pentaho/pentaho-kettle · error · KettleValueException

Please specify the type to convert to from String type.

Error message

Please specify the type to convert to from String type.

What it means

Default-branch sentinel in the legacy Value convertToString()-style conversion switch: after converting from String to each known target type, the requested target type matched none of the known cases, meaning the value metadata's type is unset or unsupported for conversion. The input at fault is this Value's (missing) target type.

Solutions

1. Set an explicit destination type on the value before converting
2. Use a supported target type (Number, Date, Boolean, Integer, BigNumber) instead of the unassigned/unknown type

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at core/src/main/java/org/pentaho/di/compatibility/Value.java:3841 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of pentaho/pentaho-kettle@f3058517a1 (2026-09-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/432899e63a17d847. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at core/src/main/java/org/pentaho/di/compatibility/Value.java:3841

      case VALUE_TYPE_STRING:
        break;
      case VALUE_TYPE_NUMBER:
        setValue( getNumber() );
        break;
      case VALUE_TYPE_DATE:
        setValue( getDate() );
        break;
      case VALUE_TYPE_BOOLEAN:
        setValue( getBoolean() );
        break;
      case VALUE_TYPE_INTEGER:
        setValue( getInteger() );
        break;
      case VALUE_TYPE_BIGNUMBER:
        setValue( getBigNumber() );
        break;
      default:
        throw new KettleValueException( "Please specify the type to convert to from String type." );
    }
  }

  public boolean equalValueType( Value v ) {
    return equalValueType( v, false );
  }

  /**
   * Returns whether "types" of the values are exactly the same: type, name, length, precision.
   *
   * @param v
   *          Value to compare type against.
   *
   * @return == true when types are the same == false when the types differ
   */
  public boolean equalValueType( Value v, boolean checkTypeOnly ) {
    if ( v == null ) {
      return false;

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