jackc/pgx · error

invalid array, expected ':' got

Error message

invalid array, expected ':' got %v

What it means

parseUntypedTextArray read a dimension's lower bound but the next rune was not ':'. PostgreSQL text arrays with explicit dimensions require '[lower:upper]' pairs, so a missing colon or a non-numeric lower bound that stopped early triggers this.

Solutions

1. Correct the dimension syntax to '[lower:upper]' (colon required) for every dimension in the prefix
2. Remove the explicit-dimension prefix and rely on the implicit '{...}' form
3. Sanitize generated SQL/text that builds array literals

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at pgtype/array.go:143 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of jackc/pgx@ec1a0befd2 (2026-08-04). Data as JSON: /api/errors/a73c37a116319185. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at pgtype/array.go:143

			if r == '=' {
				break
			} else if r != '[' {
				return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid array, expected '[' or '=' got %v", r)
			}

			lower, err := arrayParseInteger(buf)
			if err != nil {
				return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid array: %w", err)
			}

			r, _, err = buf.ReadRune()
			if err != nil {
				return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid array: %w", err)
			}

			if r != ':' {
				return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid array, expected ':' got %v", r)
			}

			upper, err := arrayParseInteger(buf)
			if err != nil {
				return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid array: %w", err)
			}

			r, _, err = buf.ReadRune()
			if err != nil {
				return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid array: %w", err)
			}

			if r != ']' {
				return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid array, expected ']' got %v", r)
			}

			explicitDimensions = append(explicitDimensions, ArrayDimension{LowerBound: lower, Length: upper - lower + 1})
		}

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