apache/hadoop · error · TrileanConversionException

Cannot convert Trilean.UNKNOWN to boolean

Error message

Cannot convert Trilean.UNKNOWN to boolean

What it means

Error "Cannot convert Trilean.UNKNOWN to boolean" thrown in apache/hadoop.

Source

Thrown at hadoop-tools/hadoop-azure/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/azurebfs/enums/Trilean.java:74

      return Trilean.TRUE;
    }

    if (FALSE_STR.equalsIgnoreCase(str)) {
      return Trilean.FALSE;
    }

    return Trilean.UNKNOWN;
  }

  /**
   * Converts the Trilean enum to boolean.
   *
   * @return the corresponding boolean.
   * @throws TrileanConversionException when tried to convert Trilean.UNKNOWN.
   */
  public boolean toBoolean() throws TrileanConversionException {
    if (this == Trilean.UNKNOWN) {
      throw new TrileanConversionException();
    }

    return Boolean.valueOf(this.name());
  }

}

View on GitHub (pinned to 2add963021)

Solutions

1. Do not call getBooleanValue() on a Trilean whose value is UNKNOWN; check with isUnknown() first.
2. Treat UNKNOWN explicitly in the calling code instead of forcing a boolean conversion.

When it happens

Trigger: Code converts Trilean.UNKNOWN to boolean, which has no defined boolean meaning.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of apache/hadoop@2add963021 (2026-08-22). Data as JSON: /api/errors/a566ae62a4336377. Report an issue: GitHub.