apache/iceberg · error

Invalid edge interpolation algorithm: %s

Error message

Invalid edge interpolation algorithm: %s

What it means

EdgeAlgorithm.fromName converts a string from table metadata (geospatial edge interpolation name) into the EdgeAlgorithm enum. If the name is not a valid enum constant (after upper-casing) it throws IllegalArgumentException including the offending name, chained from the valueOf failure. Null names are rejected separately with the same message.

Source

Thrown at api/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/types/EdgeAlgorithm.java:52

  THOMAS,
  /**
   * Thomas, Paul D. Mathematical models for navigation systems. US Naval Oceanographic Office,
   * 1965.
   */
  ANDOYER,
  /**
   * <a href="https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00190-012-0578-z.pdf">Karney, Charles
   * FF. "Algorithms for geodesics." Journal of Geodesy 87 (2013): 43-55 </a>, and <a
   * href="https://geographiclib.sourceforge.io/">GeographicLib</a>.
   */
  KARNEY;

  public static EdgeAlgorithm fromName(String algorithmName) {
    Preconditions.checkNotNull(algorithmName, "Invalid edge interpolation algorithm: null");
    try {
      return EdgeAlgorithm.valueOf(algorithmName.toUpperCase(Locale.ROOT));
    } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
      throw new IllegalArgumentException(
          String.format("Invalid edge interpolation algorithm: %s", algorithmName), e);
    }
  }

  @Override
  public String toString() {
    return name().toLowerCase(Locale.ROOT);
  }
}

View on GitHub (pinned to 86d9c8fc54)

Solutions

1. Correct the algorithm name in the metadata to one of the enum constants (e.g. SPHERICAL, VINCENTY, THOMAS, ANDOYER, KARNEY)
2. Upgrade the client if the metadata uses a newer spec algorithm
3. Catch IllegalArgumentException and fall back to a default algorithm if approximation is acceptable

Example fix

// before
EdgeAlgorithm a = EdgeAlgorithm.fromName("sphericalextra"); // throws
// after
EdgeAlgorithm a = EdgeAlgorithm.fromName("spherical");

boolean known = Arrays.stream(EdgeAlgorithm.values()).anyMatch(a -> a.name().equalsIgnoreCase(name));

Optional<EdgeAlgorithm> safeFromName(String n) { return n == null ? Optional.empty() : Arrays.stream(EdgeAlgorithm.values()).filter(a -> a.name().equalsIgnoreCase(n)).findFirst(); }

try { alg = EdgeAlgorithm.fromName(n); } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) { alg = EdgeAlgorithm.KARNEY; log.warn("Unknown edge algorithm, using default"); }

When it happens

Trigger: Reading geometry/geography column metadata whose edge-interpolation string is misspelled, in unexpected case (with non-ASCII), or written by a newer spec with a new algorithm this enum lacks.

Common situations: Hand-edited or third-party-written table metadata; newer Iceberg spec adding an edge algorithm before this client supports it.

Understand the failure class

Background: Invalid enum value errors: "Unknown type", "Invalid scope", "must be one of" — when a string is not on the library's allowed list — this error's family across 23 libraries.

Related errors

• Invalid file format: %s
• Invalid rewrite job order name: %s
• String.format("Invalid snapshot ref type: %s", snapshotRefTy
• Invalid isolation level: %s
• Unsupported delete granularity: ${granularity}

AI-assisted analysis of apache/iceberg@86d9c8fc54 (2026-09-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/4f8d9643e7836706. Report an issue: GitHub.