feat(python): support nested reference for fts (#723)

https://github.com/lancedb/lance/issues/1739

Support nested field reference in full text search

---------

Co-authored-by: Will Jones <willjones127@gmail.com>

python/lancedb/fts.py

@@ -75,8 +75,14 @@ def populate_index(index: tantivy.Index, table: LanceTable, fields: List[str]) -
         The number of rows indexed
     """
     # first check the fields exist and are string or large string type
+    nested = []
     for name in fields:
-        f = table.schema.field(name)  # raises KeyError if not found
+        try:
+            f = table.schema.field(name)  # raises KeyError if not found
+        except KeyError:
+            f = resolve_path(table.schema, name)
+            nested.append(name)
+
         if not pa.types.is_string(f.type) and not pa.types.is_large_string(f.type):
             raise TypeError(f"Field {name} is not a string type")
 
@@ -85,7 +91,16 @@ def populate_index(index: tantivy.Index, table: LanceTable, fields: List[str]) -
     # write data into index
     dataset = table.to_lance()
     row_id = 0
+
+    max_nested_level = 0
+    if len(nested) > 0:
+        max_nested_level = max([len(name.split(".")) for name in nested])
+
     for b in dataset.to_batches(columns=fields):
+        if max_nested_level > 0:
+            b = pa.Table.from_batches([b])
+            for _ in range(max_nested_level - 1):
+                b = b.flatten()
         for i in range(b.num_rows):
             doc = tantivy.Document()
             doc.add_integer("doc_id", row_id)
@@ -98,6 +113,30 @@ def populate_index(index: tantivy.Index, table: LanceTable, fields: List[str]) -
     return row_id
 
 
+def resolve_path(schema, field_name: str) -> pa.Field:
+    """
+    Resolve a nested field path to a list of field names
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    field_name : str
+        The field name to resolve
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    List[str]
+        The resolved path
+    """
+    path = field_name.split(".")
+    field = schema.field(path.pop(0))
+    for segment in path:
+        if pa.types.is_struct(field.type):
+            field = field.type.field(segment)
+        else:
+            raise KeyError(f"field {field_name} not found in schema {schema}")
+    return field
+
+
 def search_index(
     index: tantivy.Index, query: str, limit: int = 10
 ) -> Tuple[Tuple[int], Tuple[float]]:

python/tests/test_fts.py

@@ -43,7 +43,15 @@ def table(tmp_path) -> ldb.table.LanceTable:
         for _ in range(100)
     ]
     table = db.create_table(
-        "test", data=pd.DataFrame({"vector": vectors, "text": text, "text2": text})
+        "test",
+        data=pd.DataFrame(
+            {
+                "vector": vectors,
+                "text": text,
+                "text2": text,
+                "nested": [{"text": t} for t in text],
+            }
+        ),
     )
     return table
 
@@ -89,3 +97,9 @@ def test_empty_rs(tmp_path, table, mocker):
     mocker.patch("lancedb.fts.search_index", return_value=([], []))
     df = table.search("puppy").limit(10).to_pandas()
     assert len(df) == 0
+
+
+def test_nested_schema(tmp_path, table):
+    table.create_fts_index("nested.text")
+    rs = table.search("puppy").limit(10).to_list()
+    assert len(rs) == 10