pentaho/pentaho-kettle · error · KettleException

LucidDBStreamingLoaderMeta.Exception.TableNotSpecified

Error message

LucidDBStreamingLoaderMeta.Exception.TableNotSpecified

What it means

In the same table-lookup path, if the real table name resolves to empty (realTableName is null/blank after variable resolution) the meta throws KettleException with the localized 'TableNotSpecified' message — the step cannot look up fields without a target table.

Solutions

Set the target table name in the LucidDB Streaming Loader dialog.
If using a variable like ${TARGET_TABLE}, define it in transformation parameters, the run configuration, or kettle.properties.
Validate the step (the metadata check will flag the missing table name before execution).

Example fix

// before (dialog XML)
<table>${TARGET_TABLE}</table>   <!-- variable undefined -->
// after: define it, e.g. on kettle.properties or as a transformation parameter
TARGET_TABLE=FACT_SALES

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

String table = transMeta.environmentSubstitute(meta.getTableName());
if (table == null || table.trim().isEmpty()) {
  throw new KettleException("LucidDB Streaming Loader: target table must be specified");
}

Try / catch

try {
  meta.getFields(...);
} catch (KettleException e) {
  if (e.getMessage().contains("TableNotSpecified")) {
    logError("Set the target table (or define its variable) before running");
  }
  throw e;
}

Prevention

Always fill the Target table field before saving the step.
Define any ${TABLE} variables in kettle.properties or as transformation parameters.
Use 'Validate transformation against this environment' before production runs.
Avoid copying steps with variable-based names without copying the variable definitions.

When it happens

Trigger: Table-lookup code path runs with realSchemaName set but realTableName empty — e.g. the 'Target table' field is blank or its ${TABLE_NAME} variable is not defined at execution time.

Common situations: Variable placeholder in the table name never set via parameters/environment; step copied from another transformation with the table field cleared; dialog saved before filling in the table.

Understand the failure class

Background: "is required", "must be set", "missing required field": configuration validation errors across open-source libraries — this error's family across 36 libraries.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of pentaho/pentaho-kettle@f3058517a1 (2026-09-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/0d135ee89793aa91. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at plugins/lucid-db-streaming-loader/core/src/main/java/org/pentaho/di/trans/steps/luciddbstreamingloader/LucidDBStreamingLoaderMeta.java:842

    String realSchemaName = space.environmentSubstitute( schemaName );

    if ( databaseMeta != null ) {
      Database db = new Database( loggingObject, databaseMeta );
      try {
        db.connect();

        if ( !Utils.isEmpty( realTableName ) ) {
          String schemaTable = databaseMeta.getQuotedSchemaTableCombination( realSchemaName, realTableName );

          // Check if this table exists...
          if ( db.checkTableExists( schemaTable ) ) {
            return db.getTableFields( schemaTable );
          } else {
            throw new KettleException( BaseMessages.getString(
              PKG, "LucidDBStreamingLoaderMeta.Exception.TableNotFound" ) );
          }
        } else {
          throw new KettleException( BaseMessages.getString(
            PKG, "LucidDBStreamingLoaderMeta.Exception.TableNotSpecified" ) );
        }
      } catch ( Exception e ) {
        throw new KettleException( BaseMessages.getString(
          PKG, "LucidDBStreamingLoaderMeta.Exception.ErrorGettingFields" ), e );
      } finally {
        db.close();
      }
    } else {
      throw new KettleException( BaseMessages.getString(
        PKG, "LucidDBStreamingLoaderMeta.Exception.ConnectionNotDefined" ) );
    }

  }

  /**
   * @return the schemaName
   */

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