[BUG] File display_order overflows to float32 MAX, hides all files in workspace

[Lucas-Enriquez]

Checklist

• I have searched the repository issues and have not found a suitable solution or answer.
• I agree to the terms within the Contributor Covenant Code of Conduct.

Description

After many file operations in a workspace (drag-reorder, inserts at end), the workspace becomes
"empty" in the UI: the files panel shows 0 even though the data still exists in SQLite. Creating new
flows/files in that workspace silently fails (clicking "Flow" in the + menu does nothing).

Root cause

files.display_order converges to float32 MAX = 3.4028234663852886e+38.

• DB schema: display_order REAL (float64) — packages/db/pkg/sqlc/schema/03_files.sql:15
• Wire spec: order: float32 — packages/spec/api/file-system.tsp:22

The float32 wire format truncates the float64 DB value. Once display_order approaches float32 MAX
it serializes to +Infinity on the client; the TanStack DB collection then sorts inconsistently and
renders nothing.

The order-generation algorithm seems to use a midpoint between last and MAX_FLOAT when inserting
at the end, which converges to MAX after a handful of inserts.

Expected: the workspace keeps showing files regardless of how many inserts/reorders happen.

Reproduction

1. Create a workspace with several folders and many files (HTTP requests, flows). My broken
   workspace had ~236 files.
2. Repeatedly insert/reorder items via drag-and-drop, or insert items "at end" many times.
3. Close and reopen the app.
4. The workspace appears in the sidebar but the Files panel shows 0. Right-click → New Flow does
   nothing.

Reproduces consistently once display_order has reached float32 MAX. A freshly created workspace
works fine until the threshold is crossed.

Evidence from my SQLite DB

Affected workspace:

• MIN display_order: -1.0
• MAX display_order: 3.4028234663852886e+38 (10 rows pegged exactly at this value)
• 22 files with display_order >= 2.5e+38

Healthy workspace in the same DB: MAX = 10.0.

Additional context

Workaround

Reset display_order to sequential floats per (workspace_id, parent_id) directly in SQLite:

UPDATE files SET display_order = <seq> WHERE id = <file_id>;
After this, restart the app and all files reappear.


Suggested fix

- Change spec order: float32 → float64 to match the DB type, OR
- Switch to lexorank / string-based fractional indexing.
- Either way, the order-generation algorithm should re-pack values before approaching the type's
MAX, instead of asymptotically converging to it.