Working with databases can be a challenging task, especially when you’re dealing with complex data queries. As data continues to grow and become more complex, companies are turning to cloud data platforms like Snowflake to help manage their data needs. Snowflake is known for its user-friendliness and ease of use, making it a popular choice for companies looking to streamline their data management processes.
However, even with a platform as powerful as Snowflake, errors can still occur. One common error that you may encounter when working with Snowflake is the “SQL compilation error: syntax error line N at position N unexpected ‘ON’” error. This error can be frustrating to deal with, but with a little troubleshooting, it can be resolved.
Let’s say you have the following query:
Select A.col1,B.col2 from tbl A
inner join tbl2 B on A.col1 = B.col2 and A.col2=B.col2
When you run the query, you receive the following error message:
SQL compilation error: syntax error line N at position N unexpected ‘ON’
This error message indicates that there is a syntax error in your query.
But why is this happening?
One of the most common causes of this error is the presence of non-ASCII characters in your query. Non-ASCII characters are any characters that are not part of the standard ASCII character set, which includes letters, numbers, and basic punctuation marks. Non-ASCII characters can be invisible in some text editors, which can make them difficult to detect. However, these characters can cause issues with the parser and cause syntax errors in your query.
To troubleshoot this issue, you can use a text editor like Notepad++ to check for non-ASCII characters in your query. Simply copy and paste your query into Notepad++ and any non-ASCII characters will be highlighted. You can then remove these characters or replace them with a space to ensure that your query runs smoothly.
Another solution to this issue is to copy and paste your query onto your browser’s address bar. This will remove any formatting that may be causing issues in your query. Once you’ve done this, you can copy and paste your query back into Snowflake or your text editor to continue working on it.
Conclusion
Working with databases can be a challenging task, but with the right tools and techniques, you can quickly resolve any issues that may arise. If you encounter the “SQL compilation error: syntax error line N at position N unexpected ‘ON’” error in Snowflake, be sure to check for non-ASCII characters in your query and remove any formatting issues that may be causing problems. With a little troubleshooting, you’ll be back to working with your data in no time.
If you are unsure how to compare your data in Snowflake or would like to speak with an expert to learn more, Anyon Consulting – BI group can help! Our database experts and consultants that can answer any questions on customize dashboards, help with your database implementation, optimize your database platform, and much more. Contact us today to learn more about our Custom Database Development.
