[ARROW-12620] [C++] Dataset writing can only include projected columns if input columns are also included

• Type: Bug
• Status: Resolved
• Priority: Major
• Resolution: Fixed
• Fix Version/s: 5.0.0
• Component/s: C++
• Labels: pull-request-available
• External issue URL: https://github.com/apache/arrow/issues/18647
• Assignee: David Li
• Reporter: Neal Richardson
• Created: 30/Apr/21 23:36
• Updated: 11/Jan/23 08:27
• Resolved: 03/May/21 19:04

Description

I discovered this while working on https://github.com/apache/arrow/pull/10191. You can project new columns when writing a dataset, but only if they are derived from columns that are included in the output. Here's an R-based example:

# Simple function to write and re-open the new dataset
write_then_open <- function(ds, path, ...) {
  write_dataset(ds, path, ...)
  open_dataset(path)
}

tab <- Table$create(a = 1:5)

tab %>% 
  write_then_open(ds_dir) %>%
  collect()

# # A tibble: 5 x 1
#       a
#   <int>
# 1     1
# 2     2
# 3     3
# 4     4
# 5     5

# If you rename a column, it's all nulls
tab %>%
  select(b = a) %>%
  write_then_open(ds_dir) %>%
  collect()

# # A tibble: 5 x 1
#       b
#   <int>
# 1    NA
# 2    NA
# 3    NA
# 4    NA
# 5    NA

# If you derive a new column and keep the original, it works
tab %>%
  mutate(b = a) %>%
  write_then_open(ds_dir) %>%
  collect()

# # A tibble: 5 x 2
#       a     b
#   <int> <int>
# 1     1     1
# 2     2     2
# 3     3     3
# 4     4     4
# 5     5     5

# transmute() only keeps the added columns, so it also illustrates the failure
tab %>%
  transmute(b = a) %>%
  write_then_open(ds_dir) %>%
  collect()

# # A tibble: 5 x 1
#       b
#   <int>
# 1    NA
# 2    NA
# 3    NA
# 4    NA
# 5    NA

Issue Links

• links to: GitHub Pull Request #10229