dbt-labs/dbt-core · error · minijinja::Error

to_dict() takes no arguments

Error message

to_dict() takes no arguments

What it means

VarProvider exposes a minijinja method table where 'to_dict' is hard-coded to accept zero arguments. The handler explicitly checks `!args.is_empty()` and returns a minijinja::Error with ErrorKind::TooManyArguments when any argument is supplied. It exists so templates can convert the wrapped value (`self.0.clone()`) via `to_dict()` with no parameters.

Solutions

1. Call `to_dict()` with no arguments at all in the template
2. If you need filtering, call `to_dict()` first and filter the resulting dict in the template (e.g. `{% for k, v in to_dict() %}`)
3. If you genuinely need arguments, modify the match arm in state.rs to accept and use args instead of rejecting them

Example fix

// before (template)
{% set vars = var_provider.to_dict('schema') %}
// after
{% set vars = var_provider.to_dict() %}
{% set schema_vars = vars.get('schema', {}) %}

// In template/macros, guard before calling:
// {% if caller_args | length > 0 %}{% raise 'to_dict() takes no arguments' %}{% endif %}
// In Rust, before invoking the method dispatch:
if !args.is_empty() {
    return Err(minijinja::Error::new(
        minijinja::ErrorKind::TooManyArguments,
        "to_dict() takes no arguments",
    ));
}

fn call_to_dict_safely(args: &[minijinja::Value]) -> Option<minijinja::Value> {
    if args.is_empty() { Some(placeholder_provider_to_dict()) } else { None }
}

When it happens

Trigger: Calling `var_provider.to_dict(something)` (or `to_dict(x, y)`, etc.) from a Jinja/minijinja template instead of the zero-argument form `to_dict()`.

Common situations: Developers porting from Python dbt where dict-like helpers sometimes accept filters/keys; copying `to_dict(key=...)` idioms from other objects; thinking to_dict takes an optional filter or path argument.

Related errors

• Unknown method on VarProvider
• diff_of_two_dicts requires exactly 2 arguments
• {e}
• grants_table must be an AgateTable
• has_var requires 1 argument

AI-assisted analysis of dbt-labs/dbt-core@0267ce9170 (2026-09-07). Data as JSON: /api/errors/40781e5ac2818f5d. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at crates/dbt-schemas/src/state.rs:1289

pub struct VarProvider(BTreeMap<String, minijinja::Value>);

impl VarProvider {
    pub fn new(map: BTreeMap<String, minijinja::Value>) -> VarProvider {
        VarProvider(map)
    }
}
impl Object for VarProvider {
    fn call_method(
        self: &Arc<Self>,
        _state: &minijinja::State<'_, '_>,
        method: &str,
        args: &[minijinja::Value],
        _listeners: &[std::rc::Rc<dyn minijinja::listener::RenderingEventListener>],
    ) -> Result<minijinja::Value, minijinja::Error> {
        match method {
            "to_dict" => {
                if !args.is_empty() {
                    return Err(minijinja::Error::new(
                        minijinja::ErrorKind::TooManyArguments,
                        "to_dict() takes no arguments",
                    ));
                }
                Ok(minijinja::Value::from(self.0.clone()))
            }
            _ => Err(minijinja::Error::new(
                minijinja::ErrorKind::UnknownMethod,
                format!("Unknown method on VarProvider: '{method}'"),
            )),
        }
    }
}
/// Represents the status of a model
#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Copy)]
pub enum ModelStatus {
    /// Model is enabled and successfully parsed
    Enabled,

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