No error message for invalid sql statements

[seryj]

Error description
When executing an invalid query there is no feedback to the user that something went wrong. The result tab just shows the result of previous query. Also in the log tab, there is no indication that something went wrong.

An invalid query can be

• a wrong SQL statement
• valid SQL but with wrong table name

Expected behavior
Some kind of error message/warning. Maybe for beginning, it is possible to show the error message from DataFusion itself?

[matthewmturner]

Can you provide an example query? I had been working that and got it to work correctly, for example on parser errors(this is on latest main):

[seryj]

Your latest PR seems to fix this issue - cool!

Now, I have another issue. After executing an incorrect query (wrong path to the file with data), next query is not executed anymore. At least, it does not appear in the history and the error message that the path is wrong does not disappear as well (cf. screenshot)

.

[matthewmturner]

Got it - will look into.

[matthewmturner]

So i think its actually because of the semicolon. If you delete the semicolon after the bad query and add another one again i think it will work. I suppose the expected behavior would be keeping the semicolon status (i.e. execute after hitting enter).

[matthewmturner]

I will need to think about this a little more. Off the top of my head im not sure how straight forward this is to handle in a simple way as i could always need to be looking through all the editor text for a semicolon to determine if the flag should be set.

[matthewmturner]

the status is tracked in app.editor.sql_terminated. I dont think my current logic is correct but i still need to think a little more on what a good flow would be. let me know if you have any ideas.

[matthewmturner]

I think I have an idea. Rather than using enter in edit mode and tracking semicolon to execute the query I use enter mode in normal mode to trigger the query. If no semicolon it simply won't execute and I don't have to worry about tracking status. Maybe I could provide a message to inform user if we wanted to be extra friendly but don't think that's required. User would just have to remember to go from edit to normal mode to execute but I think that's okay. What do you think?

[seryj]

I wonder if one needs a semicolon at all. Right now, the editor always contains a single query and unless this changes in the future, having a semicolon is only required to recognize that the user wants to execute a query. Thinking about other tools, the same problem is often solved by using another key combination e.g. "shift+enter". Could that maybe be a more user-friendly solution?

On the pro-side, if chosen carefully, this "execute query" key combination could be used in the normal and edit modes such that the users will do less mistakes.

On the contra-side, the complexity of key handling increases.

How do you see it?

[seryj]

sorry, pressed wrong button and closed the issue accidently

[matthewmturner]

I had in mind that people could do DDL plus a query in the same editor which would require the semicolon in the editor. i thought there was value in this for interactive data analysis and it provides a good interface before doing DDL through ~/.datafusion.

I definitely also had an interest in something like shift-enter, as i use that in datagrip all the time. However, i think that would be non-trivial to implement (although i do have an idea for this already). But i will create a separate issue for this point.

Switching to only executing in normal mode i think provides a good tactical solution to this issue for 0.1 release (thats my focus right now) while a longer term solution can be investigated further. hope thats ok!

[seryj]

Sure - good idea! And you are absolutely right about caring more about 0.1 release. If one does not stop thinking about improvements, one will never come to a release... this happens all the time to me. :)

[matthewmturner]

aha same thing happens to me - thats why i forced myself to draw a line in the sand and get a first cut out.