apache/cassandra · error · InvalidRequestException

Cannot set '" + field + "' to negative value"

Error message

Cannot set '" + field + "' to negative value"

What it means

checkNonNegative validates an integer debug-table field, returning a default (ifNull) when the value is absent. Setting the field to a negative integer fails validation and throws this InvalidRequestException, because the field models a count, size, or duration that cannot be negative.

Solutions

1. Set the field to a non-negative value (use 0 to disable/minimize if supported)
2. Omit the column entirely to get the documented default (ifNull)
3. Consult the table's column comments/DESCRIBE output for the valid range

Example fix

// before
UPDATE system.accord_debug SET max_commands = -1;
// after
UPDATE system.accord_debug SET max_commands = 0; // 0 or a positive int; omit to use the default

if (value != null && value < 0) throw new IllegalArgumentException(field + " must be >= 0 (omit to use the default)");

boolean isNonNegative(Integer v) { return v == null || v >= 0; }

try {
    session.execute(update);
} catch (InvalidRequestException e) {
    if (e.getMessage().startsWith("Cannot set '") && e.getMessage().contains("to negative value")) {
        // resend with the field clamped to >= 0 or omitted
    }
}

When it happens

Trigger: An UPDATE/INSERT on an Accord debug virtual table column processed by checkNonNegative (e.g. a count/limit/period field) with a value < 0, such as SET some_field = -1.

Common situations: Trying to 'disable' a feature by setting a count/limit to -1 (a pattern that works in some other systems but not here); sign errors when parameterizing cqlsh scripts; mistaking 0 for the disable value when 0 is the correct sentinel.

Understand the failure class

Background: "Must be a positive integer", "Invalid value", "Unsupported": the invalid-argument-value error family, when a library rejects the value you pass — this error's family across 35 libraries.

Related errors

• Cannot add new field
• Cannot set '" + field + "' to value outside the range…
• Column value does not satisfy value constraint for column
• Column value does not satisfy value constraint for column
• Empty value for boolean option ''

AI-assisted analysis of apache/cassandra@88fd0f6a0e (2026-09-10). Data as JSON: /api/errors/5e844d54d63dd8f1. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at src/java/org/apache/cassandra/db/virtual/AccordDebugKeyspace.java:2497

    private static BucketMode checkBucketMode(Object value)
    {
        try { return AccordTracing.BucketMode.valueOf(LocalizeString.toUpperCaseLocalized((String)value, Locale.ENGLISH)); }
        catch (IllegalArgumentException | NullPointerException e)
        {
            throw new InvalidRequestException("Unknown bucket_mode '" + value + '\'');
        }

    }

    private static int checkNonNegative(Object value, String field, int ifNull)
    {
        if (value == null)
            return ifNull;

        int v = (Integer)value;
        if (v < 0)
            throw new InvalidRequestException("Cannot set '" + field + "' to negative value");
        return v;
    }

    private static float checkChance(Object value, String field)
    {
        if (value == null)
            return 1.0f;

        float v = (Float)value;
        if (v <= 0 || v > 1.0f)
            throw new InvalidRequestException("Cannot set '" + field + "' to value outside the range (0..1]");
        return v;
    }

    private static <T extends Enum<T>> Set<String> toStrings(TinyEnumSet<T> set, IntFunction<T> lookup)
    {
        ImmutableSet.Builder<String> builder = ImmutableSet.builder();
        for (T t : set.iterable(lookup))

View on GitHub (pinned to 88fd0f6a0e)