appsmithorg/appsmith · error · AppsmithPluginException

PE-ARG-5000

PE-ARG-5000

Error message

Unexpected value for table header index. Please use a number starting from 1

What it means

Thrown by GetStructureMethod.validateExecutionMethodRequest (GetStructureMethod.java:51) when `tableHeaderIndex` is a valid integer but is `<= 0`. The table header index marks the 1-based row that holds column headers, so zero or negative values are invalid. Code PE-ARG-5000 (INVALID_TABLE_HEADER_INDEX).

Source

Thrown at app/server/appsmith-plugins/googleSheetsPlugin/src/main/java/com/external/config/GetStructureMethod.java:51

    public GetStructureMethod(ObjectMapper objectMapper) {
        this.objectMapper = objectMapper;
        this.filterDataService = FilterDataService.getInstance();
    }

    // Used to capture the range of columns in this request. The handling for this regex makes sure that
    // all possible combinations of A1 notation for a range map to a common format
    Pattern findAllRowsPattern = Pattern.compile("([a-zA-Z]*)\\d*:([a-zA-Z]*)\\d*");

    // The starting row for a range is captured using this pattern to find its relative index from table heading
    Pattern findOffsetRowPattern = Pattern.compile("(\\d+):");

    @Override
    public boolean validateExecutionMethodRequest(MethodConfig methodConfig) {
        if (methodConfig.getTableHeaderIndex() != null
                && !methodConfig.getTableHeaderIndex().isBlank()) {
            try {
                if (Integer.parseInt(methodConfig.getTableHeaderIndex()) <= 0) {
                    throw new AppsmithPluginException(
                            AppsmithPluginError.PLUGIN_EXECUTE_ARGUMENT_ERROR,
                            ErrorMessages.INVALID_TABLE_HEADER_INDEX);
                }
            } catch (NumberFormatException e) {
                throw new AppsmithPluginException(
                        AppsmithPluginError.PLUGIN_EXECUTE_ARGUMENT_ERROR, ErrorMessages.INVALID_TABLE_HEADER_INDEX);
            }
        } else {
            throw new AppsmithPluginException(
                    AppsmithPluginError.PLUGIN_EXECUTE_ARGUMENT_ERROR, ErrorMessages.INVALID_TABLE_HEADER_INDEX);
        }
        return true;
    }

    @Override
    public WebClient.RequestHeadersSpec<?> getExecutionClient(WebClient webClient, MethodConfig methodConfig) {

        final List<String> ranges = validateInputs(methodConfig);

View on GitHub (pinned to 8cd9021c24)

Solutions

1. Set `tableHeaderIndex` to a 1-based row number, e.g. `1` if headers are in the first row.
2. If computing dynamically, clamp the result to at least 1: `Math.max(1, currentIndex)`.
3. Remember: table header index is 1-based, unlike the separate row-index field which is 0-based.

Example fix

// before
{
  "tableHeaderIndex": 0   // 0-based mistake
}
// after
{
  "tableHeaderIndex": 1   // 1-based: first row holds headers
}

// Clamp any computed header index to a 1-based positive integer before submit.
function headerIndex(value) {
  const n = Math.trunc(Number(value));
  return Number.isFinite(n) && n >= 1 ? String(n) : "1";
}
// Bind tableHeaderIndex: {{ headerIndex(someWidget.value) }}

function isValidHeaderIndex(v) {
  const n = Number(v);
  return Number.isInteger(n) && n >= 1;
}

if (getStructure.error && /table header index/.test(getStructure.error.message)) {
  showToast("Table header index must be a whole number >= 1.", "error");
}

When it happens

Trigger: The 'Get Structure' / read action runs with `tableHeaderIndex` set to `0`, a negative number, or a numeric expression that evaluates to <= 0 (e.g. `{{rowIdx - 5}}` when rowIdx is small). `Integer.parseInt` succeeds, then the `<= 0` branch throws.

Common situations: User assumes a 0-based row index and enters `0`; a mustache binding computes the index and underflows (e.g. `{{currentIndex - offset}}`); default value mistakenly set to `0`; copying config from a row-index field (which is 0-based) into the header-index field (1-based).

Related errors

• PE-ARG-5000
• PE-ARG-5000
• PE-GSH-5000
• PE-ARG-5000
• PE-ARG-5000

AI-assisted analysis of appsmithorg/appsmith@8cd9021c24 (2026-08-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/66dd34c284014460. Report an issue: GitHub.