TypeError: '<' not supported between instances of 'dict' and 'dict'

[bogi788]

In Plone 5.2 under Python 3 i'm getting

Module plone.app.workflow.browser.sharing, line 282, in existing_role_settings
TypeError: '<' not supported between instances of 'dict' and 'dict'

when opening the sharing view.

I didn't see this error before the migration to Python 2, and indeed {} < {} returns False in Python 2, but raises an error in Python 3.

The list that would have been sorted in that does have a dict as last element.

[jmevissen]

The Problem still exists in 2026

Plone Version 6.0.15

Reproduction

• You need to have two users with the same login but different ids. This can be achieved by having two user-source plugins (e.g. pas.plugins.ldap and standart Plone users).
• Assign a local role for both users on the same content object
• Open the sharing tab on that content object and get the error

Explanation

In a "existing_role_settings" sort is called on a list:
dec_users.sort()
And the list looks as follows:
dec_users = [ ... (True, 'user', 'same_user_id', dict_a), (True, 'user', 'same_user_id', dict_b), ... ]
Because the first three parameter of the Tuple are the same sort tries to sort on the fourth which is a dictionary and '<' comparison would not work here.

Suggested Fix

Restrict sort on only the first three parameters of the Tuple:
dec_users.sort(key=lambda d: (d[0], d[1], d[2]))

[davisagli]

@jmevissen A pull request would be welcome.