window.datasetteSqlAnalysis.renderAnalysis(analysisSection, {
@@ -274,9 +293,7 @@ window.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => {
       if (submitButton) {
         submitButton.disabled = true;
       }
-      if (writableCheckbox) {
-        writableCheckbox.checked = false;
-      }
+      updateAnalysisNote({ analysis_error: error.message });
     },
   });
 });
diff --git a/tests/test_queries.py b/tests/test_queries.py
index 09b41645..f888dda0 100644
--- a/tests/test_queries.py
+++ b/tests/test_queries.py
@@ -990,6 +990,10 @@ async def test_create_query_ui_and_arbitrary_sql_save_link():
         "/data/-/queries/insert?sql=select+*+from+dogs",
         actor={"id": "root"},
     )
+    write_create_response = await ds.client.get(
+        "/data/-/queries/insert?sql=insert+into+dogs+(name)+values+('Cleo')",
+        actor={"id": "root"},
+    )
     blank_create_response = await ds.client.get(
         "/data/-/queries/insert",
         actor={"id": "root"},
@@ -1005,7 +1009,6 @@ async def test_create_query_ui_and_arbitrary_sql_save_link():
 
     assert create_response.status_code == 200
     assert "Create query" in create_response.text
-    assert "Writable" in create_response.text
     assert 'type="radio"' not in create_response.text
     assert 'name="parameters"' not in create_response.text
     assert 'id="query-parameters"' not in create_response.text
@@ -1024,11 +1027,22 @@ async def test_create_query_ui_and_arbitrary_sql_save_link():
     assert "renderParameters: false" in create_response.text
     assert "datasetteSqlAnalysis.renderAnalysis" in create_response.text
     assert "data-query-create-submit" in create_response.text
-    assert "data-query-create-writable" in create_response.text
+    assert "data-query-create-writable" not in create_response.text
+    assert "data-query-create-sql-type" not in create_response.text
+    assert "data-query-create-analysis-note" in create_response.text
+    assert "SQL type:" not in create_response.text
+    assert (
+        '<span class="query-create-analysis-note" data-query-create-analysis-note aria-live="polite">This is a read-only query.</span>'
+        in create_response.text
+    )
+    assert "disabled> Writable</label>" not in create_response.text
     assert (
         "Queries marked private can only be seen by you, their creator."
         in create_response.text
     )
+    assert create_response.text.index(
+        "This is a read-only query."
+    ) < create_response.text.index('<input type="hidden" name="is_private" value="0">')
     assert "<h2>Query operations</h2>" in create_response.text
     assert '<table class="execute-write-analysis">' in create_response.text
     assert '<th scope="col">Required permission</th>' in create_response.text
@@ -1053,6 +1067,12 @@ async def test_create_query_ui_and_arbitrary_sql_save_link():
         "<p>Analysis will show each affected table and required permission.</p>"
         not in blank_create_response.text
     )
+    assert "Enter SQL to analyze this query." in blank_create_response.text
+    assert write_create_response.status_code == 200
+    assert (
+        '<span class="query-create-analysis-note" data-query-create-analysis-note aria-live="polite">This query updates data in the database.</span>'
+        in write_create_response.text
+    )
     assert query_response.status_code == 200
     assert "Save this query" in query_response.text
     assert "/data/-/queries/insert?sql=select+%2A+from+dogs" in query_response.text