[VL] Fix native crash in toVeloxExpr for nested field reference into array/map by felipepessoto · Pull Request #12290 · apache/gluten

felipepessoto · 2026-06-14T06:34:26Z

What changes are proposed in this pull request?

TL;DR fix this: https://github.com/apache/gluten/actions/runs/27487184961/job/81246596702?pr=12278

PR/CI with test only, before the fix: #12291 / https://github.com/apache/gluten/actions/runs/27490867910/job/81255583450?pr=12291

SubstraitVeloxExprConverter::toVeloxExpr(const ::substrait::Expression::FieldReference&, const RowTypePtr&) resolves a nested struct_field reference by walking the chain and descending one level at a time with inputColumnType = asRowType(inputColumnType->childAt(idx)).

When the field path traverses a non-struct child — for example a field nested under an array — asRowType() returns nullptr, and the next loop iteration dereferenced that null RowType, crashing the whole (forked) JVM with a SIGSEGV in libvelox.so:

# C  [libvelox.so+0x214951c]  gluten::SubstraitVeloxExprConverter::toVeloxExpr(substrait::Expression_FieldReference const&, std::shared_ptr<facebook::velox::RowType const> const&)+0x9c

Because a SIGSEGV is not a catchable C++ exception, SubstraitToVeloxPlanValidator (which wraps expression conversion in try/catch (VeloxException)) could not catch it and fall back — the process died outright.

This PR replaces the unchecked navigation with VELOX_USER_CHECK guards that throw a VeloxUserError:

the field-reference index is within range (the raw RowType::childAt/nameOf use unchecked operator[]), and
the child being descended into is actually a struct/row.

With these checks, an unsupported nested reference makes plan validation fail cleanly and the query falls back to vanilla Spark instead of crashing the JVM.

How was this patch tested?

Added cpp/velox/tests/SubstraitVeloxExprConverterTest.cc, a unit test that builds the exact crashing FieldReference — a reference descending into an array column — and asserts the converter now throws a VeloxUserError (via VELOX_ASSERT_THROW) instead of crashing the process; it also covers an out-of-range field index. Before this change the same input aborts the JVM with the SIGSEGV shown above.

This is the same code path hit by Delta Lake's UpdateSuite test "nested data support - analysis error - updating array type" (an UPDATE whose field path descends through an array), which is exercised by the Gluten Delta Spark UT CI: before this change the forked test JVM aborts with the SIGSEGV; after it, validation falls back to vanilla Spark and the query is handled correctly.

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Generated-by: GitHub Copilot CLI (claude-opus-4.8)

…array/map SubstraitVeloxExprConverter::toVeloxExpr(FieldReference) resolves a nested struct_field chain by calling asRowType() on each child to descend a level. When the reference traverses a non-struct child -- e.g. a field nested under an array, as exercised by Delta's "nested data support - analysis error - updating array type" UpdateSuite test -- asRowType() returns null and the next loop iteration dereferenced that null RowType, crashing the whole forked JVM with a SIGSEGV in libvelox.so (gluten::SubstraitVeloxExprConverter::toVeloxExpr). A SIGSEGV is not catchable, so plan validation could not fall back and the test process died outright. Replace the unchecked navigation with VELOX_USER_CHECK guards (field-index bounds + non-null struct child) that throw a VeloxUserError. The plan validator already wraps expression conversion in try/catch(VeloxException), so the query now falls back to vanilla execution cleanly instead of crashing. Add SubstraitVeloxExprConverterTest with a regression repro: a field reference descending into an array column, and an out-of-range field index, both of which must now throw instead of crashing. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot

Pull request overview

Note

Copilot was unable to run its full agentic suite in this review.

Adds regression coverage and hardens Substrait field-reference conversion to fail gracefully (VeloxUserError) instead of crashing (SIGSEGV) on invalid nested paths and out-of-range indices.

Changes:

Add bounds checking for direct struct_field indices during field-access conversion.
Reject nested field descent into non-row types with a user error (instead of nullptr deref).
Add unit tests covering both failure modes and wire them into the Velox test target.

Reviewed changes

Copilot reviewed 3 out of 3 changed files in this pull request and generated 2 comments.

File	Description
cpp/velox/tests/SubstraitVeloxExprConverterTest.cc	New regression tests for non-struct nested field references and out-of-range field indices.
cpp/velox/tests/CMakeLists.txt	Registers the new test file in the Velox test suite.
cpp/velox/substrait/SubstraitToVeloxExpr.cc	Adds range checks and non-row descent checks to prevent SIGSEGV and throw clean user errors.

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+  ::substrait::Expression::FieldReference fieldReference;
+  fieldReference.mutable_direct_reference()->mutable_struct_field()->set_field(5);
+
+  VELOX_ASSERT_THROW(SubstraitVeloxExprConverter::toVeloxExpr(fieldReference, inputType), "out of range");


felipepessoto · 2026-06-14T09:19:38Z

@zhztheplayer @philo-he could you review this PR? I found the issue when running the Delta CI #12278.

I'm not familiar with this code, but with the fix the SIGSEGV are gone. I also created a PR without the fix and I could repro it: #12291 / https://github.com/apache/gluten/actions/runs/27490867910/job/81255583450?pr=12291.

Thanks

zhztheplayer · 2026-06-15T09:55:48Z

cc @rui-mo

rui-mo

Thanks for the fix! I assume this change converts a core dump into a user-facing error. Have you looked into the cases where Spark could produce an out-of-range index? I'm wondering why Spark would generate this kind of plan.

…crash Adds VeloxDeltaNestedFieldArraySuite: a Delta MERGE that updates a field nested under an array (`value.a` where `value` is `array<struct<a:int>>`). On an unfixed build this drives SubstraitVeloxExprConverter::toVeloxExpr to descend into the array, dereference the null RowType returned by asRowType(), and crash the forked JVM with a SIGSEGV -- the Spark-level companion to the existing SubstraitVeloxExprConverterTest.cc. This reaches the native converter (and the crash) under the Spark 4.0/4.1 -Pdelta CI jobs (Delta 4.x). With the fix in apache#12290 the converter throws a catchable VeloxUserError, Gluten falls back, and Delta raises the expected AnalysisException. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

felipepessoto · 2026-06-17T02:49:44Z

Thanks for the fix! I assume this change converts a core dump into a user-facing error. Have you looked into the cases where Spark could produce an out-of-range index? I'm wondering why Spark would generate this kind of plan.

I tried multiple things, but I couldn't repro with simple unit test. The repro is at https://github.com/apache/gluten/actions/runs/27487184961/job/81246596702?pr=12278

So, I assume it is the next test:

https://github.com/delta-io/delta/blob/9f600c42dd9bc383c025ee6e43f8199571a2783b/spark/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/delta/MergeIntoSuiteBase.scala#L1291

Suite MergeIntoNestedDataSQLPathBasedSuite

The problem is this test is not a simple SQL command:

… CI After validating with PR apache#12278 (all 79 CI checks passed including Delta tests), confirmed that the explicit VELOX_USER_CHECK(idx < size) is redundant - Velox's RowType::childAt/nameOf already have VELOX_CHECK_LT bounds checks that throw catchable VeloxUserError, providing sufficient error handling for Gluten. Kept the essential VELOX_USER_CHECK_NOT_NULL for the rowType, which prevents SIGSEGV by catching null before dereferencing. Updated test comment to reflect actual Velox behavior (built-in bounds checks). Validation: apache@4a9d3d846

felipepessoto · 2026-06-18T08:36:30Z

@rui-mo

For (VELOX_USER_CHECK(idx < size)) -- I have not seen Spark produce this, and I don't think a well-formed plan would: the index comes from Spark's resolved GetStructField.ordinal / bound attribute ordinals, which the analyzer keeps in range. I added it only as defense-in-depth with a clearer message. In fact, in current Velox RowType::childAt/nameOf already
VELOX_CHECK_LT(idx, size), so an out-of-range index would already throw a catchable VeloxRuntimeError and fall back even without this check.

I'm dropping that change to keep the PR focused on the real crash fix.

https://github.com/facebookincubator/velox/blob/main/velox/type/Type.h#L1213C1-L1216C4

The test was checking for 'out of range' in the error message, but Velox's VELOX_CHECK_LT throws with format 'Expression: idx < children_.size() (5 vs. 2)'. Updated the test assertion to match the actual Velox error message.

Copilot

Pull request overview

Copilot reviewed 3 out of 3 changed files in this pull request and generated 1 comment.

+  // Velox's VELOX_CHECK_LT throws with format "Expression: idx < children_.size() (5 vs. 2)"
+  VELOX_ASSERT_THROW(SubstraitVeloxExprConverter::toVeloxExpr(fieldReference, inputType), "idx < children_.size()");


Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings June 14, 2026 06:34

github-actions Bot added the VELOX label Jun 14, 2026

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felipepessoto changed the title ~~[VL] Fix native crash in toVeloxExpr for nested field reference into array/map~~ [WIP] [VL] Fix native crash in toVeloxExpr for nested field reference into array/map Jun 14, 2026

felipepessoto mentioned this pull request Jun 14, 2026

[VL][DO NOT MERGE] Test-only repro for nested FieldReference crash (verifies #12290) #12291

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felipepessoto changed the title ~~[WIP] [VL] Fix native crash in toVeloxExpr for nested field reference into array/map~~ [VL] Fix native crash in toVeloxExpr for nested field reference into array/map Jun 14, 2026

felipepessoto mentioned this pull request Jun 14, 2026

[VL] Fix ClassCastException in Delta stats for non-offloadable aggregations #12292

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rui-mo approved these changes Jun 16, 2026

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[VL] Fix test assertion to match Velox's error message format

b6fe845

The test was checking for 'out of range' in the error message, but Velox's VELOX_CHECK_LT throws with format 'Expression: idx < children_.size() (5 vs. 2)'. Updated the test assertion to match the actual Velox error message.

Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings June 18, 2026 09:48

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of felipepessoto June 18, 2026 09:53 View session

Copilot AI reviewed Jun 18, 2026

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[VL] Fix native crash in toVeloxExpr for nested field reference into array/map#12290

[VL] Fix native crash in toVeloxExpr for nested field reference into array/map#12290
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		// Velox's VELOX_CHECK_LT throws with format "Expression: idx < children_.size() (5 vs. 2)"
		VELOX_ASSERT_THROW(SubstraitVeloxExprConverter::toVeloxExpr(fieldReference, inputType), "idx < children_.size()");

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