pentaho/pentaho-kettle · error · KettleValueException

Unknown result type option

Error message

Unknown result type option '<resultType>'

What it means

ValueDataUtil.DateDiff validates its resultType argument against the known units s/m/h/d (seconds, minutes, hours, days). Any other string reaches the final else and throws this KettleValueException naming the offending value.

Solutions

1. Pass exactly one of "s", "m", "h", "d" (lowercase, single letter) as resultType
2. Check the step configuration/variable supplying the unit and fix its value
3. Validate/normalize the unit string before calling: lower-case it and map full words to the codes
4. For finer units (ms, weeks, months) do the arithmetic yourself from the ms diff instead of passing an unsupported code

Example fix

// before
Object diff = ValueDataUtil.dateDiff( metaA, dA, metaB, dB, "minutes" );
// after
String unit = "minutes".startsWith( "m" ) ? "m" : "minutes"; // map to supported code
Object diff = ValueDataUtil.dateDiff( metaA, dA, metaB, dB, unit ); // "s"|"m"|"h"|"d"

java.util.Arrays.asList( "s", "m", "h", "d" ).contains( resultType ); // false => fix before calling

boolean isSupportedDiffUnit( String u ) { return u != null && u.matches( "[smhd]" ); }

if ( !isSupportedDiffUnit( resultType ) ) {
  throw new IllegalArgumentException( "resultType must be s|m|h|d, got: " + resultType );
}
return ValueDataUtil.dateDiff( metaA, dataA, metaB, dataB, resultType );

When it happens

Trigger: Calling ValueDataUtil.dateDiff(metaA, dataA, metaB, dataB, resultType) with resultType not exactly one of "s", "m", "h", "d" — e.g. "S", "seconds", "ms", "y" or a null-but-nonempty variant from a variable substitution.

Common situations: Calculator/UDF step configured with a unit spelled out ('minutes') instead of the single-letter code; a transformation variable used for the unit is unset or mistyped; case-sensitivity surprise ('M' vs 'm').

Understand the failure class

Background: Invalid enum value errors: "Unknown type", "Invalid scope", "must be one of" — when a string is not on the library's allowed list — this error's family across 23 libraries.

Related errors

• The source and target step/copy can't be the same for a…
• A connection of type PALO is expected
• A connection of type PALO is expected
• A deadlock was detected between steps
• A module with id ' ' is not defined.

AI-assisted analysis of pentaho/pentaho-kettle@f3058517a1 (2026-09-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/ffd237addcaa3e3b. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at core/src/main/java/org/pentaho/di/core/row/ValueDataUtil.java:1618

      long endL = endDateCal.getTimeInMillis() + endDateCal.getTimeZone().getOffset( endDateCal.getTimeInMillis() );
      long startL = stDateCal.getTimeInMillis() + stDateCal.getTimeZone().getOffset( stDateCal.getTimeInMillis() );
      long diff = endL - startL;

      if ( Utils.isEmpty( resultType ) ) {
        return new Long( diff / 86400000 );
      } else if ( resultType.equals( "ms" ) ) {
        return new Long( diff );
      } else if ( resultType.equals( "s" ) ) {
        return new Long( diff / 1000 ); // second
      } else if ( resultType.equals( "mn" ) ) {
        return new Long( diff / 60000 ); // minute
      } else if ( resultType.equals( "h" ) ) {
        return new Long( diff / 3600000 ); // hour
      } else if ( resultType.equals( "d" ) ) {
        return new Long( diff / 86400000 );
      } else {
        throw new KettleValueException( "Unknown result type option '" + resultType + "'" );
      }
    } else {
      return null;
    }
  }

  public static Object DateWorkingDiff( ValueMetaInterface metaA, Object dataA, ValueMetaInterface metaB,
    Object dataB ) throws KettleValueException {
    if ( dataA != null && dataB != null ) {
      Date fromDate = metaB.getDate( dataB );
      Date toDate = metaA.getDate( dataA );
      boolean singminus = false;

      if ( fromDate.after( toDate ) ) {
        singminus = true;
        Date temp = fromDate;
        fromDate = toDate;
        toDate = temp;

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