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Improve error message when string functions receive Binary types #19819

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62d712e
fix: improve error message for type coercion failures
lemorage Jan 16, 2026
8fc2842
test: add tests for verifying error msg when string functions receive…
lemorage Jan 17, 2026
a517432
Merge branch 'main' into hotfix/coerce
lemorage Jan 17, 2026
4439926
test: update test expectations for new type coercion error format
lemorage Jan 17, 2026
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9 changes: 7 additions & 2 deletions datafusion/expr/src/type_coercion/functions.rs
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Expand Up @@ -635,8 +635,13 @@ fn get_valid_types(
default_casted_type.default_cast_for(current_type)?;
new_types.push(casted_type);
} else {
return internal_err!(
"Expect {} but received NativeType::{}, DataType: {}",
let hint = if matches!(current_native_type, NativeType::Binary) {
"\n\nHint: Binary types are not automatically coerced to String. Use CAST(column AS VARCHAR) to convert Binary data to String."
} else {
""
};
return plan_err!(
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@alamb alamb Jan 16, 2026

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this looks good to me -- thank you @lemorage

Couuld you please add a test (for this new error) to the slt tests?

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@lemorage lemorage Jan 17, 2026

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Sure!

"Function '{function_name}' requires {}, but received {} (DataType: {}).{hint}",
param.desired_type(),
current_native_type,
current_type
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2 changes: 1 addition & 1 deletion datafusion/sqllogictest/test_files/arrow_typeof.slt
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Expand Up @@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ SELECT arrow_cast('1', 'Int16')
query error
SELECT arrow_cast('1')

query error Expect TypeSignatureClass::Native\(LogicalType\(Native\(String\), String\)\) but received NativeType::Int64, DataType: Int64
query error DataFusion error: Error during planning: Function 'arrow_cast' requires TypeSignatureClass::Native\(LogicalType\(Native\(String\), String\)\), but received Int64 \(DataType: Int64\)
SELECT arrow_cast('1', 43)

query error DataFusion error: Execution error: arrow_cast requires its second argument to be a non\-empty constant string
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10 changes: 10 additions & 0 deletions datafusion/sqllogictest/test_files/binary.slt
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Expand Up @@ -311,3 +311,13 @@ Foo foo Foo foo
NULL NULL NULL NULL
Bar Bar Bar Bar
FooBar fooBar FooBar fooBar

# show helpful error msg when Binary type is used with string functions
query error DataFusion error: Error during planning: Function 'split_part' requires TypeSignatureClass::Native\(LogicalType\(Native\(String\), String\)\), but received Binary \(DataType: Binary\)\.\n\nHint: Binary types are not automatically coerced to String\. Use CAST\(column AS VARCHAR\) to convert Binary data to String\.
SELECT split_part(binary, '~', 2) FROM t WHERE binary IS NOT NULL LIMIT 1;

# ensure the suggested CAST workaround works
query T
SELECT split_part(CAST(binary AS VARCHAR), 'o', 2) FROM t WHERE binary = X'466f6f';
----
(empty)
6 changes: 3 additions & 3 deletions datafusion/sqllogictest/test_files/datetime/timestamps.slt
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Expand Up @@ -3064,7 +3064,7 @@ NULL
query error DataFusion error: Error during planning: Function 'make_date' expects 3 arguments but received 1
select make_date(1);

query error Expect TypeSignatureClass::Native\(LogicalType\(Native\(Int32\), Int32\)\) but received NativeType::Interval\(MonthDayNano\), DataType: Interval\(MonthDayNano\)
query error DataFusion error: Error during planning: Function 'make_date' requires TypeSignatureClass::Native\(LogicalType\(Native\(Int32\), Int32\)\), but received Interval\(MonthDayNano\) \(DataType: Interval\(MonthDayNano\)\)
select make_date(interval '1 day', '2001-05-21'::timestamp, '2001-05-21'::timestamp);

##########
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -3337,7 +3337,7 @@ select make_time(22, '', 27);
query error Cannot cast string '' to value of Int32 type
select make_time(22, 1, '');

query error Expect TypeSignatureClass::Native\(LogicalType\(Native\(Int32\), Int32\)\) but received NativeType::Float64, DataType: Float64
query error DataFusion error: Error during planning: Function 'make_time' requires TypeSignatureClass::Native\(LogicalType\(Native\(Int32\), Int32\)\), but received Float64 \(DataType: Float64\)
select make_time(arrow_cast(22, 'Float64'), 1, '');

##########
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -3952,7 +3952,7 @@ statement error
select to_local_time('2024-04-01T00:00:20Z'::timestamp, 'some string');

# invalid argument data type
statement error DataFusion error: Error during planning: Internal error: Expect TypeSignatureClass::Timestamp but received NativeType::String, DataType: Utf8
statement error DataFusion error: Error during planning: Function 'to_local_time' requires TypeSignatureClass::Timestamp, but received String \(DataType: Utf8\)
select to_local_time('2024-04-01T00:00:20Z');

# invalid timezone
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6 changes: 3 additions & 3 deletions datafusion/sqllogictest/test_files/encoding.slt
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Expand Up @@ -55,10 +55,10 @@ CREATE TABLE test(
;

# errors
query error DataFusion error: Error during planning: Internal error: Expect TypeSignatureClass::Binary but received NativeType::Int64, DataType: Int64
query error DataFusion error: Error during planning: Function 'encode' requires TypeSignatureClass::Binary, but received Int64 \(DataType: Int64\)
select encode(12, 'hex');

query error DataFusion error: Error during planning: Internal error: Expect TypeSignatureClass::Binary but received NativeType::Int64, DataType: Int64
query error DataFusion error: Error during planning: Function 'decode' requires TypeSignatureClass::Binary, but received Int64 \(DataType: Int64\)
select decode(12, 'hex');

query error DataFusion error: Error during planning: There is no built\-in encoding named 'non_encoding', currently supported encodings are: base64, hex
Expand All @@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ select decode('', null) from test;
query error DataFusion error: This feature is not implemented: Encoding must be a scalar; array specified encoding is not yet supported
select decode('', hex_field) from test;

query error DataFusion error: Error during planning: Internal error: Expect TypeSignatureClass::Integer but received NativeType::String, DataType: Utf8View
query error DataFusion error: Error during planning: Function 'to_hex' requires TypeSignatureClass::Integer, but received String \(DataType: Utf8View\)
select to_hex(hex_field) from test;

query error DataFusion error: Execution error: Failed to decode value using base64
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2 changes: 1 addition & 1 deletion datafusion/sqllogictest/test_files/expr.slt
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Expand Up @@ -589,7 +589,7 @@ select repeat('-1.2', arrow_cast(3, 'Int32'));
----
-1.2-1.2-1.2

query error DataFusion error: Error during planning: Internal error: Expect TypeSignatureClass::Native\(LogicalType\(Native\(Int64\), Int64\)\) but received NativeType::Float64, DataType: Float64
query error DataFusion error: Error during planning: Function 'repeat' requires TypeSignatureClass::Native\(LogicalType\(Native\(Int64\), Int64\)\), but received Float64 \(DataType: Float64\)
select repeat('-1.2', 3.2);

query T
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2 changes: 1 addition & 1 deletion datafusion/sqllogictest/test_files/scalar.slt
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Expand Up @@ -2069,7 +2069,7 @@ select position('' in '')
----
1

query error DataFusion error: Error during planning: Internal error: Expect TypeSignatureClass::Native\(LogicalType\(Native\(String\), String\)\) but received NativeType::Int64, DataType: Int64
query error DataFusion error: Error during planning: Function 'strpos' requires TypeSignatureClass::Native\(LogicalType\(Native\(String\), String\)\), but received Int64 \(DataType: Int64\)
select position(1 in 1)

query I
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