apache-sparkapache-spark-sqlapache-spark-datasetkryo

How to store nested custom objects in Spark Dataset?


The question is a follow-up of How to store custom objects in Dataset?

Spark version: 3.0.1

Non-nested custom type is achievable:

import spark.implicits._
import org.apache.spark.sql.{Encoder, Encoders}

class AnObj(val a: Int, val b: String)

implicit val myEncoder: Encoder[AnObj] = Encoders.kryo[AnObj] 

val d = spark.createDataset(Seq(new AnObj(1, "a")))

d.printSchema
root
 |-- value: binary (nullable = true)

However, if the custom type is nested inside a product type (i.e. case class), it gives an error:

java.lang.UnsupportedOperationException: No Encoder found for InnerObj

import spark.implicits._
import org.apache.spark.sql.{Encoder, Encoders}

class InnerObj(val a: Int, val b: String)
case class MyObj(val i: Int, val j: InnerObj)

implicit val myEncoder: Encoder[InnerObj] = Encoders.kryo[InnerObj] 

// error
val d = spark.createDataset(Seq(new MyObj(1, new InnerObj(0, "a"))))
// it gives Runtime error: java.lang.UnsupportedOperationException: No Encoder found for InnerObj

How can we create Dataset with nested custom type?


Solution

  • Adding the encoders for both MyObj and InnerObj should make it work.

      class InnerObj(val a:Int, val b: String)
      case class MyObj(val i: Int, j: InnerObj)
    
      implicit val myEncoder: Encoder[InnerObj] = Encoders.kryo[InnerObj]
      implicit val objEncoder: Encoder[MyObj] = Encoders.kryo[MyObj]
    

    The above snippet compile and run fine