pentaho/pentaho-kettle · error · JavaScriptException

The function call str2RegExp requires 2 arguments.

Error message

The function call str2RegExp requires 2 arguments.

What it means

The str2RegExp() JavaScript function splits a string into an array of matched tokens using a regular expression. It requires exactly 2 arguments (the input string and the regex pattern); with any other argument count it throws this runtime error.

Solutions

1. Call str2RegExp() with exactly 2 arguments: string and regex pattern.
2. Verify the pattern compiles as a valid Java regex.
3. Null-check the input string before the call.
4. Escape regex metacharacters in dynamic patterns.

Example fix

// before
var parts = str2RegExp('a1b2c1');
// after
var parts = str2RegExp('a1b2c1', '(\\d)');

if (inputStr == null || pattern == null) throw 'str2RegExp: missing argument';
var parts = str2RegExp(String(inputStr), pattern);

function canStr2RegExp(s, p) { return s != null && p != null && String(p).length > 0; }

try { var parts = str2RegExp(String(inputStr), pattern); } catch (e) { var parts = []; }

When it happens

Trigger: Calling str2RegExp() with one argument only (string but no pattern), or three or more arguments, in a modified JavaScript step.

Common situations: Adapting examples from other regex-split APIs, forgetting the pattern argument, or building the pattern dynamically and accidentally passing extra arguments.

Understand the failure class

Background: "missing required argument" and "the following required arguments were not provided": what required-argument errors mean and how to fix them — this error's family across 20 libraries.

Related errors

• Error in isEmpty function:
• Function call replace is not valid :
• Script.Log.CouldNotAddDefaultConstants
• ScriptValuesMod.Log.CouldNotAddDefaultConstants
• ScriptValuesMod.Log.CouldNotCompileJavascript

AI-assisted analysis of pentaho/pentaho-kettle@f3058517a1 (2026-09-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/302efd36aabe6e7e. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at engine/src/main/java/org/pentaho/di/trans/steps/scriptvalues_mod/ScriptValuesAddedFunctions.java:976

        if ( isNull( ArgList, new int[] { 0, 1 } ) ) {
          return null;
        } else if ( isUndefined( ArgList, new int[] { 0, 1 } ) ) {
          return Context.getUndefinedValue();
        }
        String strToMatch = Context.toString( ArgList[0] );
        Pattern p = Pattern.compile( Context.toString( ArgList[1] ) );
        Matcher m = p.matcher( strToMatch );
        if ( m.matches() && m.groupCount() > 0 ) {
          strArr = new String[m.groupCount()];
          for ( int i = 1; i <= m.groupCount(); i++ ) {
            strArr[i - 1] = m.group( i );
          }
        }
      } catch ( Exception e ) {
        throw Context.reportRuntimeError( e.toString() );
      }
    } else {
      throw Context.reportRuntimeError( "The function call str2RegExp requires 2 arguments." );
    }
    return strArr;
  }

  public static void touch( Context actualContext, Scriptable actualObject, Object[] ArgList,
    Function FunctionContext ) {
    try {
      if ( ArgList.length == 1 && !isNull( ArgList[0] ) && !isUndefined( ArgList[0] ) ) {
        File file = new File( Context.toString( ArgList[0] ) );
        boolean success = file.createNewFile();
        if ( !success ) {
          file.setLastModified( System.currentTimeMillis() );
        }
      } else {
        throw Context.reportRuntimeError( "The function call touch requires 1 valid argument." );
      }
    } catch ( Exception e ) {
      throw Context.reportRuntimeError( e.toString() );

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