apache/seatunnel · error · UnsupportedOperationException

Unsupported convert %s to %s

Error message

Unsupported convert %s to %s

What it means

BasicDataConverter.convert dispatches on the SeaTunnelDataType's SqlType and has no handler for the given type (e.g. ROW/ARRAY handled, but the value/type fell to default). It throws UnsupportedOperationException naming the value's Java class and the target SqlType, meaning this converter cannot transform that combination.

Source

Thrown at seatunnel-api/src/main/java/org/apache/seatunnel/api/table/converter/BasicDataConverter.java:90

                return convertLocalDate(value);
            case TIME:
                return convertTime(value);
            case TIMESTAMP:
                return convertLocalDateTime(value);
            case TIMESTAMP_TZ:
                return convertOffsetDateTime(value);
            case BYTES:
                return convertBytes(value);
            case STRING:
                return convertString(value);
            case ROW:
                return convertRow((SeaTunnelRowType) typeDefine, value);
            case ARRAY:
                return convertArray((ArrayType) typeDefine, value);
            case MAP:
                return convertMap((MapType) typeDefine, value);
            default:
                throw new UnsupportedOperationException(
                        "Unsupported convert "
                                + value.getClass()
                                + " to "
                                + typeDefine.getSqlType());
        }
    }

    @Override
    default Object convert(T typeDefine, Column columnDefine, Object value) {
        if (value == null) {
            return null;
        }
        switch (columnDefine.getDataType().getSqlType()) {
            case NULL:
                return null;
            case BOOLEAN:
                return convertBoolean(typeDefine, value);
            case TINYINT:

View on GitHub (pinned to cf67b549a7)

Solutions

1. Extend BasicDataConverter (or use the appropriate converter subclass) to handle the unsupported SqlType
2. Flatten/simplify the schema to avoid the unsupported nested type
3. Pre-convert the value before calling convert so its type matches a supported SqlType

Example fix

// before
converter.convert(mapType, rowValue); // ROW value with MAP/other type define
// after
switch (typeDefine.getSqlType()) {
    case ROW: return convertRow((RowType) typeDefine, value); // handle the type explicitly
}
// or ensure value type matches typeDefine before calling convert

switch (typeDefine.getSqlType()) {
    case ROW: case ARRAY: case MAP: break;
    default: throw new IllegalArgumentException("Converter does not support " + typeDefine.getSqlType());
}

boolean convertible = typeDefine.getSqlType() == SqlType.ROW || typeDefine.getSqlType() == SqlType.ARRAY || typeDefine.getSqlType() == SqlType.MAP;

try { return converter.convert(typeDefine, value); } catch (UnsupportedOperationException e) { throw new IllegalStateException("Unsupported type in schema: " + e.getMessage(), e); }

When it happens

Trigger: Calling convert(typeDefine, value) where typeDefine.getSqlType() is one not supported by this converter (e.g. MAP handled but ROW passed, or vice versa) — commonly reached indirectly through convertArray or convertRow converting nested elements.

Common situations: Sink connectors using BasicDataConverter on nested schemas containing exotic types (e.g. nested MAP inside ARRAY/ROW), or schema evolution introducing a type the converter was never written for.

Understand the failure class

Background: UnsupportedOperationException and "is not supported" errors: when a library deliberately refuses a call — this error's family across 30 libraries.

Related errors

• Unsupported convert ${value.getClass()} to Float, typeDefine
• Unsupported convert ${value.getClass()} to Float
• Unsupported convert ${value.getClass()} to Long, typeDefine:
• Unsupported convert ${value.getClass()} to Long
• Unsupported convert ${value.getClass()} to Integer, typeDefi

AI-assisted analysis of apache/seatunnel@cf67b549a7 (2026-09-10). Data as JSON: /api/errors/f45e1c8698483ac7. Report an issue: GitHub.