influxdata/influxdb · error · ValidationError

partition template must include a time format part

Error message

partition template must include a time format part

What it means

Thrown by `TimeFormatPartRequired` when a partition template is built without any TimeFormat part. Every custom partition template must include a time-based part so partitions are anchored to time; the library rejects templates composed only of TagValue/Bucket parts.

Solutions

1. Add a `Part::TimeFormat` part (e.g. `%Y`) to the template's parts list.
2. If you want daily partitions use `Part::TimeFormat("%Y-%m-%d")`; at minimum include `%Y`.
3. If the template comes from a stored config, backfill the missing TimeFormat part before re-applying it.

Example fix

// before
parts: vec![Part::TagValue("region".into())]
// after
parts: vec![Part::TimeFormat("%Y".into()), Part::TagValue("region".into())]

fn has_time_format(parts: &[Part]) -> bool {
    matches!(parts.iter().find(|p| matches!(p, Part::TimeFormat(_))), Some(_))
}
assert!(has_time_format(&parts), "template needs a TimeFormat part");

match PartitionTemplate::new(parts) {
    Err(e) if e.to_string().contains("time format part") => {
        // auto-heal: prepend a default year part
        let mut fixed = vec![Part::TimeFormat("%Y".into())];
        fixed.extend(parts);
        PartitionTemplate::new(fixed).map_err(Into::into)
    }
    other => other.map_err(Into::into),
}

When it happens

Trigger: Calling `PartitionTemplate::new` (or the create-database template API) with parts like `[Part::TagValue("region")]` and no `Part::TimeFormat`; a migration or tooling path that drops the default `%Y` time format part.

Common situations: Writing a minimal custom template to partition purely by tag and forgetting the time part; older templates written before the time-format requirement was enforced; generated configs omitting the default part.

Understand the failure class

Background: "missing required argument" and "the following required arguments were not provided": what required-argument errors mean and how to fix them — this error's family across 20 libraries.

Related errors

• Error converting partition_template
• number of buckets in partition template must be in range
• tag name value cannot be repeated in partition template
• All `DataPoints` must have at least one field. Builder…
• call site contains null bytes

AI-assisted analysis of influxdata/influxdb@06200ef96b (2026-09-19). Data as JSON: /api/errors/cbc25364f6afccac. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at core/data_types/src/partition_template.rs:255

        "number of buckets in partition template must be in range \
        [{ALLOWED_BUCKET_QUANTITIES:?}), number specified: {0}"
    )]
    InvalidNumberOfBuckets(u32),

    /// The partition template defines a [`TagValue`] or [`Bucket`] part
    /// which repeats a tag name used in another [`TagValue`] or [`Bucket`] part.
    /// This is not allowed
    ///
    /// [`TagValue`]: [`proto::template_part::Part::TagValue`]
    /// [`Bucket`]: [`proto::template_part::Part::Bucket`]
    #[error("tag name value cannot be repeated in partition template: {0}")]
    RepeatedTagValue(String),

    /// An attempt to make a new partition template without a [`TimeFormat`]
    /// part has been made. This is not allowed.
    ///
    /// [`TimeFormat`]: [`proto::template_part::Part::TimeFormat`]
    #[error("partition template must include a time format part")]
    TimeFormatPartRequired,

    /// The partition template defines a [`TimeFormat`] part, but the
    /// provided strftime formatter contains unsupported specifiers.
    ///
    /// [`TimeFormat`]: [`proto::template_part::Part::TimeFormat`]
    #[error("unsupported specifier found in time format \"{0}\" - supported specifiers: {1}")]
    UnsupportedStrfTimeSpecifier(String, String),

    /// The partition template defines a [`TimeFormat`] part, but the
    /// provided strftime format that is missing required specifiers.
    ///
    /// For example: using %m without %Y.
    ///
    /// [`TimeFormat`]: [`proto::template_part::Part::TimeFormat`]
    #[error("missing required specifier(s) in time format of partition template: {0}")]
    MissingRequiredStrfTimeSpecifier(String),
}

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