From ea10fb239f5731f4ff365a21d778485b88ee3f20 2021-03-09 20:48:30
From: Brett Smith <brettcsmith@brettcsmith.org>
Date: 2021-03-09 20:48:30
Subject: [PATCH] query: Add a user hint for query TypeErrors.

The error message that native bean-query provides when this happens
confuses many users. Add a hint to point them in the right direction.

---

diff --git a/conservancy_beancount/reports/query.py b/conservancy_beancount/reports/query.py
index 08a700ad45437329e7bf7daeb781f3269c9a83b3..69822b92110f074fe3bb7d4c3d1961ec09634f33 100644
--- a/conservancy_beancount/reports/query.py
+++ b/conservancy_beancount/reports/query.py
@@ -238,6 +238,15 @@ class BQLShell(bc_query_shell.BQLShell):
                 )
         except Exception as error:
             logger.error(str(error), exc_info=logger.isEnabledFor(logging.DEBUG))
+            if (isinstance(error, TypeError)
+                and error.args
+                and ' not supported between instances ' in error.args[0]):
+                logger.info(
+                    "HINT: Are you using ORDER BY or comparisons with metadata "
+                    "that isn't consistently set?\n  "
+                    "Try looking up that metadata with str_meta() instead to "
+                    "ensure your comparisons use a consistent data type.",
+                )
             return
 
         if not rows and output_format != 'ods':