server/AyaNova/PickList/AyaPickListFieldDefinition.cs

@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ namespace AyaNova.PickList
         //MUST be present in all datalists and displayed at the client
         public bool IsRowId { get; set; }
 
+  public bool IsActiveColumn { get; set; }
 
         //CLIENT / SERVER - client display and to indicate what object to open , Server for formatting return object      
         public int AyaObjectType { get; set; }
@@ -60,6 +61,7 @@ namespace AyaNova.PickList
             IsFilterable = true;
             IsSortable = true;
             IsRowId = false;
+            IsActiveColumn=false;
             //Set openable object type to no type which is the default and means it's not a link to another object
             AyaObjectType = (int)AyaType.NoType;
 

server/AyaNova/PickList/PickListSqlBuilder.cs

@@ -36,8 +36,21 @@ namespace AyaNova.PickList
 
             //Add rowid column as it's always required
             AyaPickListFieldDefinition rowIdColumn = pickList.ColumnDefinitions.FirstOrDefault(x => x.IsRowId == true);
+            //this should only happen with a development error
+            if (rowIdColumn == null)
+                throw new System.ArgumentNullException($"DEV ERROR in PickListSqlBuilder.cs: picklist for {pickList.DefaultListObjectType.ToString()} has no rowId column specified in columnDefinitions list");
             lSelect.Add(rowIdColumn.SqlIdColumnName + " AS rowid");
 
+            //add active only as default for all lists unless inactive is specified
+            if (!IncludeInactive)
+            {
+                AyaPickListFieldDefinition activeColumn = pickList.ColumnDefinitions.FirstOrDefault(x => x.IsActiveColumn == true);
+                //it's ok if there is no active column, it could happen so just roll with it
+                if(activeColumn!=null){
+                    lWhere.Add(activeColumn.SqlValueColumnName + " = true");
+                }
+            }
+
             foreach (string ColumnName in templateColumnNames)
             {
 

server/AyaNova/PickList/WidgetPickList.cs

@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@ namespace AyaNova.PickList
                 LtKey = "Active",
                 FieldKey = "widgetactive",
                 UiFieldDataType = (int)UiFieldDataType.Bool,
-                SqlValueColumnName = "awidget.active"
+                SqlValueColumnName = "awidget.active",
+                IsActiveColumn = true
             });
 
             ColumnDefinitions.Add(new AyaPickListFieldDefinition