I added a modifier to an item and, in the custom modifier configuration, enabled “Require a selection”. Currently, when querying this item via the Square Catalog API, I am inspecting the modifier_list_info object but cannot find a field corresponding to “Require a selection”.
Could you clarify which field in the modifier_list_info or related Catalog objects represents the “Require a selection” setting? How can I programmatically retrieve this property using the Catalog API?
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Could you clarify which field in the modifier_list_info or related Catalog objects represents the “Require a selection” setting? How can I programmatically retrieve this property using the Catalog API?
An example data model for list-based modifiers is shown in the following UpsertCatalogObject request. The request creates a latte catalog item with small, medium, and large size variations and three modifier lists:
A milk modifier list that:
Sets whole milk as the default milk type ("on_by_default": true).
Requires one selection ("min_selected_modifiers": 1, "max_selected_modifiers": 1).
Prohibits selecting more than one milk type ("allow_quantities": false).
Adds a $1 charge for non-dairy milk.
An espresso shot modifier list that:
Makes extra shots optional ("min_selected_modifiers": 0).
Allows multiple extra shots ("allow_quantities": true).
Allows up to four extra shots ("max_selected_modifiers": 4).
A flavor shot modifier list that:
Makes flavored syrup optional ("min_selected_modifiers": 0).
Allows for multiple flavor types ("allow_quantities": true).
Allows up to six extra shots ("max_selected_modifiers": 6).
Thank you for your earlier reply and for the effort your team has put into improving the handling of min_selected_modifiers and max_selected_modifiers.
However, I’ve noticed a potential issue:
When a new modifier is associated with an item, both min_selected_modifiers and max_selected_modifiers are initialized with the default value -1, which appears to be incorrect.
In the example I provided earlier, the previously incorrect data for these fields was not automatically corrected by Square’s system. Instead, the values only became accurate after I manually re-edited the modifier in the Dashboard.、
Is the -1 initialization the intended default behavior, or is it a bug?
Should developers expect to manually trigger a correction (e.g., via Dashboard edit) to update these values, or will Square provide a mechanism to automatically fix historical data?
If this is known behavior, is there a recommended best practice to ensure accurate values when programmatically creating or updating modifiers?
Thanks again for your support. I look forward to your clarification.
Thank you for your previous response. I understand that -1 is the default value for min_selected_modifiers and max_selected_modifiers.
However, in the two cases I mentioned earlier, I noticed a difference:
In the Square Dashboard, the option “Require a selection” was checked.
But in the API response, both min_selected_modifiers and max_selected_modifiers were still set to -1.
Could you please clarify whether this is the expected behavior?
If not, should we rely on the Dashboard display or the API values when determining whether a modifier selection is required?
Thank you for your response, and I’d like to further inquire:
Has the Square team considered implementing a “what you see is what you get” approach? Specifically:
If “Require a selection” is checked in the Dashboard, then min_selected_modifiers should always be set to 1, rather than sometimes defaulting to -1.
If “Require a selection” is not checked in the Dashboard, then min_selected_modifiers should always be set to 0, rather than sometimes defaulting to -1.
Would the team consider aligning the API behavior with what is shown in the Dashboard to avoid these inconsistencies?
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