dgraph-io/dgraph · error

Require a point for a within query.

Error message

Require a point for a within query.

What it means

Thrown by queryTokensGeo when a QueryTypeNear query is issued with a nil point. A near query needs a center point around which a loop of the given radius is formed; with pt == nil there is no center to search around.

Source

Thrown at types/geofilter.go:189

	switch qt {
	case QueryTypeWithin:
		// For a within query we only need to look at the objects whose parents match our cover.
		// So we take our cover and prefix with the parentPrefix to look in the index.
		if len(loops) == 0 {
			return nil, nil, errors.Errorf("Require a polygon for within query")
		}
		toks := createTokens(cover, parentPrefix)
		return toks, &GeoQueryData{loops: loops, qtype: qt}, nil

	case QueryTypeContains:
		// For a contains query, we only need to look at the objects whose cover matches our
		// parents. So we take our parents and prefix with the coverPrefix to look in the index.
		return createTokens(parents, coverPrefix), &GeoQueryData{pt: pt, loops: loops, qtype: qt}, nil

	case QueryTypeNear:
		if pt == nil {
			return []string{}, nil, errors.Errorf("Require a point for a within query.")
		}
		// A near query is the same as the intersects query. We form a loop with the given point and
		// the radius and then see what all does it intersect with.
		toks := parentCoverTokens(parents, cover)
		return toks, &GeoQueryData{loops: loops, qtype: QueryTypeIntersects}, nil

	case QueryTypeIntersects:
		// An intersects query is as the name suggests all the entities which intersect with the
		// given region. So we look at all the objects whose parents match our cover as well as
		// all the objects whose cover matches our parents.
		if len(loops) == 0 {
			return nil, nil, errors.Errorf("Require a polygon for intersects query")
		}
		toks := parentCoverTokens(parents, cover)
		return toks, &GeoQueryData{loops: loops, qtype: qt}, nil

	default:
		return nil, nil, errors.Errorf("Unknown query type")

View on GitHub (pinned to 759e242be6)

Solutions

1. Populate the point (longitude, latitude) before issuing a near query
2. Validate pt != nil before calling queryTokensGeo with QueryTypeNear
3. Use QueryTypeWithin with a polygon if you actually have a region, not a point

Example fix

// before
query := dgraph.Query{Type: dgraph.QueryTypeNear} // pt never set
// after
query := dgraph.Query{Type: dgraph.QueryTypeNear, Point: &geom.Point{X: -122.4, Y: 37.7}}

if qt == QueryTypeNear && pt == nil {
    return errors.New("near query requires a point")
}

func isPointSet(pt *geom.Point) bool { return pt != nil }

toks, data, err := types.GetGeoTokens(qt, pt, loops, cover, parents)
if err != nil && strings.Contains(err.Error(), "Require a point") {
    // prompt user for coordinates or default to a configured location
}

When it happens

Trigger: Calling GetGeoTokens/queryTokens with QueryTypeNear and the point (pt) argument set to nil, e.g. a near filter where the coordinates field was missing or not decoded.

Common situations: A near query built from JSON where 'coordinates' is absent, or code paths that reuse an intersects-style filter for near without populating the point.

Related errors

• Require a polygon for within query
• Require a polygon for intersects query
• Invalid compare function %q
• expand() not allowed inside shortest
• Node with count cannot have child attributes

AI-assisted analysis of dgraph-io/dgraph@759e242be6 (2026-09-01). Data as JSON: /api/errors/1fb1edb9d616b9be. Report an issue: GitHub.