{"record":{"id":"b41b9d1d2b08210c","repo":"apache/iceberg","slug":"invalid-primary-key-s-column-s-does-not-exi-b41b9d","errorCode":null,"errorMessage":"Invalid primary key '%s'. Column '%s' does not exist.","messagePattern":"Invalid primary key '(.+?)'\\. Column '(.+?)' does not exist\\.","errorType":"validation","errorClass":"org.apache.flink.table.api.ValidationException","httpStatus":null,"severity":"error","filePath":"flink/v2.1/flink/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/flink/FlinkSchemaUtil.java","lineNumber":358,"sourceCode":"    final Map<String, Column> columnsByNameLookup =\n        columns.stream().collect(Collectors.toMap(Column::getName, Function.identity()));\n\n    final Set<String> duplicateColumns =\n        primaryKey.getColumns().stream()\n            .filter(name -> Collections.frequency(primaryKey.getColumns(), name) > 1)\n            .collect(Collectors.toSet());\n\n    if (!duplicateColumns.isEmpty()) {\n      throw new ValidationException(\n          String.format(\n              \"Invalid primary key '%s'. A primary key must not contain duplicate columns. Found: %s\",\n              primaryKey.getName(), duplicateColumns));\n    }\n\n    for (String columnName : primaryKey.getColumns()) {\n      Column column = columnsByNameLookup.get(columnName);\n      if (column == null) {\n        throw new ValidationException(\n            String.format(\n                \"Invalid primary key '%s'. Column '%s' does not exist.\",\n                primaryKey.getName(), columnName));\n      }\n\n      if (!column.isPhysical()) {\n        throw new ValidationException(\n            String.format(\n                \"Invalid primary key '%s'. Column '%s' is not a physical column.\",\n                primaryKey.getName(), columnName));\n      }\n\n      final LogicalType columnType = column.getDataType().getLogicalType();\n      if (columnType.isNullable()) {\n        throw new ValidationException(\n            String.format(\n                \"Invalid primary key '%s'. Column '%s' is nullable.\",\n                primaryKey.getName(), columnName));","sourceCodeStart":340,"sourceCodeEnd":376,"githubUrl":"https://github.com/apache/iceberg/blob/86d9c8fc543e7c56c9f624eb725f76c9baff9570/flink/v2.1/flink/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/flink/FlinkSchemaUtil.java#L340-L376","documentation":"validatePrimaryKey looks up each primary key column in the resolved column map; if a key column name has no matching column, it throws ValidationException. The key references a column that does not exist in the schema.","triggerScenarios":"FlinkSchemaUtil.toResolvedSchema called with a primary key whose column list contains a name not present in the schema's columns — e.g. PRIMARY KEY (userid) when the column is named 'user_id'.","commonSituations":"Typos or case mismatches in DDL key columns; renaming a column without updating PRIMARY KEY; generated schemas where key column names come from config.","solutions":["Correct the primary key column name to exactly match an existing column.","Print the schema (DESCRIBE table / schema.toString()) and align the key names.","If the column was removed, redefine the primary key over existing columns."],"exampleFix":"// before\nPRIMARY KEY (userid) NOT ENFORCED\n// after\nPRIMARY KEY (user_id) NOT ENFORCED","handlingStrategy":"validation","validationCode":"java.util.Set<String> names = schema.getColumns().stream().map(Column::getName).collect(java.util.stream.Collectors.toSet());\nprimaryKey.getColumns().forEach(c -> {\n  if (!names.contains(c)) throw new IllegalArgumentException(\"PK column missing: \" + c);\n});","typeGuard":null,"tryCatchPattern":"try {\n  ResolvedSchema rs = FlinkSchemaUtil.toResolvedSchema(schema);\n} catch (ValidationException e) {\n  // message names the missing column; fix the key definition\n}","preventionTips":["Cross-check PRIMARY KEY names against DESCRIBE/schema output before submitting DDL.","Update key definitions whenever columns are renamed or dropped.","Use a shared constant for column names in programmatic schema construction."],"tags":["flink","schema","primary-key","validation"],"backgroundTag":"schema-validation-failed","analyzedSha":"86d9c8fc543e7c56c9f624eb725f76c9baff9570","analyzedAt":"2026-09-12T00:46:39.097Z","contentChangedAt":"2026-09-12T00:46:39.097Z","schemaVersion":2},"datasetVersion":"2026-09-14T11:17:12.474Z"}