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Error 10: NOT_FOUND_COLUMN_IN_BLOCK

Tip

This error occurs when ClickHouse attempts to access a column that doesn't exist in a data block during query execution, merge operations, or mutations. It typically indicates schema inconsistency between table metadata and actual data parts.

Most common causes​

  1. Schema Evolution Issues with Mutations

    • Mutations fail when trying to process parts that were created before certain columns were added to the table
    • Parts with different data versions have different column sets
    • Missing internal columns like _block_number during DELETE mutations

  2. ALTER TABLE Operations Gone Wrong

    • Column additions/modifications not properly applied to all parts
    • Incomplete mutations that leave some parts with old schema

  3. Missing Internal Columns

    • _block_number column missing during DELETE mutations (very common case)
    • Virtual columns expected but not present in older data parts

  4. Projection-Related Issues

    • Materialized projections referencing columns that don't exist in older parts
    • Projection calculations failing when columns are missing from source data

Common solutions​

1. Kill and Retry the Mutation

-- Check stuck mutations
SELECT * FROM system.mutations WHERE NOT is_done;

-- Kill problematic mutation
KILL MUTATION WHERE mutation_id = 'your_mutation_id';

-- Retry the operation

2. Force Part Merges

-- For specific table
OPTIMIZE TABLE your_table FINAL;

This can help consolidate parts with different schemas.

3. Check Part Versions

SELECT 
    data_version,
    count(),
    groupArray(name)
FROM system.parts
WHERE database = 'your_db' AND table = 'your_table'
GROUP BY data_version;

Look for parts with very old data versions that might be missing columns.

4. Verify Column Presence Across Parts

  • Old parts created before column additions may be missing columns
  • Use clickhouse-disk utility to inspect actual column metadata in parts

5. For Missing _block_number Errors This is a known issue with DELETE mutations on tables with older parts. Solutions:

  • Kill the mutation and retry
  • Consider using lightweight deletes if available in your version
  • Upgrade to newer ClickHouse versions where this is fixed

6. For Projection Errors

If the error occurs during projection materialization:

-- Drop and recreate the projection
ALTER TABLE your_table DROP PROJECTION projection_name;
ALTER TABLE your_table ADD PROJECTION projection_name (...);
ALTER TABLE your_table MATERIALIZE PROJECTION projection_name;

Prevention tips​

  1. Plan Schema Changes Carefully: Understand that all existing parts need to be processed when adding columns used in mutations
  2. Monitor Mutation Queue: Regularly check system.mutations for stuck operations
  3. Use Proper ALTER Syntax: Ensure ALTER TABLE operations complete successfully
  4. Keep ClickHouse Updated: Many of these issues are fixed in newer versions
  5. Regular OPTIMIZE Operations: Help consolidate parts and maintain schema consistency

If you're experiencing this error, it is recommended to:

  1. Check system.mutations to identify the stuck mutation
  2. Examine part versions to find schema inconsistencies
  3. Kill and retry the mutation as a first step
  4. If it persists, consider escalating to ClickHouse support with specific details about your table schema and the failing operation