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Make metadata auto-detection detect semantic sdtype as foreign key #2812

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Merged
fealho merged 2 commits into from
Feb 18, 2026
Merged

Make metadata auto-detection detect semantic sdtype as foreign key #2812

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fc2efa4
Update detection
fealho Feb 17, 2026
db0b9e9
Update test
fealho Feb 17, 2026
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29 changes: 20 additions & 9 deletions sdv/metadata/multi_table.py
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -543,25 +543,36 @@ def _detect_foreign_keys_by_column_name(self, data):
"""
for parent_candidate in self.tables.keys():
primary_key = self.tables[parent_candidate].primary_key
if primary_key is None:
continue

pk_sdtype = self.tables[parent_candidate].columns[primary_key]['sdtype']
for child_candidate in self.tables.keys() - {parent_candidate}:
child_meta = self.tables[child_candidate]
if primary_key in child_meta.columns.keys():
original_fk_meta = deepcopy(child_meta.columns[primary_key])
original_fk_sdtype = original_fk_meta['sdtype']
if pk_sdtype != 'id' and original_fk_sdtype != pk_sdtype:
continue

try:
original_foreign_key_sdtype = child_meta.columns[primary_key]['sdtype']
if original_foreign_key_sdtype != 'id':
if pk_sdtype == 'id' and original_fk_sdtype != 'id':
self.update_column(
table_name=child_candidate, column_name=primary_key, sdtype='id'
table_name=child_candidate,
column_name=primary_key,
sdtype='id',
)

self.add_relationship(
parent_candidate, child_candidate, primary_key, primary_key
)

except InvalidMetadataError:
self.update_column(
table_name=child_candidate,
column_name=primary_key,
sdtype=original_foreign_key_sdtype,
)
if pk_sdtype == 'id' and original_fk_sdtype != 'id':
self.update_column(
table_name=child_candidate,
column_name=primary_key,
**original_fk_meta,
)
continue

def _detect_relationships(self, data=None, foreign_key_inference_algorithm='column_name_match'):
Expand Down
105 changes: 105 additions & 0 deletions tests/unit/metadata/test_multi_table.py
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -12,6 +12,7 @@

from sdv.errors import InvalidDataError
from sdv.metadata.errors import InvalidMetadataError
from sdv.metadata.metadata import Metadata
from sdv.metadata.multi_table import MultiTableMetadata, SingleTableMetadata
from tests.utils import catch_sdv_logs, get_multi_table_data, get_multi_table_metadata

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -2624,6 +2625,110 @@ def test__detect_relationships(self):
assert instance.relationships == expected_relationships
assert instance.tables['sessions'].columns['user_id']['sdtype'] == 'id'

def test__detect_relationships_semantic_foreign_key(self):
"""Test semantic foreign keys are automatically detected without changing the sdtype."""
# Setup
instance = Metadata.load_from_dict({
'tables': {
'parent': {
'primary_key': 'email',
'columns': {
'email': {'sdtype': 'email'},
'user_name': {'sdtype': 'categorical'},
},
},
'child': {
'primary_key': 'child_id',
'columns': {
'child_id': {'sdtype': 'id'},
'email': {'sdtype': 'email', 'pii': True},
},
},
},
'relationships': [],
})

# Run
instance._detect_relationships()

# Assert
expected_relationships = [
{
'parent_table_name': 'parent',
'child_table_name': 'child',
'parent_primary_key': 'email',
'child_foreign_key': 'email',
}
]
assert instance.relationships == expected_relationships
assert instance.tables['child'].columns['email'] == {'sdtype': 'email', 'pii': True}
assert instance.tables['parent'].columns['email'] == {'sdtype': 'email'}
assert instance.tables['parent'].primary_key == 'email'

def test__detect_relationships_semantic_foreign_key_does_not_overwrite_mismatch(self):
"""Test semantic foreign key mismatches do not coerce the child sdtype."""
# Setup
instance = Metadata.load_from_dict({
'tables': {
'parent': {
'primary_key': 'email',
'columns': {
'email': {'sdtype': 'email'},
'user_name': {'sdtype': 'categorical'},
},
},
'child': {
'primary_key': 'child_id',
'columns': {
'child_id': {'sdtype': 'id'},
'email': {'sdtype': 'categorical'},
},
},
},
'relationships': [],
})

# Run
instance._detect_relationships()

# Assert
assert instance.relationships == []
assert instance.tables['child'].columns['email'] == {'sdtype': 'categorical'}
assert instance.tables['parent'].columns['email'] == {'sdtype': 'email'}
assert instance.tables['parent'].primary_key == 'email'

def test__detect_relationships_restores_foreign_key_metadata_after_failure(self):
"""Test failed detection restores all original metadata values in the child foreign key."""
# Setup
original_foreign_key_metadata = {'sdtype': 'email', 'pii': True}
instance = Metadata.load_from_dict({
'tables': {
'users': {
'primary_key': 'user_id',
'columns': {
'user_id': {'sdtype': 'id'},
'user_name': {'sdtype': 'categorical'},
},
},
'sessions': {
'primary_key': 'session_id',
'columns': {
'user_id': original_foreign_key_metadata.copy(),
'session_id': {'sdtype': 'id'},
},
},
},
'relationships': [],
})
instance.add_relationship = Mock(side_effect=InvalidMetadataError('bad relationship'))

# Run
instance._detect_relationships()

# Assert
instance.add_relationship.assert_called_once_with('users', 'sessions', 'user_id', 'user_id')
assert instance.tables['sessions'].columns['user_id'] == original_foreign_key_metadata

def test__detect_relationships_circular(self):
"""Test that relationships that invalidate the metadata are not added."""
# Setup
Expand Down