apache/cassandra · error · SyntaxException

Syntax error parsing '%s: for msg unexpected character '%s'

Error message

Syntax error parsing '%s: for msg unexpected character '%s'

What it means

TypeParser.getPartitionerDefinedOrder parses an empty-partition-order type expression of the form 'partitioner(...)'. If, after consuming the parenthesized content, the current character is not the expected ')' (or the input ends unexpectedly), it throws a SyntaxException describing the unexpected character. This indicates a malformed type string in schema/config input.

Source

Thrown at src/java/org/apache/cassandra/db/marshal/TypeParser.java:190

        ++idx; // skipping '('
        skipBlank();

        String k = readNextIdentifier();
        IPartitioner partitioner = FBUtilities.newPartitioner(k);
        skipBlank();
        if (str.charAt(idx) == ':')
        {
            ++idx;
            skipBlank();
            // must be PartitionerDefinedOrder
            return partitioner.partitionOrdering(parse());
        }
        else if (str.charAt(idx) == ')')
        {
            idx = initIdx;
            return partitioner.partitionOrdering(null);
        }
        throw new SyntaxException("Syntax error parsing '" + str + ": for msg unexpected character '" + str.charAt(idx) + "'");
    }

    public static String stringifyTKeyValueParameters(Map<String, String> map)
    {
        StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
        sb.append('(');
        for (Map.Entry<String, String> e : map.entrySet())
            sb.append(e.getKey()).append(" = ").append(e.getValue()).append(", ");
        if (!map.isEmpty())
            sb.setLength(sb.length() - 2);
        return sb.append(')').toString();
    }

    public Map<String, String> getKeyValueParameters() throws SyntaxException
    {
        if (isEOS())
            return Collections.emptyMap();

View on GitHub (pinned to 88fd0f6a0e)

Solutions

1. Fix the type string so it reads exactly 'partitioner(...)' with balanced parentheses
2. Use a simpler supported type name if the partitioner-defined order isn't required
3. Check the exact string being parsed (schema definition, CLI arg) and quote it properly
4. Verify version-appropriate syntax for the type expression

Example fix

// before
TypeParser.parse("partitioner(org.apache.cassandra.dht.Murmur3Partitioner"); // missing ')'
// after
TypeParser.parse("partitioner(org.apache.cassandra.dht.Murmur3Partitioner)");

String s = typeString.trim();
if (s.startsWith("partitioner(") && !s.endsWith(")"))
    throw new IllegalArgumentException("malformed partitioner type expression: " + s);

try {
    TypeParser.getPartitionerDefinedOrder(str);
} catch (SyntaxException e) {
    throw new IllegalArgumentException("bad type string: " + e.getMessage());
}

When it happens

Trigger: Specifying a reverse/ordered comparator string with an unbalanced or misplaced parenthesis (e.g. 'partitioner(bytes' or 'partitioner)x'), typically from a table's comparator option or a CLI argument parsed via TypeParser.

Common situations: Hand-editing cassandra-cli/schema scripts with typos in type expressions; copying type strings across versions with changed syntax; automation generating unbalanced parentheses.

Understand the failure class

Background: "Invalid ... format", "must be in format X", "does not look like a ..." — invalid argument format errors across CLI tools and libraries — this error's family across 17 libraries.

Related errors

• FrozenType() only accepts one parameter
• ListType takes exactly 1 type parameter
• MapType takes exactly 2 type parameters
• category %s not found in %s
• 'Get CIDR groups for IP' operation not supported by %s

AI-assisted analysis of apache/cassandra@88fd0f6a0e (2026-09-10). Data as JSON: /api/errors/02b3ff8545e55c0f. Report an issue: GitHub.