Thanks Danny for kicking off the effort The root cause of too much manual work is Flink DDL has mixed 3 types of params together and doesn't handle each of them very well. Below are how I categorize them and corresponding solutions in my mind:
- type 1: Metadata of external data, like external endpoint/url, username/pwd, schemas, formats. Such metadata are mostly already accessible in external system as long as endpoints and credentials are provided. Flink can get it thru catalogs, but we haven't had many catalogs yet and thus Flink just hasn't been able to leverage that. So the solution should be building more catalogs. Such params should be part of a Flink table DDL/definition, and not overridable in any means. - type 2: Runtime params, like jdbc connector's fetch size, elasticsearch connector's bulk flush size. Such params don't affect query results, but affect how results are produced (eg. fast or slow, aka performance) - they are essentially execution and implementation details. They change often in exploration or development stages, but not quite frequently in well-defined long-running pipelines. They should always have default values and can be missing in query. They can be part of a table DDL/definition, but should also be replaceable in a query - *this is what table "hints" in FLIP-113 should cover*. - type 3: Semantic params, like kafka connector's start offset. Such params affect query results - the semantics. They'd better be as filter conditions in WHERE clause that can be pushed down. They change almost every time a query starts and have nothing to do with metadata, thus should not be part of table definition/DDL, nor be persisted in catalogs. If they will, users should create views to keep such params around (note this is different from variable substitution). Take Flink-Kafka as an example. Once we get these params right, here're the steps users need to do to develop and run a Flink job: - configure a Flink ConfluentSchemaRegistry with url, username, and password - run "SELECT * FROM mykafka WHERE offset > 12pm yesterday" (simplified timestamp) in SQL CLI, Flink automatically retrieves all metadata of schema, file format, etc and start the job - users want to make the job read Kafka topic faster, so it goes as "SELECT * FROM mykafka /* faster_read_key=value*/ WHERE offset > 12pm yesterday" - done and satisfied, users submit it to production Regarding "CREATE TABLE t LIKE with (k1=v1, k2=v2), I think it's a nice-to-have feature, but not a strategically critical, long-term solution, because 1) It may seem promising at the current stage to solve the too-much-manual-work problem, but that's only because Flink hasn't leveraged catalogs well and handled the 3 types of params above properly. Once we get the params types right, the LIKE syntax won't be that important, and will be just an easier way to create tables without retyping long fields like username and pwd. 2) Note that only some rare type of catalog can store k-v property pair, so table created this way often cannot be persisted. In the foreseeable future, such catalog will only be HiveCatalog, and not everyone has a Hive metastore. To be honest, without persistence, recreating tables every time this way is still a lot of keyboard typing. Cheers, Bowen On Tue, Mar 10, 2020 at 8:07 PM Kurt Young <ykt...@gmail.com> wrote: > If a specific connector want to have such parameter and read if out of > configuration, then that's fine. > If we are talking about a configuration for all kinds of sources, I would > be super careful about that. > It's true it can solve maybe 80% cases, but it will also make the left 20% > feels weird. > > Best, > Kurt > > > On Wed, Mar 11, 2020 at 11:00 AM Jark Wu <imj...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > Hi Kurt, > > > > #3 Regarding to global offset: > > I'm not saying to use the global configuration to override connector > > properties by the planner. > > But the connector should take this configuration and translate into their > > client API. > > AFAIK, almost all the message queues support eariliest and latest and a > > timestamp value as start point. > > So we can support 3 options for this configuration: "eariliest", "latest" > > and a timestamp string value. > > Of course, this can't solve 100% cases, but I guess can sovle 80% or 90% > > cases. > > And the remaining cases can be resolved by LIKE syntax which I guess is > not > > very common cases. > > > > Best, > > Jark > > > > > > On Wed, 11 Mar 2020 at 10:33, Kurt Young <ykt...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > Good to have such lovely discussions. I also want to share some of my > > > opinions. > > > > > > #1 Regarding to error handling: I also think ignore invalid hints would > > be > > > dangerous, maybe > > > the simplest solution is just throw an exception. > > > > > > #2 Regarding to property replacement: I don't think we should > constraint > > > ourself to > > > the meaning of the word "hint", and forbidden it modifying any > properties > > > which can effect > > > query results. IMO `PROPERTIES` is one of the table hints, and a > powerful > > > one. It can > > > modify properties located in DDL's WITH block. But I also see the harm > > that > > > if we make it > > > too flexible like change the kafka topic name with a hint. Such use > case > > is > > > not common and > > > sounds very dangerous to me. I would propose we have a map of hintable > > > properties for each > > > connector, and should validate all passed in properties are actually > > > hintable. And combining with > > > #1 error handling, we can throw an exception once received invalid > > > property. > > > > > > #3 Regarding to global offset: I'm not sure it's feasible. Different > > > connectors will have totally > > > different properties to represent offset, some might be timestamps, > some > > > might be string literals > > > like "earliest", and others might be just integers. > > > > > > Best, > > > Kurt > > > > > > > > > On Tue, Mar 10, 2020 at 11:46 PM Jark Wu <imj...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > > > Hi everyone, > > > > > > > > I want to jump in the discussion about the "dynamic start offset" > > > problem. > > > > First of all, I share the same concern with Timo and Fabian, that the > > > > "start offset" affects the query semantics, i.e. the query result. > > > > But "hints" is just used for optimization which should affect the > > result? > > > > > > > > I think the "dynamic start offset" is an very important usability > > problem > > > > which will be faced by many streaming platforms. > > > > I also agree "CREATE TEMPORARY TABLE Temp (LIKE t) WITH > > > > ('connector.startup-timestamp-millis' = '1578538374471')" is verbose, > > > what > > > > if we have 10 tables to join? > > > > > > > > However, what I want to propose (should be another thread) is a > global > > > > configuration to reset start offsets of all the source connectors > > > > in the query session, e.g. "table.sources.start-offset". This is > > possible > > > > now because `TableSourceFactory.Context` has `getConfiguration` > > > > method to get the session configuration, and use it to create an > > adapted > > > > TableSource. > > > > Then we can also expose to SQL CLI via SET command, e.g. `SET > > > > 'table.sources.start-offset'='earliest';`, which is pretty simple and > > > > straightforward. > > > > > > > > This is very similar to KSQL's `SET 'auto.offset.reset'='earliest'` > > which > > > > is very helpful IMO. > > > > > > > > Best, > > > > Jark > > > > > > > > > > > > On Tue, 10 Mar 2020 at 22:29, Timo Walther <twal...@apache.org> > wrote: > > > > > > > > > Hi Danny, > > > > > > > > > > compared to the hints, FLIP-110 is fully compliant to the SQL > > standard. > > > > > > > > > > I don't think that `CREATE TEMPORARY TABLE Temp (LIKE t) WITH > (k=v)` > > is > > > > > too verbose or awkward for the power of basically changing the > entire > > > > > connector. Usually, this statement would just precede the query in > a > > > > > multiline file. So it can be change "in-place" like the hints you > > > > proposed. > > > > > > > > > > Many companies have a well-defined set of tables that should be > used. > > > It > > > > > would be dangerous if users can change the path or topic in a hint. > > The > > > > > catalog/catalog manager should be the entity that controls which > > tables > > > > > exist and how they can be accessed. > > > > > > > > > > > what’s the problem there if we user the table hints to support > > > “start > > > > > offset”? > > > > > > > > > > IMHO it violates the meaning of a hint. According to the > dictionary, > > a > > > > > hint is "a statement that expresses indirectly what one prefers not > > to > > > > > say explicitly". But offsets are a property that are very explicit. > > > > > > > > > > If we go with the hint approach, it should be expressible in the > > > > > TableSourceFactory which properties are supported for hinting. Or > do > > > you > > > > > plan to offer those hints in a separate Map<String, String> that > > cannot > > > > > overwrite existing properties? I think this would be a different > > > story... > > > > > > > > > > Regards, > > > > > Timo > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On 10.03.20 10:34, Danny Chan wrote: > > > > > > Thanks Timo ~ > > > > > > > > > > > > Personally I would say that offset > 0 and start offset = 10 does > > not > > > > > have the same semantic, so from the SQL aspect, we can not > implement > > a > > > > > “starting offset” hint for query with such a syntax. > > > > > > > > > > > > And the CREATE TABLE LIKE syntax is a DDL which is just verbose > for > > > > > defining such dynamic parameters even if it could do that, shall we > > > force > > > > > users to define a temporal table for each query with dynamic > params, > > I > > > > > would say it’s an awkward solution. > > > > > > > > > > > > "Hints should give "hints" but not affect the actual produced > > > result.” > > > > > You mentioned that multiple times and could we give a reason, > what’s > > > the > > > > > problem there if we user the table hints to support “start offset” > ? > > > From > > > > > my side I saw some benefits for that: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > • It’s very convent to set up these parameters, the syntax is > very > > > much > > > > > like the DDL definition > > > > > > • It’s scope is very clear, right on the table it attathed > > > > > > • It does not affect the table schema, which means in order to > > > specify > > > > > the offset, there is no need to define an offset column which is > > weird > > > > > actually, offset should never be a column, it’s more like a > metadata > > > or a > > > > > start option. > > > > > > > > > > > > So in total, FLIP-110 uses the offset more like a Hive partition > > > prune, > > > > > we can do that if we have an offset column, but most of the case we > > do > > > > not > > > > > define that, so there is actually no conflict or overlap. > > > > > > > > > > > > Best, > > > > > > Danny Chan > > > > > > 在 2020年3月10日 +0800 PM4:28,Timo Walther <twal...@apache.org>,写道: > > > > > >> Hi Danny, > > > > > >> > > > > > >> shouldn't FLIP-110[1] solve most of the problems we have around > > > > defining > > > > > >> table properties more dynamically without manual schema work? > Also > > > > > >> offset definition is easier with such a syntax. They must not be > > > > defined > > > > > >> in catalog but could be temporary tables that extend from the > > > original > > > > > >> table. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> In general, we should aim to keep the syntax concise and don't > > > provide > > > > > >> too many ways of doing the same thing. Hints should give "hints" > > but > > > > not > > > > > >> affect the actual produced result. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> Some connector properties might also change the plan or schema > in > > > the > > > > > >> future. E.g. they might also define whether a table source > > supports > > > > > >> certain push-downs (e.g. predicate push-down). > > > > > >> > > > > > >> Dawid is currently working a draft that might makes it possible > to > > > > > >> expose a Kafka offset via the schema such that `SELECT * FROM > > Topic > > > > > >> WHERE offset > 10` would become possible and could be pushed > down. > > > But > > > > > >> this is of course, not planned initially. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> Regards, > > > > > >> Timo > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> [1] > > > > > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/FLINK/FLIP-110%3A+Support+LIKE+clause+in+CREATE+TABLE > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> On 10.03.20 08:34, Danny Chan wrote: > > > > > >>> Thanks Wenlong ~ > > > > > >>> > > > > > >>> For PROPERTIES Hint Error handling > > > > > >>> > > > > > >>> Actually we have no way to figure out whether a error prone > hint > > > is a > > > > > PROPERTIES hint, for example, if use writes a hint like > ‘PROPERTIAS’, > > > we > > > > do > > > > > not know if this hint is a PROPERTIES hint, what we know is that > the > > > hint > > > > > name was not registered in our Flink. > > > > > >>> > > > > > >>> If the user writes the hint name correctly (i.e. PROPERTIES), > we > > > did > > > > > can enforce the validation of the hint options though the pluggable > > > > > HintOptionChecker. > > > > > >>> > > > > > >>> For PROPERTIES Hint Option Format > > > > > >>> > > > > > >>> For a key value style hint option, the key can be either a > simple > > > > > identifier or a string literal, which means that it’s compatible > with > > > our > > > > > DDL syntax. We support simple identifier because many other hints > do > > > not > > > > > have the component complex keys like the table properties, and we > > want > > > to > > > > > unify the parse block. > > > > > >>> > > > > > >>> Best, > > > > > >>> Danny Chan > > > > > >>> 在 2020年3月10日 +0800 PM3:19,wenlong.lwl <wenlong88....@gmail.com > > > >,写道: > > > > > >>>> Hi Danny, thanks for the proposal. +1 for adding table hints, > it > > > is > > > > > really > > > > > >>>> a necessary feature for flink sql to integrate with a catalog. > > > > > >>>> > > > > > >>>> For error handling, I think it would be more natural to throw > an > > > > > >>>> exception when error table hint provided, because the > properties > > > in > > > > > hint > > > > > >>>> will be merged and used to find the table factory which would > > > cause > > > > an > > > > > >>>> exception when error properties provided, right? On the other > > > hand, > > > > > unlike > > > > > >>>> other hints which just affect the way to execute the query, > the > > > > > property > > > > > >>>> table hint actually affects the result of the query, we should > > > never > > > > > ignore > > > > > >>>> the given property hints. > > > > > >>>> > > > > > >>>> For the format of property hints, currently, in sql client, we > > > > accept > > > > > >>>> properties in format of string only in DDL: > > > > 'connector.type'='kafka', > > > > > I > > > > > >>>> think the format of properties in hint should be the same as > the > > > > > format we > > > > > >>>> defined in ddl. What do you think? > > > > > >>>> > > > > > >>>> Bests, > > > > > >>>> Wenlong Lyu > > > > > >>>> > > > > > >>>> On Tue, 10 Mar 2020 at 14:22, Danny Chan < > yuzhao....@gmail.com> > > > > > wrote: > > > > > >>>> > > > > > >>>>> To Weike: About the Error Handing > > > > > >>>>> > > > > > >>>>> To be consistent with other SQL vendors, the default is to > log > > > > > warnings > > > > > >>>>> and if there is any error (invalid hint name or options), the > > > hint > > > > > is just > > > > > >>>>> ignored. I have already addressed in the wiki. > > > > > >>>>> > > > > > >>>>> To Timo: About the PROPERTIES Table Hint > > > > > >>>>> > > > > > >>>>> • The properties hints is also optional, user can pass in an > > > option > > > > > to > > > > > >>>>> override the table properties but this does not mean it is > > > > required. > > > > > >>>>> • They should not include semantics: does the properties > belong > > > to > > > > > >>>>> semantic ? I don't think so, the plan does not change right ? > > The > > > > > result > > > > > >>>>> set may be affected, but there are already some hints do so, > > for > > > > > example, > > > > > >>>>> MS-SQL MAXRECURSION and SNAPSHOT hint [1] > > > > > >>>>> • `SELECT * FROM t(k=v, k=v)`: this grammar breaks the SQL > > > standard > > > > > >>>>> compared to the hints way(which is included in comments) > > > > > >>>>> • I actually didn't found any vendors to support such > grammar, > > > and > > > > > there > > > > > >>>>> is no way to override table level properties dynamically. For > > > > normal > > > > > RDBMS, > > > > > >>>>> I think there are no requests for such dynamic parameters > > because > > > > > all the > > > > > >>>>> table have the same storage and computation and they are > almost > > > all > > > > > batch > > > > > >>>>> tables. > > > > > >>>>> • While Flink as a computation engine has many connectors, > > > > > especially for > > > > > >>>>> some message queue like Kafka, we would have a start_offset > > which > > > > is > > > > > >>>>> different each time we start the query, such parameters can > not > > > be > > > > > >>>>> persisted to catalog, because it’s not static, this is > actually > > > the > > > > > >>>>> background we propose the table hints to indicate such > > properties > > > > > >>>>> dynamically. > > > > > >>>>> > > > > > >>>>> > > > > > >>>>> To Jark and Jinsong: I have removed the query hints part and > > > change > > > > > the > > > > > >>>>> title. > > > > > >>>>> > > > > > >>>>> [1] > > > > > >>>>> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/t-sql/queries/hints-transact-sql-query?view=sql-server-ver15 > > > > > >>>>> > > > > > >>>>> Best, > > > > > >>>>> Danny Chan > > > > > >>>>> 在 2020年3月9日 +0800 PM5:46,Timo Walther <twal...@apache.org > >,写道: > > > > > >>>>>> Hi Danny, > > > > > >>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>> thanks for the proposal. I agree with Jark and Jingsong. > > Planner > > > > > hints > > > > > >>>>>> and table hints are orthogonal topics that should be > discussed > > > > > >>>>> separately. > > > > > >>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>> I share Jingsong's opinion that we should not use planner > > hints > > > > for > > > > > >>>>>> passing connector properties. Planner hints should be > optional > > > at > > > > > any > > > > > >>>>>> time. They should not include semantics but only affect > > > execution > > > > > time. > > > > > >>>>>> Connector properties are an important part of the query > > itself. > > > > > >>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>> Have you thought about options such as `SELECT * FROM t(k=v, > > > > k=v)`? > > > > > How > > > > > >>>>>> are other vendors deal with this problem? > > > > > >>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>> Regards, > > > > > >>>>>> Timo > > > > > >>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>> On 09.03.20 10:37, Jingsong Li wrote: > > > > > >>>>>>> Hi Danny, +1 for table hints, thanks for driving. > > > > > >>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>> I took a look to FLIP, most of content are talking about > > query > > > > > hints. > > > > > >>>>> It is > > > > > >>>>>>> hard to discussion and voting. So +1 to split it as Jark > > said. > > > > > >>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>> Another thing is configuration that suitable to config with > > > table > > > > > >>>>> hints: > > > > > >>>>>>> "connector.path" and "connector.topic", Are they really > > > suitable > > > > > for > > > > > >>>>> table > > > > > >>>>>>> hints? Looks weird to me. Because I think these properties > > are > > > > the > > > > > >>>>> core of > > > > > >>>>>>> table. > > > > > >>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>> Best, > > > > > >>>>>>> Jingsong Lee > > > > > >>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>> On Mon, Mar 9, 2020 at 5:30 PM Jark Wu <imj...@gmail.com> > > > wrote: > > > > > >>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>>> Thanks Danny for starting the discussion. > > > > > >>>>>>>> +1 for this feature. > > > > > >>>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>>> If we just focus on the table hints not the query hints in > > > this > > > > > >>>>> release, > > > > > >>>>>>>> could you split the FLIP into two FLIPs? > > > > > >>>>>>>> Because it's hard to vote on partial part of a FLIP. You > can > > > > keep > > > > > >>>>> the table > > > > > >>>>>>>> hints proposal in FLIP-113 and move query hints into > another > > > > FLIP. > > > > > >>>>>>>> So that we can focuse on the table hints in the FLIP. > > > > > >>>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>>> Thanks, > > > > > >>>>>>>> Jark > > > > > >>>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>>> On Mon, 9 Mar 2020 at 17:14, DONG, Weike < > > > > kyled...@connect.hku.hk > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>> wrote: > > > > > >>>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>>>> Hi Danny, > > > > > >>>>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>>>> This is a nice feature, +1. > > > > > >>>>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>>>> One thing I am interested in but not mentioned in the > > > proposal > > > > is > > > > > >>>>> the > > > > > >>>>>>>> error > > > > > >>>>>>>>> handling, as it is quite common for users to write > > > > inappropriate > > > > > >>>>> hints in > > > > > >>>>>>>>> SQL code, if illegal or "bad" hints are given, would the > > > system > > > > > >>>>> simply > > > > > >>>>>>>>> ignore them or throw exceptions? > > > > > >>>>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>>>> Thanks : ) > > > > > >>>>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>>>> Best, > > > > > >>>>>>>>> Weike > > > > > >>>>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>>>> On Mon, Mar 9, 2020 at 5:02 PM Danny Chan < > > > > yuzhao....@gmail.com> > > > > > >>>>> wrote: > > > > > >>>>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>>>>> Note: > > > > > >>>>>>>>>> we only plan to support table hints in Flink release > 1.11, > > > so > > > > > >>>>> please > > > > > >>>>>>>>> focus > > > > > >>>>>>>>>> mainly on the table hints part and just ignore the > planner > > > > > >>>>> hints, sorry > > > > > >>>>>>>>> for > > > > > >>>>>>>>>> that mistake ~ > > > > > >>>>>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>>>>> Best, > > > > > >>>>>>>>>> Danny Chan > > > > > >>>>>>>>>> 在 2020年3月9日 +0800 PM4:36,Danny Chan < > yuzhao....@gmail.com > > > > >,写道: > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>> Hi, fellows ~ > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>> I would like to propose the supports for SQL hints for > > our > > > > > >>>>> Flink SQL. > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>> We would support hints syntax as following: > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>> select /*+ NO_HASH_JOIN, RESOURCE(mem='128mb', > > > > > >>>>> parallelism='24') */ > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>> from > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>> emp /*+ INDEX(idx1, idx2) */ > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>> join > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>> dept /*+ PROPERTIES(k1='v1', k2='v2') */ > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>> on > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>> emp.deptno = dept.deptno > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>> Basically we would support both query hints(after the > > > SELECT > > > > > >>>>> keyword) > > > > > >>>>>>>>>> and table hints(after the referenced table name), for > > 1.11, > > > we > > > > > >>>>> plan to > > > > > >>>>>>>>> only > > > > > >>>>>>>>>> support table hints with a hint probably named > PROPERTIES: > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>> table_name /*+ PROPERTIES(k1='v1', k2='v2') *+/ > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>> I am looking forward to your comments. > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>> You can access the FLIP here: > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/FLINK/FLIP-113%3A+SQL+and+Planner+Hints > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>> Best, > > > > > >>>>>>>>>>> Danny Chan > > > > > >>>>>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>>> > > > > > >>>>>> > > > > > >>>>> > > > > > >>> > > > > > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >