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Filtering dates 'in the past [X]' - Looker inserts empty string into CURRENT_DATE('')

  • 29 April 2021
  • 5 replies
  • 186 views
joe_c

Hey all,

I’m trying to figure out this weird error I’m getting. When I filter my dates with ‘is in the past 5 months’, I get the error `Query execution failed: - Invalid empty time zone`, but when I use a date range for the filter, there is no issue.

I looked into the SQL code behind the scenes, and it seems like Looker is using CURRENT_DATE(‘’) with an empty string for the ‘is in the past [x]’ filter. Has anyone experienced this? Any suggestions to still use the ‘is in the past [x]’ filter without having this issue.

Thanks!

Joe

This topic has been closed for comments

5 replies

bigbear

Same issue for us.  Started this morning (2021-04-29) too, during a demo no less.  Specifically, we are using BigQuery and now any Look or Dashboard that includes a date range is creating SQL with CURRENT_DATE(‘’) and generates the same error seen in the previous post.

NB

jhiggins

We are also seeing this issue and as a current workaround we are asking users to filter dates filters with absolute date ranges over relative. This isn’t a sustainable workaround, this should be escalated!

ben-at-fullstory

We’re noticing the same thing, starting 4/29/2021. 

Jonathan_Palmer
Userlevel 2

We had the same issue and it is caused by the latest release either making the timezone parameter on BQ connections mandatory or by the release somehow dropping the value that is already set. If you check your BQ connection in Admin (I believe this issue relates to BQ only) you can just fix the parameter there and the problem should be solved I believe. Looker say they’re releasing a patch soon.

joe_c

Looker got back in touch and said the issue should be fixed in a patch that was deployed yesterday evening

 

Based on the empty string that you shared, CURRENT_DATE(''), it looks like you're running into an issue that was introduced in v21.6. Our engineering team fixed this issue earlier today and your instance will be updated with the patch this coming Sunday evening (5/2) during the maintenance window.