[DRILL-2880] non-syntax error has unexpected category "PARSE ERROR"

• Type: Bug
• Status: Open
• Priority: Minor
• Resolution: Unresolved
• Fix Version/s: Future
• Component/s: SQL Parser
• Assignee: Unassigned
• Reporter: Daniel Barclay
• Created: 26/Apr/15 06:01
• Updated: 01/Oct/15 16:37

Description

Some errors that are not syntax errors (failures to match the productions of the SQL grammar), such as referring to a non-existent table:

SELECT * FROM NoSuchFile;

yield error messages that unexpectedly refer to parsing, such as:

PARSE ERROR: From line 1, column 15 to line 1, column 26: Table 'NoSuchFile' not found
 

That "PARSE ERROR" sounds like it's saying it's specifically a parsing error, when it's really an error downstream of parsing.

(A parsing error requires changing the query to conform to the grammar. In the above case, creating a file or view would resolve the problem without changing the query, so the problem is not a parsing error.)
 

Its not clear whether that error should be reported using a different existing or new error category, or whether the category "PARSE ERROR" should be renamed (to cover both real parsing errors and the level of errors).

Note, however, that to avoid confusion, errors that can be fixed by changing something other than the query (i.e., the data store state) probably should not be reported using the same category as true syntax/parsing errors.