[Vector][ExtensionType] ComplexCopier requires that extension types' holder readers implement getField
- Dominant language
- Java
- Stars
- 94
- Forks
- 152
- Avg merge
- 3d 16h
- Merged PRs (30d)
- 11
Description
### Describe the bug, including details regarding any error messages, version, and platform.
https://github.com/apache/arrow-java/pull/892 made efforts to streamline and simplify extension readers and writers. In this, `ComplexCopier.copy` relies on `FieldReader.getField` being defined for extension types.
Usages of `ComplexCopier.copy` with readers backed by vector, e.g., `UuidReaderImpl` and `VariantReaderImpl` that do have `getField` implementation, should be OK (as there is concrete notion of Field). However, if holder readers, namely, `NullableUuidHolderReaderImpl` or `NullableVariantHolderReaderImpl` are used this results in an NPE.
Having said that `getField` method for holder readers appears to be a misnomer as we do not have a notion of a field for the holders. This can be seen from the absence of `getField` overrides for primitive types.
Contributor guide
Research direction
Start by reading ComplexCopier.copy and compare the getField implementations in UuidReaderImpl and VariantReaderImpl with NullableUuidHolderReaderImpl and NullableVariantHolderReaderImpl. Reproduce the NPE with a holder-backed extension reader, then verify that copying no longer requires an inappropriate getField implementation for holders.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- java
- Domain
- data
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Quiet
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 45/100