Files
lancedb/nodejs/lancedb/blob.ts
T
Will JonesandClaude a68c7be202 feat(node): accept ArrayBuffer, Blob/File, and URL as blob column inputs (#4313)
Closes #4270.

## Summary

Blob v2 columns now accept more of the containers TypeScript code
commonly has, both as the column value and inside `{ data }` / `{ uri
}`:

| Input | Handling |
|---|---|
| `ArrayBuffer` | `new Uint8Array(value)`, no copy |
| `URL` | stored as `value.href` |
| `Blob` / `File` | `await value.arrayBuffer()` in the async write
paths: `createTable`, `add`, `mergeInsert` |

`makeArrowTable` is synchronous, so it can't read a `Blob`. Given one,
it throws an error that names the field and row and points to the async
APIs or `new Uint8Array(await value.arrayBuffer())`. It does not write a
null blob.

### Types
`BlobInput` is now the accepted input type. It is widened to the types
above and exported from the package entry point with `BlobData` and
`BlobUri`, so callers can annotate rows and `tsc` catches bad inputs.
The struct forms are a union that requires exactly one of `data` /
`uri`. The old normalized `{ data, uri }` shape is renamed to
`BlobValue` (internal).

### Implementation
- `blob.ts`: `normalizeBlobInput` (sync: `ArrayBuffer`/`URL`),
`resolveBlobInput` (async: `Blob`/`File`). `coerceBlobValue` normalizes
first.
- `arrow.ts`: `mapBlobInputs` walks only the blob positions in the
schema, including blobs nested in structs and lists. It copies records
and arrays only where a value changed, so caller data is never mutated.
`resolveBlobInputs` runs before `makeArrowTable` in `convertToTable`
(used by `add` / `mergeInsert`) and in `createTable`. Each distinct
`Blob` is read once.
- `makeArrowTable` now coerces every blob value to the full `{ data, uri
}` struct **before** schema inference. This also fixes two bugs that
existed before this change:
  - Rows mixing plain bytes with `{ data }` failed inference.
- A `{ uri }`-only struct produced a blob struct missing its `data`
child.

  Blob validation errors now include the field path and row.
- Also fixed along the way:
- `add` / `mergeInsert` on a table with an embedding function rejected
most blob values, because `ensureNestedFieldsExist` filled blob columns
in like ordinary structs. It now skips them.
- With a schema, a struct field that is `null` in one row and a record
in a later row failed inference. Primitives and arrays given for a
struct field are now rejected instead of being written as an all-null
struct.
- Blob structs with keys other than `data` / `uri` are rejected, which
catches typos. Class instances with `data` / `uri` are handled like
plain objects.

## Testing
- Unit tests in `__test__/blob.test.ts`: coercion of the new types,
rejection and error messages for `Blob` in the sync path, nested lists
and structs, `resolveBlobInputs` (only blob columns touched, caller data
untouched, shared `Blob` read once).
- Table tests in `__test__/table.test.ts`:
- `createTable`, `add`, and `mergeInsert` round-trip `ArrayBuffer` /
`Blob` / `File` bytes through `fetchBlobs`.
- `URL` and `{ uri: URL }` are added to the external-blob round-trip
test from #4317 (`allowExternalBlobOutsideBases`).
- Full `jest` suite passes locally after the rebase (938 passed). `pnpm
lint` is clean and `pnpm run docs` has been regenerated.

Streaming inputs (`ReadableStream`, Node `Readable`, async iterables)
remain out of scope, as the issue says.

🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)

https://claude.ai/code/session_012U4KdHofT5edv3LcXHXbLv

---------

Co-authored-by: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-10-05 12:35:00 -07:00

482 lines
13 KiB
TypeScript

// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright The LanceDB Authors
import { Field, LargeBinary, Struct, Utf8 } from "apache-arrow";
import { BlobFile as NativeBlobFile } from "./native";
const BLOB_V2_EXTENSION_NAME = "lance.blob.v2";
const INLINE_SIZE_THRESHOLD_KEY = "lance-encoding:blob-inline-size-threshold";
const DEDICATED_SIZE_THRESHOLD_KEY =
"lance-encoding:blob-dedicated-size-threshold";
const PACK_FILE_SIZE_THRESHOLD_KEY =
"lance-encoding:blob-pack-file-size-threshold";
/**
* Bytes accepted for a blob value. `ArrayBuffer` is wrapped without copying.
* `Blob` and `File` are read with `arrayBuffer()`, which only the async write
* paths ({@link Connection.createTable}, {@link Table.add},
* {@link Table.mergeInsert}) can do.
*/
export type BlobData = Buffer | Uint8Array | ArrayBuffer | Blob;
/** A URI accepted for a blob value. A `URL` is stored as its `href`. */
export type BlobUri = string | URL;
/**
* A value accepted for a `lance.blob.v2` column (see {@link blob}).
*
* Either inline bytes, a URI pointing at external bytes, or a struct that sets
* exactly one of `data` or `uri`. `null` and `undefined` write a null blob.
*
* @example
* ```ts
* import { pathToFileURL } from "node:url";
* import type { BlobInput } from "@lancedb/lancedb";
*
* const rows: { id: bigint; image: BlobInput }[] = [
* { id: 1n, image: await (await fetch(url)).arrayBuffer() },
* { id: 2n, image: pathToFileURL("/data/cat.png") },
* { id: 3n, image: { data: new Blob(["hello"]) } },
* ];
* await table.add(rows);
* ```
*/
export type BlobInput =
| BlobData
| BlobUri
| { data: BlobData; uri?: null }
| { data?: null; uri: BlobUri }
| null
| undefined;
/** A blob value normalized to the columns of the blob struct. */
export type BlobValue = {
data: Buffer | Uint8Array | null;
uri: string | null;
};
export type BlobOptions = {
/** Defaults to true. */
nullable?: boolean;
/**
* Max payload bytes kept inline in the data file. Zero is allowed. Must be a
* safe integer.
*/
inlineSizeThreshold?: number;
/**
* Max payload bytes stored in a packed sidecar before a dedicated file. Must
* be a positive safe integer.
*/
dedicatedSizeThreshold?: number;
/**
* Max bytes in one packed sidecar before starting another. Must be a positive
* safe integer.
*/
packFileSizeThreshold?: number;
};
/**
* Declares a `lance.blob.v2` column.
*
* Query results are descriptors, not payload bytes. Use {@link Table.fetchBlobs}
* or {@link Table.fetchBlobFiles} to read bytes.
*
* @example
* ```ts
* import { readFile } from "node:fs/promises";
* import { Field, Int64, Schema } from "apache-arrow";
* import { blob, connect } from "@lancedb/lancedb";
*
* const db = await connect("./data");
* const video = await readFile("clip.mp4");
* const table = await db.createTable(
* "videos",
* [{ id: 1n, video }],
* {
* schema: new Schema([
* new Field("id", new Int64()),
* blob("video"),
* ]),
* },
* );
*
* const rows = await table.query().select(["id"]).withRowId().toArray();
* const rowIds = rows.map((row) => row._rowid as bigint);
* const bytes = await table.fetchBlobs("video", rowIds);
*
* const [handle] = await table.fetchBlobFiles("video", rowIds);
* const size = handle!.size();
* const header = await handle!.readRange(0n, size < 65536n ? size : 65536n);
* ```
*/
export function blob(name: string, options: BlobOptions = {}): Field {
const metadata = new Map<string, string>([
["ARROW:extension:name", BLOB_V2_EXTENSION_NAME],
]);
setThreshold(
metadata,
INLINE_SIZE_THRESHOLD_KEY,
"inlineSizeThreshold",
options.inlineSizeThreshold,
0,
);
setThreshold(
metadata,
DEDICATED_SIZE_THRESHOLD_KEY,
"dedicatedSizeThreshold",
options.dedicatedSizeThreshold,
1,
);
setThreshold(
metadata,
PACK_FILE_SIZE_THRESHOLD_KEY,
"packFileSizeThreshold",
options.packFileSizeThreshold,
1,
);
return new Field(
name,
new Struct([
new Field("data", new LargeBinary(), true),
new Field("uri", new Utf8(), true),
]),
options.nullable ?? true,
metadata,
);
}
/**
* Checks for the `lance.blob.v2` extension marker. Does not validate the
* field's storage type.
*/
export function isBlobField(field: Field): boolean {
return field.metadata?.get("ARROW:extension:name") === BLOB_V2_EXTENSION_NAME;
}
/**
* A lazy handle to blob bytes. Create one with {@link Table.fetchBlobFiles}.
*
* @hideconstructor
*/
export class BlobFile {
private readonly inner: NativeBlobFile;
private constructor(inner: NativeBlobFile) {
if (!(inner instanceof NativeBlobFile)) {
throw new Error("BlobFile handles come from Table.fetchBlobFiles");
}
this.inner = inner;
}
/** @ignore */
static fromNative(inner: NativeBlobFile): BlobFile {
return new BlobFile(inner);
}
/** Returns the blob size in bytes. */
size(): bigint {
return this.inner.size();
}
/**
* Reads from the cursor and advances the cursor.
*
* Reads to the end when `maxBytes` is omitted, or at most `maxBytes` bytes
* otherwise. Returns an empty buffer at the end of the blob.
* {@link BlobFile.readRange} does not move the cursor.
*/
read(maxBytes?: bigint, options?: BlobReadOptions): Promise<Buffer> {
return runWithSignal(options?.signal, (signal) =>
this.inner.read(maxBytes, signal),
);
}
/**
* Reads the half-open byte range `[start, end)`.
*
* Fails when `end` is past the blob size. Does not move the cursor.
*/
readRange(
start: bigint,
end: bigint,
options?: BlobReadOptions,
): Promise<Buffer> {
return runWithSignal(options?.signal, (signal) =>
this.inner.readRange(start, end, signal),
);
}
/**
* Reads several half-open byte ranges. Returns one buffer per range, in
* the order given.
*
* Fails when any `end` is past the blob size. Does not move the cursor.
*/
readRanges(
ranges: BlobRange[],
options?: BlobReadOptions,
): Promise<Buffer[]> {
return runWithSignal(options?.signal, (signal) =>
this.inner.readRanges(ranges, signal),
);
}
/** Moves the cursor to `position`, in bytes from the start of the blob. */
seek(position: bigint): Promise<void> {
return this.inner.seek(position);
}
/** Returns the cursor position in bytes. */
tell(): Promise<bigint> {
return this.inner.tell();
}
/**
* Releases the handle. Reads after `close()` fail. Calling it again does
* nothing.
*/
close(): Promise<void> {
return this.inner.close();
}
/** Returns true after {@link BlobFile.close}. */
isClosed(): boolean {
return this.inner.isClosed();
}
}
/** Options for blob reads. */
export type BlobReadOptions = {
/**
* Cancels the read. The call rejects with `signal.reason`, and the native
* read stops, including in-flight requests to a remote table.
*/
signal?: AbortSignal;
};
/** @ignore */
export async function runWithSignal<T>(
signal: AbortSignal | undefined,
run: (signal: AbortSignal | undefined) => Promise<T>,
): Promise<T> {
if (signal === undefined) {
return run(undefined);
}
signal.throwIfAborted();
// napi-rs replaces `onabort` on the signal it receives, so pass a private
// signal and forward the caller's abort to it.
const controller = new AbortController();
const onAbort = () => controller.abort();
signal.addEventListener("abort", onAbort, { once: true });
try {
return await run(controller.signal);
} catch (err) {
if (signal.aborted) {
throw signal.reason;
}
throw err;
} finally {
signal.removeEventListener("abort", onAbort);
}
}
/** A half-open byte range `[start, end)` for {@link BlobFile.readRanges}. */
export type BlobRange = {
start: bigint;
end: bigint;
};
/**
* Rewrites the synchronous-only widenings of {@link BlobInput} (`ArrayBuffer`,
* `URL`) into `Uint8Array` and URI strings, keeping the value's shape. Other
* values are returned unchanged and validated later by {@link coerceBlobValue}.
*
* Throws on `Blob` / `File`, which must be read into bytes first.
*/
export function normalizeBlobInput(value: unknown): unknown {
if (blobToRead(value) !== undefined) {
throw new Error(
"Blob and File values must be read asynchronously. Pass them to " +
"createTable, add, or mergeInsert, or convert them with " +
"`new Uint8Array(await value.arrayBuffer())`",
);
}
if (value instanceof ArrayBuffer) {
return new Uint8Array(value);
}
if (value instanceof URL) {
return value.href;
}
if (isBlobStruct(value)) {
// Read `data` and `uri` explicitly: spreading a class instance would drop
// fields defined as getters on its prototype.
const out: Record<string, unknown> = {
...value,
data: value.data,
uri: value.uri,
};
let changed = false;
if (value.data instanceof ArrayBuffer) {
out.data = new Uint8Array(value.data);
changed = true;
}
if (value.uri instanceof URL) {
out.uri = value.uri.href;
changed = true;
}
return changed ? out : value;
}
return value;
}
/**
* Returns the `Blob` / `File` a blob value needs read, either the value itself
* or its `data` field, or `undefined` when there is nothing to read.
*/
export function blobToRead(value: unknown): Blob | undefined {
if (isBlobLike(value)) {
return value;
}
if (isBlobStruct(value) && isBlobLike(value.data)) {
return value.data;
}
return undefined;
}
/**
* Replaces the `Blob` that {@link blobToRead} found in `value` with `bytes`,
* keeping the value's shape.
*/
export function withBlobBytes(value: unknown, bytes: Uint8Array): unknown {
if (isBlobLike(value)) {
return bytes;
}
const record = value as Record<string, unknown>;
return { ...record, uri: record.uri, data: bytes };
}
export function coerceBlobValue(input: unknown): BlobValue | null {
const value = normalizeBlobInput(input);
if (value == null) {
return null;
}
if (isBlobBytes(value)) {
return { data: value, uri: null };
}
if (ArrayBuffer.isView(value)) {
throw new Error(
"Blob data must be Buffer, Uint8Array, ArrayBuffer, or Blob",
);
}
if (typeof value === "string") {
if (value === "") {
throw new Error("Blob uri cannot be empty");
}
return { data: null, uri: value };
}
if (isBlobStruct(value)) {
const record = value;
if (!("data" in record) && !("uri" in record)) {
throw new Error(
"Blob struct values must include a 'data' or 'uri' field",
);
}
const unknownKeys = Object.keys(record).filter(
(key) => key !== "data" && key !== "uri",
);
if (unknownKeys.length > 0) {
throw new Error(
`Blob struct values only support 'data' and 'uri', got ${unknownKeys
.map((key) => `'${key}'`)
.join(", ")}`,
);
}
const uri = record.uri;
if (uri === "") {
throw new Error("Blob uri cannot be empty");
}
if (uri != null && typeof uri !== "string") {
throw new Error(
`Blob uri must be a string, URL, or null, got ${typeof uri}`,
);
}
const data = record.data;
if (data != null && !isBlobBytes(data)) {
throw new Error(
"Blob data must be Buffer, Uint8Array, ArrayBuffer, Blob, or null",
);
}
const bytes = (data as Buffer | Uint8Array | null | undefined) ?? null;
const uriValue = uri ?? null;
if ((bytes == null) === (uriValue == null)) {
throw new Error(
"Blob struct values must set exactly one of 'data' or 'uri'",
);
}
return { data: bytes, uri: uriValue };
}
throw new Error(
"Blob column values must be Buffer, Uint8Array, ArrayBuffer, Blob, a URI string or URL, null, or { data?, uri? }",
);
}
function isBlobLike(value: unknown): value is Blob {
return typeof Blob !== "undefined" && value instanceof Blob;
}
/**
* Whether `value` is a `{ data?, uri? }` struct: any plain object, or any
* other object with a `data` or `uri` field (such as a class instance), apart
* from the binary, `Blob`, and `URL` values that are blob inputs themselves.
*/
function isBlobStruct(value: unknown): value is Record<string, unknown> {
if (
typeof value !== "object" ||
value === null ||
Array.isArray(value) ||
ArrayBuffer.isView(value) ||
value instanceof ArrayBuffer ||
(typeof SharedArrayBuffer !== "undefined" &&
value instanceof SharedArrayBuffer) ||
isBlobLike(value) ||
value instanceof URL
) {
return false;
}
const prototype = Object.getPrototypeOf(value);
return (
prototype === Object.prototype ||
prototype === null ||
"data" in value ||
"uri" in value
);
}
function isBlobBytes(value: unknown): value is Buffer | Uint8Array {
return Buffer.isBuffer(value) || value instanceof Uint8Array;
}
function setThreshold(
metadata: Map<string, string>,
key: string,
optionName: string,
value: number | undefined,
minimum: number,
): void {
if (value === undefined) {
return;
}
if (!Number.isSafeInteger(value)) {
throw new Error(`${optionName} must be a safe integer`);
}
if (value < minimum) {
throw new Error(
minimum <= 0
? `${optionName} must be non-negative`
: `${optionName} must be positive`,
);
}
metadata.set(key, String(value));
}