prestodb/presto · error · TypeError

{type} no abstract type ExecutionWriterTarget

Error message

{type} no abstract type ExecutionWriterTarget 

What it means

to_json for std::shared_ptr<ExecutionWriterTarget> serializes a polymorphic writer target by dispatching on its subclass key; supported kinds include CreateHandle, InsertHandle, DeleteHandle, and MergeHandle (shown above the throw). If the in-memory target's key matches none of these branches, the serializer throws TypeError(type + " no abstract type ExecutionWriterTarget"). This means the writer operation's target type is not recognized by this protocol build.

Source

Thrown at presto-native-execution/presto_cpp/presto_protocol/core/presto_protocol_core.cpp:2422

  }
  if (type == "DeleteHandle") {
    j = *std::static_pointer_cast<DeleteHandle>(p);
    return;
  }
  if (type == "UpdateHandle") {
    j = *std::static_pointer_cast<UpdateHandle>(p);
    return;
  }
  if (type == "ExecuteProcedureHandle") {
    j = *std::static_pointer_cast<ExecuteProcedureHandle>(p);
    return;
  }
  if (type == "MergeHandle") {
    j = *std::static_pointer_cast<MergeHandle>(p);
    return;
  }

  throw TypeError(type + " no abstract type ExecutionWriterTarget ");
}

void from_json(const json& j, std::shared_ptr<ExecutionWriterTarget>& p) {
  String type;
  try {
    type = p->getSubclassKey(j);
  } catch (json::parse_error& e) {
    throw ParseError(
        std::string(e.what()) +
        " ExecutionWriterTarget  ExecutionWriterTarget");
  }

  if (type == "CreateHandle") {
    std::shared_ptr<CreateHandle> k = std::make_shared<CreateHandle>();
    j.get_to(*k);
    p = std::static_pointer_cast<ExecutionWriterTarget>(k);
    return;
  }

View on GitHub (pinned to 55bb57d202)

Solutions

1. Check the type value in the error message and confirm which writer target kind it is.
2. Upgrade presto-native-execution to a version registering that writer target type.
3. Avoid/feature-gate the query feature (e.g. new merge/refresh semantics) until the native side supports it.
4. Add the missing if (type == "...") branch to the ExecutionWriterTarget to_json dispatch.

Example fix

// before: only Create/Insert/Delete/Merge handles handled; new "RefreshHandle" target fails
// after:
// if (type == "RefreshHandle") {
//   j = *std::static_pointer_cast<RefreshHandle>(p);
//   return;
// }

// Pre-check writer target kind before serialization
bool isRegisteredWriterTarget(const facebook::presto::protocol::ExecutionWriterTarget& t) {
  static const std::set<std::string> kTypes = {"CreateHandle", "InsertHandle", "DeleteHandle", "MergeHandle"};
  return kTypes.count(t.getType()) > 0; // or the subclass key accessor
}

bool isMergeHandle(const std::shared_ptr<facebook::presto::protocol::ExecutionWriterTarget>& p) {
  return dynamic_cast<facebook::presto::protocol::MergeHandle*>(p.get()) != nullptr;
}

try {
  to_json(j, writerTarget);
} catch (const facebook::presto::protocol::TypeError& e) {
  LOG(ERROR) << "Unsupported ExecutionWriterTarget: " << e.what();
  // disable the write feature or upgrade the native build
}

When it happens

Trigger: Serializing an ExecutionWriterTarget whose subclass key is not CreateHandle/InsertHandle/DeleteHandle/MergeHandle — e.g. a newly introduced writer target from a newer coordinator, or a custom/extension target used with an unpatched native build.

Common situations: Version skew where the Java side added a new writer operation (new target handle kind) absent from the native library; forks adding custom writer targets; test code constructing ExecutionWriterTarget subclasses without setting the expected _type key.

Related errors

• no abstract type PlanNode
• {parse_error} ExecutionWriterTarget ExecutionWriterTarget
• no abstract type ColumnHandle
• no abstract type ColumnHandle
• no abstract type ColumnHandle

AI-assisted analysis of prestodb/presto@55bb57d202 (2026-09-04). Data as JSON: /api/errors/ad795d7a3f4afaf6. Report an issue: GitHub.