[jira] [Created] (ASTERIXDB-2604) Error message improvement needed for missing semicolon

["Michael J. Carey (JIRA)" <ji...@apache.org>]

Michael J. Carey created ASTERIXDB-2604:
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             Summary: Error message improvement needed for missing semicolon
                 Key: ASTERIXDB-2604
                 URL: https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/ASTERIXDB-2604
             Project: Apache AsterixDB
          Issue Type: Bug
    Affects Versions: 0.9.4.1, 0.9.5
            Reporter: Michael J. Carey
            Assignee: Dmitry Lychagin
             Fix For: 0.9.5, 0.9.6


It would be REALLY nice if we could coax the compiler into doing a better job of reporting the missing-final-semicolon issue.  This is a big usability nasty for new users, or even for more experienced users, as the error message is VERY misleading.  Here is a simple example:

QUERY:  \{"userid":"123","username":"DmitryL"}

ERROR:  
ASX1001: Syntax error: In line 2 >>\{"userid":"123","username":"DmitryL"}<< Encountered  at column 39.  [CompilationException]
 
The natural reaction is to start looking at what's there for what's wrong - it looks as if something is missing/wrong in what's been given.  INSTEAD the problem is what is NOT there - it's not what has been "Encountered" - it's what has NOT been encountered.  I think maybe the space between "Encountered" and "at" has an unprintable EOF or something - not sure - but the way it prints now it looks as if the << is "pointing" to what's been encountered.
 
Can we (1) make the unexpected encountered thing CLEAR somehow, and for extra credit, maybe (2) convey that what was expected was a closing semi-colon?
 
I realize this may be a JavaCC issue/limitation - but right now this is kinda sucky and it makes for a bad out-of-box experience.  What can we do?



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