If you’ve ever used the strptime() function to create a timestamp in DuckDB, you may be aware that it will return an error if it can’t construct the timestamp from the format string/s provided.
While such an error could be useful in some situations, it could also be annoying in others.
Fortunately, DuckDB also provides the try_strptime() function, which will suppress any error that we might ordinarily get in such cases. This function returns null instead of an error.
If you’re getting an error that reads “Conversion Error: extract specifier “monthname” not recognized” in DuckDB, it appears that you’re using a function like extract() or date_part()
These functions don’t accept a monthname specifier, and so that’s why the error occurs. Fortunately, DuckDB provides a monthname() function, and so you could try that instead. Also, the strftime() function has a format specifier for the month name, and so that’s another option.
So to fix this issue, try the monthname() or strftime() function instead.
If you’re getting an error that reads “Not implemented Error: Unknown TimeZone” in DuckDB, it appears that you’re using an unknown timezone when specifying a timezone for a timestamp value.
To fix this issue, be sure to use a supported timezone.
Continue readingIf you’re getting an error that includes the text “Unrecognized format for strftime/strptime: %” in DuckDB, it appears that you’re including an unescaped percent sign (%) in your format string when using a function like strftime() or strptime().
Whenever we need a percent sign to be included in the formatted output, we must escape it with another percent sign in the format string.
So to fix this issue, try escaping the percent sign with another percent sign.
Continue readingIf you’re getting an error that reads “Error: Month out of range, expected a value between 1 and 12” when using the strptime() function in DuckDB, it could be that you’re getting your months mixed up in your format string.
If you’re getting an error that reads “Binder Error: APPROXIMATE QUANTILE can only take parameters in range [0, 1]” in DuckDB, it appears that you’re passing an invalid second argument to the approx_quantile() function.
To fix this issue, make sure the second argument is between 0 and 1.
Continue readingIf you’re getting an error that reads “Binder Error: RESERVOIR_QUANTILE can only take parameters in the range [0, 1]” in DuckDB, it appears that you’re passing an invalid second argument to the reservoir_quantile() function.
To fix this issue, make sure the second argument is between 0 and 1.
Continue readingIf you’re getting an error that reads something like “Binder Error: Cannot mix values of type …etc” when using the COALESCE() function in DuckDB, it’s probably because you’re using arguments with incompatible types.
To fix this issue, try using CAST() or TRY_CAST() to ensure that all arguments are compatible. Alternatively, make sure the arguments to COALESCE() are of the same type (or at least, compatible types).
If you’re getting an error that reads something like “No function matches the given name and argument types ‘bool_and(INTEGER)’” in DuckDB, it’s probably because you’re passing a non-boolean value to the bool_and() function.
The bool_and() function is for use against boolean expressions, so to fix this issue, be sure that the argument you pass to the function is a boolean expression.
If you’re getting an error that reads “mode should be one of: ascii box column …etc” in DuckDB, it appears that you’re trying to set the output mode to an invalid value.
While we can change the output mode in DuckDB, it must be one of the supported modes.
To fix this issue, be sure to use a supported mode.
Continue reading