From 367abe99d22db05a1c36163dd1a826fc1e234dfb Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: mrncstt <mrncstt@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 3 Mar 2026 22:36:08 +0100
Subject: [PATCH] feat(python): support dict to SQL struct conversion in
 table.update() (#3089)
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## Summary

- Add `@value_to_sql.register(dict)` handler that converts Python dicts
to DataFusion's `named_struct()` SQL syntax
- Enables updating struct-typed columns via `table.update(values={"col":
{"field_a": 1, "field_b": "hello"}})`
- Recursively handles nested structs, lists, nulls, and all existing
scalar types

Closes #1363

## Details

The `named_struct` function was introduced in DataFusion 38 and is now
available (LanceDB uses DataFusion 52.1). The implementation follows the
existing `singledispatch` pattern in `util.py`.

**Example conversion:**
```python
value_to_sql({"field_a": 1, "field_b": "hello"})
# => "named_struct('field_a', 1, 'field_b', 'hello')"
```

## Test plan

- [x] Unit tests for flat struct, nested struct, list inside struct,
mixed types, null values, and empty dict
- [ ] CI integration tests with actual table.update() on struct columns

🔗 [DataFusion named_struct
docs](https://datafusion.apache.org/user-guide/sql/scalar_functions.html#named-struct)
---
 python/python/lancedb/util.py    | 10 ++++++++++
 python/python/tests/test_util.py | 26 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 36 insertions(+)

diff --git a/python/python/lancedb/util.py b/python/python/lancedb/util.py
index a3666c75c..d5b66707f 100644
--- a/python/python/lancedb/util.py
+++ b/python/python/lancedb/util.py
@@ -324,6 +324,16 @@ def _(value: list):
     return "[" + ", ".join(map(value_to_sql, value)) + "]"
 
 
+@value_to_sql.register(dict)
+def _(value: dict):
+    # https://datafusion.apache.org/user-guide/sql/scalar_functions.html#named-struct
+    return (
+        "named_struct("
+        + ", ".join(f"'{k}', {value_to_sql(v)}" for k, v in value.items())
+        + ")"
+    )
+
+
 @value_to_sql.register(np.ndarray)
 def _(value: np.ndarray):
     return value_to_sql(value.tolist())
diff --git a/python/python/tests/test_util.py b/python/python/tests/test_util.py
index e7ba8bf86..74296a221 100644
--- a/python/python/tests/test_util.py
+++ b/python/python/tests/test_util.py
@@ -121,6 +121,32 @@ def test_value_to_sql_string(tmp_path):
         assert table.to_pandas().query("search == @value")["replace"].item() == value
 
 
+def test_value_to_sql_dict():
+    # Simple flat struct
+    assert value_to_sql({"a": 1, "b": "hello"}) == "named_struct('a', 1, 'b', 'hello')"
+
+    # Nested struct
+    assert (
+        value_to_sql({"outer": {"inner": 1}})
+        == "named_struct('outer', named_struct('inner', 1))"
+    )
+
+    # List inside struct
+    assert value_to_sql({"a": [1, 2]}) == "named_struct('a', [1, 2])"
+
+    # Mixed types
+    assert (
+        value_to_sql({"name": "test", "count": 42, "rate": 3.14, "active": True})
+        == "named_struct('name', 'test', 'count', 42, 'rate', 3.14, 'active', TRUE)"
+    )
+
+    # Null value inside struct
+    assert value_to_sql({"a": None}) == "named_struct('a', NULL)"
+
+    # Empty dict
+    assert value_to_sql({}) == "named_struct()"
+
+
 def test_append_vector_columns():
     registry = EmbeddingFunctionRegistry.get_instance()
     registry.register("test")(MockTextEmbeddingFunction)