apache/druid · error · IAE

For a local input source, set either

Error message

For a local input source, set either %s or %s

What it means

A baseDir-based local external table used via a table function must receive at least one of: a stored filter property, a files function argument, or a filter function argument. Otherwise there is no way to select which files under baseDir to read, so convertCompletedTable throws this IAE.

Solutions

1. Pass a files argument: TABLE(t, FILES => ARRAY['a.json'])
2. Pass a filter argument: TABLE(t, FILTER => '*.json')
3. Set a filter property on the table definition itself

Example fix

// before
SELECT * FROM TABLE(localTable(FORMAT => 'json'))
// after
SELECT * FROM TABLE(localTable(FORMAT => 'json', FILTER => '*.json'))

// Java
boolean storedFilter = hasNonEmpty(table.inputSourceMap.get("filter"));
if (!storedFilter && !hasParam(args,"files") && !hasParam(args,"filter"))
  throw new IllegalArgumentException("pass FILES or FILTER to the table function");

try { fn.call(args); } catch (IAE e) { if (e.getMessage().contains("set either")) { args.put("filter","*.json"); fn.call(args); } else throw e; }

When it happens

Trigger: Calling TABLE(baseDirTable) with no arguments where the table defines only baseDir (no filter) — no files or filter argument passed.

Common situations: Calling a table function with just format arguments and forgetting file selection; assuming the baseDir alone reads all files; older clients that predate the files/filter function parameters.

Understand the failure class

Background: "missing required argument" and "the following required arguments were not provided": what required-argument errors mean and how to fix them — this error's family across 20 libraries.

Related errors

• A local input source requires one parameter of
• If a local input source sets parameter
• The local input source has a file list: do not provide…
• A local input source can set parameter
• Use a table function to set either

AI-assisted analysis of apache/druid@9b90983fd2 (2026-09-07). Data as JSON: /api/errors/a76cfe7b9dbfe9e1. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at server/src/main/java/org/apache/druid/catalog/model/table/LocalInputSourceDefn.java:227

    if (hasFiles) {
      if (!args.isEmpty()) {
        throw new IAE("The local input source has a file list: do not provide other arguments");
      }
    } else {
      final String baseDir = CatalogUtils.getString(sourceMap, BASE_DIR_FIELD);
      if (Strings.isNullOrEmpty(baseDir)) {
        throw new IAE(
            "When a local external table is used with a table function, %s must be set",
            BASE_DIR_FIELD
        );
      }
      final boolean hasFilter = !Strings.isNullOrEmpty(CatalogUtils.getString(sourceMap, FILTER_FIELD));
      final List<String> filesParam = CatalogUtils.getStringArray(args, FILES_PARAMETER);
      final boolean hasFilesParam = !CollectionUtils.isNullOrEmpty(filesParam);
      final String filterParam = CatalogUtils.getString(args, FILTER_PARAMETER);
      final boolean hasFilterParam = !Strings.isNullOrEmpty(filterParam);
      if (!hasFilter && !hasFilesParam && !hasFilterParam) {
        throw new IAE(
            "For a local input source, set either %s or %s",
            FILES_PARAMETER,
            FILTER_PARAMETER
        );
      }
      if (hasFilesParam) {
        // Special workaround: if the user provides a base dir, and files, convert
        // the files to be absolute paths relative to the base dir. Then, remove
        // the baseDir, since the Druid input source does not allow both a baseDir
        // and a list of files.
        sourceMap.remove(FILTER_FIELD);
        sourceMap.remove(BASE_DIR_FIELD);
        sourceMap.put(FILES_FIELD, absolutePath(baseDir, filesParam));
      } else if (filterParam != null) {
        sourceMap.put(FILTER_FIELD, filterParam);
      }
    }
    return convertPartialFormattedTable(table, args, columns, sourceMap);

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