[KAFKA-1637] SimpleConsumer.fetchOffset returns wrong error code when no offset exists for topic/partition/consumer group

• Type: Bug
• Status: Resolved
• Priority: Major
• Resolution: Fixed
• Affects Version/s: 0.8.1, 0.8.1.1
• Fix Version/s: 0.8.2.0
• Component/s: consumer, core
• Labels: newbie
• Environment: Linux
• Assignee: Ewen Cheslack-Postava
• Reporter: Amir Malekpour
• Created: 17/Sep/14 00:59
• Updated: 14/Nov/14 19:16
• Resolved: 16/Oct/14 17:39

Description

This concerns Kafka's Offset Fetch API:

According to Kafka's current documentation, "if there is no offset associated with a topic-partition under that consumer group the broker does not set an error code (since it is not really an error), but returns empty metadata and sets the offset field to -1." (Link below)

However, in Kafka 08.1.1 Error code '3' is returned, which effectively makes it impossible for the client to decide if there was an error, or if there is no offset associated with a topic-partition under that consumer group.

https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/KAFKA/A+Guide+To+The+Kafka+Protocol#AGuideToTheKafkaProtocol-MetadataAPI