cube-js/cube · error

Variable "${argument.name.value}" is not defined

Error message

Variable "${argument.name.value}" is not defined

What it means

During GraphQL-to-Cube query translation, getArgumentValue handles the `where` and `orderBy` arguments. If the argument is a GraphQL Variable and the corresponding entry in the variables map is undefined, this Error is thrown naming the missing variable. Unlike error 28, this path covers top-level field arguments rather than nested argument values.

Source

Thrown at packages/cubejs-api-gateway/src/graphql.ts:250

      }), {});
    case 'Variable':
      if (variables?.[value.name.value] === undefined) {
        throw new Error(`Variable "${value.name.value}" is not defined`);
      }

      return variables[value.name.value];
    default:
      return undefined;
  }
}

function getArgumentValue(node: FieldNode, argName: string, variables: Record<string, any> = {}) {
  const argument = node.arguments?.find(a => a.name.value === argName)?.value;

  if (argument?.kind === 'Variable') {
    const varValue = variables[argument.name.value];
    if (varValue === undefined) {
      throw new Error(`Variable "${argument.name.value}" is not defined`);
    }
    return variables[argument.name.value];
  }

  return argument ? parseArgumentValue(argument, variables) : argument;
}

function getMemberType(metaConfig: any, cubeName: string, memberName: string) {
  const cubeConfig = metaConfig.find(cube => (cube.config.name === cubeName) || cube.config.name === capitalize(cubeName));
  if (!cubeConfig) return undefined;

  return [MemberType.MEASURES, MemberType.DIMENSIONS].find((memberType) => (cubeConfig.config[memberType]
    .findIndex(entry => entry.name === `${cubeName}.${memberName}` || entry.name === `${capitalize(cubeName)}.${memberName}`) !== -1
  ));
}

function whereArgToQueryFilters(
  whereArg: Record<string, any>,

View on GitHub (pinned to 7d981676b3)

Solutions

1. Always supply defined values for every variable used in where/orderBy arguments when calling the GraphQL API.
2. Align variable names between the query document and the variables payload (fix typos).
3. For optional filters, build the query dynamically to inline a literal filter or omit the where argument instead of passing an undefined variable.
4. Use a GraphQL client that validates variables against declared variable definitions before sending.

Example fix

// before
request(query, {}); // query uses $whereFilter
// after
request(query, { whereFilter: { member: 'Orders.status', operator: 'equals', values: ['shipped'] } });

function assertWhereOrderByVars(query, variables = {}) {
  query.definitions.forEach(d => (d.selectionSet?.selections || []).forEach(sel =>
    (sel.arguments || []).forEach(a => {
      if (['where', 'orderBy'].includes(a.name.value) && a.value?.kind === 'Variable' && variables[a.value.name.value] === undefined) {
        throw new Error(`Missing ${a.name.value} variable: ${a.value.name.value}`);
      }
    })));
}

function whereVarProvided(variables, name = 'whereFilter') {
  return variables ? variables[name] !== undefined : false;
}

try {
  const result = await cubeApi.load(cubeQueryFromGraphql);
} catch (e) {
  if (/is not defined/.test(e.message)) {
    // retry with the missing where/orderBy variable filled from app state
  }
  throw e;
}

When it happens

Trigger: A GraphQL query like `{ cube { orders(where: $whereFilter) { measures } } }` executed with a variables object lacking `whereFilter` (or holding undefined for it), via the Cube GraphQL API's variable-driven where/orderBy.

Common situations: Client-side GraphQL clients sending variables objects that omit keys for optional filters; renames of variables in the document without updating the variables map; server-side resolvers building variables conditionally and skipping empty filters.

Related errors

• Variable "${value.name.value}" is not defined
• Can't parse date: '${from}'
• Can't parse date: '${to}'
• Can't parse date: '${dateString}'
• Invalid Job query format: ${error.message || error.toString(

AI-assisted analysis of cube-js/cube@7d981676b3 (2026-09-02). Data as JSON: /api/errors/7ddc53368a00c485. Report an issue: GitHub.