pentaho/pentaho-kettle · error · KettleException

SynchronizeAfterMergeMeta.Exception.UnexpectedErrorReadingSt…

Error message

SynchronizeAfterMergeMeta.Exception.UnexpectedErrorReadingStepInfoFromRepository

What it means

SynchronizeAfterMergeMeta.readRep() failed while loading the step's settings from the repository database (KettleException 'Unexpected error reading step info from repository'). Any exception raised while reading step attributes (e.g., repository connectivity or schema issues) is wrapped and rethrown.

Solutions

Check repository connectivity and retry opening the transformation
Inspect the 'Caused by' exception to find the failing attribute/query, then repair the repository row or schema
Re-save the step from a working client to rewrite its repository attributes
Restore/recreate the transformation entry in the repository

Example fix

// typically environmental; re-save via code
transMeta = new TransMeta(repository, transName, directory);
// if a specific attribute is broken, fix row in R_STEP_ATTRIBUTE for id_step

Defensive patterns

Strategy: try-catch

Validate before calling

// before loadRep
if (!repository.isConnected()) throw new IllegalStateException("Repository not connected");

Try / catch

try { stepMeta.loadRep(repository, metaStore, idStep, databases, metaStore); }
catch (KettleException e) { log.error("Repository read failed for step " + idStep + ": " + e.getMessage(), e.getCause()); throw e; }

Prevention

Keep repository schema in sync with the PDI client version
Monitor repository DB connectivity/health
Back up R_STEP_ATTRIBUTE rows before migrations
Re-save steps after repository upgrades

When it happens

Trigger: loadRep() called against a repository where the step attribute tables are unavailable/corrupt, the repository connection drops mid-read, or the stored attributes violate expectations (e.g., null/invalid types).

Common situations: Repository database migrated/upgraded with schema mismatch; network interruption between PDI and the repository DB; corrupt rows in R_STEP_ATTRIBUTE.

Understand the failure class

Background: Database query failed: Internal Server Error 500s wrapping SQL, Prisma, and connection failures — what to check first — this error's family across 16 libraries.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of pentaho/pentaho-kettle@f3058517a1 (2026-09-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/cae006ce505e2314. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at engine/src/main/java/org/pentaho/di/trans/steps/synchronizeaftermerge/SynchronizeAfterMergeMeta.java:590

      int nrkeys = rep.countNrStepAttributes( id_step, "key_name" );
      int nrvalues = rep.countNrStepAttributes( id_step, "value_name" );

      allocate( nrkeys, nrvalues );

      for ( int i = 0; i < nrkeys; i++ ) {
        keyStream[i] = rep.getStepAttributeString( id_step, i, "key_name" );
        keyLookup[i] = rep.getStepAttributeString( id_step, i, "key_field" );
        keyCondition[i] = rep.getStepAttributeString( id_step, i, "key_condition" );
        keyStream2[i] = rep.getStepAttributeString( id_step, i, "key_name2" );
      }

      for ( int i = 0; i < nrvalues; i++ ) {
        updateLookup[i] = rep.getStepAttributeString( id_step, i, "value_name" );
        updateStream[i] = rep.getStepAttributeString( id_step, i, "value_rename" );
        update[i] = Boolean.valueOf( rep.getStepAttributeBoolean( id_step, i, "value_update", true ) );
      }
    } catch ( Exception e ) {
      throw new KettleException( BaseMessages.getString(
        PKG, "SynchronizeAfterMergeMeta.Exception.UnexpectedErrorReadingStepInfoFromRepository" ), e );
    }
  }

  public void saveRep( Repository rep, IMetaStore metaStore, ObjectId id_transformation, ObjectId id_step ) throws KettleException {
    try {
      rep.saveDatabaseMetaStepAttribute( id_transformation, id_step, "id_connection", databaseMeta );
      rep.saveStepAttribute( id_transformation, id_step, "commit", commitSize );
      rep.saveStepAttribute( id_transformation, id_step, "schema", schemaName );
      rep.saveStepAttribute( id_transformation, id_step, "table", tableName );

      rep.saveStepAttribute( id_transformation, id_step, "tablename_in_field", tablenameInField );
      rep.saveStepAttribute( id_transformation, id_step, "tablename_field", tablenameField );
      rep.saveStepAttribute( id_transformation, id_step, "operation_order_field", operationOrderField );
      rep.saveStepAttribute( id_transformation, id_step, "order_insert", OrderInsert );
      rep.saveStepAttribute( id_transformation, id_step, "order_update", OrderUpdate );
      rep.saveStepAttribute( id_transformation, id_step, "order_delete", OrderDelete );

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