pentaho/pentaho-kettle · error · KettleException

MonetDBBulkLoaderMeta.Exception.ConnectionNotDefined

MonetDBBulkLoaderMeta.Exception.ConnectionNotDefined

Error message

MonetDBBulkLoaderMeta.Exception.ConnectionNotDefined

What it means

MonetDBBulkLoaderMeta.getRequiredFields() throws this KettleException when the step's databaseMeta reference is null, i.e. no database connection has been defined for the MonetDB Bulk Loader step. Without a DatabaseMeta the step cannot connect to MonetDB to look up the target table's field metadata, so it fails fast instead of attempting a connect with a null connection. This is thrown during metadata validation/preview flows (getFields/getRequiredFields), typically when a transformation is run or its step dialog is validated with the connection setting unset.

Solutions

1. Open the MonetDB Bulk Loader step dialog and select/create a Database Connection, then re-run or re-validate the transformation.
2. If constructing the step in code, set the connection before use, e.g. meta.setDatabaseMeta(transMeta.findDatabase("MonetDB")), and verify findDatabase returned non-null.
3. Check the transformation XML/repository for a missing or dangling <connection> reference and re-link it.
4. Add a pre-transformation check or validation that the step's connection is defined before preview/execute.

Example fix

// before
MonetDBBulkLoaderMeta meta = new MonetDBBulkLoaderMeta();
meta.getFields(...); // throws ConnectionNotDefined
// after
MonetDBBulkLoaderMeta meta = new MonetDBBulkLoaderMeta();
DatabaseMeta dbMeta = transMeta.findDatabase("MonetDBLocal");
if (dbMeta == null) {
  throw new KettleException("MonetDB connection not defined");
}
meta.setDatabaseMeta(dbMeta);
meta.getFields(...);

// Java (PDI plugin API)
MonetDBBulkLoaderMeta meta = ...;
if (meta.getDatabaseMeta() == null) {
  throw new KettleException("MonetDB Bulk Loader: no database connection defined");
}
// alternatively check via transMeta:
// if (transMeta.findDatabase(connName) == null) { ... fail early ... }

When it happens

Trigger: Calling getRequiredFields(VariableSpace) (directly or via Spoon preview/validation) on a MonetDBBulkLoaderMeta whose databaseMeta field is null — the step was saved or constructed without selecting a database connection.

Common situations: Loading a transformation XML/kettle repository where the connection element is missing or failed to resolve; building the step programmatically without calling setDatabaseMeta(); a cloned/copied step metadata that lost its database reference; upgrading or migrating transformations where the connection was deleted from the repository.

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

• AccessInputMeta.Exception.ErrorReadingRepository
• AggregateRowsMeta.Exception.UnexpectedErrorWhileReadingStepInfo
• AggregateRowsMeta.Exception.UnableToLoadStepInfo
• AggregateRowsMeta.Exception.UnableToSaveStepInfo
• An error was detected in the step attributes' definition…

AI-assisted analysis of pentaho/pentaho-kettle@f3058517a1 (2026-09-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/18decc4b3c455516. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at plugins/monet-db-bulk-loader/impl/src/main/java/org/pentaho/di/trans/steps/monetdbbulkloader/MonetDBBulkLoaderMeta.java:797

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

  }

  /**
   * @return the schemaName
   */
  public String getSchemaName() {
    return schemaName;
  }

  /**
   * @param schemaName the schemaName to set
   */
  public void setSchemaName( String schemaName ) {
    this.schemaName = schemaName;
  }

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