ESQL: Report original_types (elastic#124913)

Adds the `original_types` to the description of ESQL's `unsupported`
fields. This looks like:

```
    {
      "name" : "a",
      "type" : "unsupported",
      "original_types" : [
        "long",
        "text"
      ]
    }
```

for union types. And like:

```
    {
      "name" : "a",
      "type" : "unsupported",
      "original_types" : [
        "date_range"
      ]
    }
```

for truly unsupported types.

This information is useful for the UI. For union types it can suggest
that users append a cast.

Author: nik9000

docs/changelog/124913.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+pr: 124913
+summary: Report `original_types`
+area: ES|QL
+type: enhancement
+issues: []

server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/TransportVersions.java

@@ -203,6 +203,7 @@ static TransportVersion def(int id) {
     public static final TransportVersion ESQL_AGGREGATE_METRIC_DOUBLE_LITERAL = def(9_035_0_00);
     public static final TransportVersion INDEX_METADATA_INCLUDES_RECENT_WRITE_LOAD = def(9_036_0_00);
     public static final TransportVersion RERANK_COMMON_OPTIONS_ADDED = def(9_037_0_00);
+    public static final TransportVersion ESQL_REPORT_ORIGINAL_TYPES = def(9_038_00_0);
 
     /*
      * STOP! READ THIS FIRST! No, really,

x-pack/plugin/esql-core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/esql/core/expression/Attribute.java

@@ -137,4 +137,14 @@ public String nodeString() {
     }
 
     protected abstract String label();
+
+    /**
+     * If this field is unsupported this contains the underlying ES types. If there
+     * is a type conflict this will have many elements, some or all of which may
+     * be actually supported types.
+     */
+    @Nullable
+    public List<String> originalTypes() {
+        return null;
+    }
 }

x-pack/plugin/esql-core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/esql/core/type/UnsupportedEsField.java

@@ -6,10 +6,14 @@
  */
 package org.elasticsearch.xpack.esql.core.type;
 
+import org.elasticsearch.TransportVersions;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.StreamInput;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.StreamOutput;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.esql.core.util.PlanStreamInput;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.esql.core.util.PlanStreamOutput;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
+import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Objects;
 import java.util.TreeMap;
@@ -23,32 +27,39 @@
  */
 public class UnsupportedEsField extends EsField {
 
-    private final String originalType;
+    private final List<String> originalTypes;
     private final String inherited; // for fields belonging to parents (or grandparents) that have an unsupported type
 
-    public UnsupportedEsField(String name, String originalType) {
-        this(name, originalType, null, new TreeMap<>());
+    public UnsupportedEsField(String name, List<String> originalTypes) {
+        this(name, originalTypes, null, new TreeMap<>());
     }
 
-    public UnsupportedEsField(String name, String originalType, String inherited, Map<String, EsField> properties) {
+    public UnsupportedEsField(String name, List<String> originalTypes, String inherited, Map<String, EsField> properties) {
         super(name, DataType.UNSUPPORTED, properties, false);
-        this.originalType = originalType;
+        this.originalTypes = originalTypes;
         this.inherited = inherited;
     }
 
     public UnsupportedEsField(StreamInput in) throws IOException {
-        this(
-            readCachedStringWithVersionCheck(in),
-            readCachedStringWithVersionCheck(in),
-            in.readOptionalString(),
-            in.readImmutableMap(EsField::readFrom)
-        );
+        this(readCachedStringWithVersionCheck(in), readOriginalTypes(in), in.readOptionalString(), in.readImmutableMap(EsField::readFrom));
+    }
+
+    private static List<String> readOriginalTypes(StreamInput in) throws IOException {
+        if (in.getTransportVersion().onOrAfter(TransportVersions.ESQL_REPORT_ORIGINAL_TYPES)) {
+            return in.readCollectionAsList(i -> ((PlanStreamInput) i).readCachedString());
+        } else {
+            return List.of(readCachedStringWithVersionCheck(in).split(","));
+        }
     }
 
     @Override
     public void writeContent(StreamOutput out) throws IOException {
         writeCachedStringWithVersionCheck(out, getName());
-        writeCachedStringWithVersionCheck(out, getOriginalType());
+        if (out.getTransportVersion().onOrAfter(TransportVersions.ESQL_REPORT_ORIGINAL_TYPES)) {
+            out.writeCollection(getOriginalTypes(), (o, s) -> ((PlanStreamOutput) o).writeCachedString(s));
+        } else {
+            writeCachedStringWithVersionCheck(out, String.join(",", getOriginalTypes()));
+        }
         out.writeOptionalString(getInherited());
         out.writeMap(getProperties(), (o, x) -> x.writeTo(out));
     }
@@ -57,8 +68,8 @@ public String getWriteableName() {
         return "UnsupportedEsField";
     }
 
-    public String getOriginalType() {
-        return originalType;
+    public List<String> getOriginalTypes() {
+        return originalTypes;
     }
 
     public String getInherited() {
@@ -81,11 +92,11 @@ public boolean equals(Object o) {
             return false;
         }
         UnsupportedEsField that = (UnsupportedEsField) o;
-        return Objects.equals(originalType, that.originalType) && Objects.equals(inherited, that.inherited);
+        return Objects.equals(originalTypes, that.originalTypes) && Objects.equals(inherited, that.inherited);
     }
 
     @Override
     public int hashCode() {
-        return Objects.hash(super.hashCode(), originalType, inherited);
+        return Objects.hash(super.hashCode(), originalTypes, inherited);
     }
 }

x-pack/plugin/esql/qa/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/esql/qa/rest/FieldExtractorTestCase.java

@@ -327,12 +327,13 @@ public void testAliasToInt() throws IOException {
     }
 
     public void testFlattenedUnsupported() throws IOException {
+        assumeOriginalTypesReported();
         new Test("flattened").createIndex("test", "flattened");
         index("test", """
             {"flattened": {"a": "foo"}}""");
         Map<String, Object> result = runEsql("FROM test* | LIMIT 2");
 
-        assertResultMap(result, List.of(columnInfo("flattened", "unsupported")), List.of(matchesList().item(null)));
+        assertResultMap(result, List.of(unsupportedColumnInfo("flattened", "flattened")), List.of(matchesList().item(null)));
     }
 
     public void testEmptyMapping() throws IOException {
@@ -689,6 +690,7 @@ public void testByteFieldWithIntSubfieldTooBig() throws IOException {
      * </pre>.
      */
     public void testIncompatibleTypes() throws IOException {
+        assumeOriginalTypesReported();
         keywordTest().createIndex("test1", "f");
         index("test1", """
             {"f": "f1"}""");
@@ -697,7 +699,11 @@ public void testIncompatibleTypes() throws IOException {
             {"f": 1}""");
 
         Map<String, Object> result = runEsql("FROM test*");
-        assertResultMap(result, List.of(columnInfo("f", "unsupported")), List.of(matchesList().item(null), matchesList().item(null)));
+        assertResultMap(
+            result,
+            List.of(unsupportedColumnInfo("f", "keyword", "long")),
+            List.of(matchesList().item(null), matchesList().item(null))
+        );
         ResponseException e = expectThrows(ResponseException.class, () -> runEsql("FROM test* | SORT f | LIMIT 3"));
         String err = EntityUtils.toString(e.getResponse().getEntity());
         assertThat(
@@ -758,10 +764,7 @@ public void testDistinctInEachIndex() throws IOException {
      * </pre>.
      */
     public void testMergeKeywordAndObject() throws IOException {
-        assumeTrue(
-            "order of fields in error message inconsistent before 8.14",
-            getCachedNodesVersions().stream().allMatch(v -> Version.fromString(v).onOrAfter(Version.V_8_14_0))
-        );
+        assumeOriginalTypesReported();
         keywordTest().createIndex("test1", "file");
         index("test1", """
             {"file": "f1"}""");
@@ -797,7 +800,7 @@ public void testMergeKeywordAndObject() throws IOException {
         Map<String, Object> result = runEsql("FROM test* | SORT file.raw | LIMIT 2");
         assertResultMap(
             result,
-            List.of(columnInfo("file", "unsupported"), columnInfo("file.raw", "keyword")),
+            List.of(unsupportedColumnInfo("file", "keyword", "object"), columnInfo("file.raw", "keyword")),
             List.of(matchesList().item(null).item("o2"), matchesList().item(null).item(null))
         );
     }
@@ -817,6 +820,7 @@ public void testMergeKeywordAndObject() throws IOException {
      * </pre>.
      */
     public void testPropagateUnsupportedToSubFields() throws IOException {
+        assumeOriginalTypesReported();
         createIndex("test", index -> {
             index.startObject("properties");
             index.startObject("f");
@@ -842,7 +846,7 @@ public void testPropagateUnsupportedToSubFields() throws IOException {
         Map<String, Object> result = runEsql("FROM test* | LIMIT 2");
         assertResultMap(
             result,
-            List.of(columnInfo("f", "unsupported"), columnInfo("f.raw", "unsupported")),
+            List.of(unsupportedColumnInfo("f", "ip_range"), unsupportedColumnInfo("f.raw", "ip_range")),
             List.of(matchesList().item(null).item(null))
         );
     }
@@ -867,10 +871,7 @@ public void testPropagateUnsupportedToSubFields() throws IOException {
      * </pre>.
      */
     public void testMergeUnsupportedAndObject() throws IOException {
-        assumeTrue(
-            "order of fields in error message inconsistent before 8.14",
-            getCachedNodesVersions().stream().allMatch(v -> Version.fromString(v).onOrAfter(Version.V_8_14_0))
-        );
+        assumeOriginalTypesReported();
         createIndex("test1", index -> {
             index.startObject("properties");
             index.startObject("f").field("type", "ip_range").endObject();
@@ -905,7 +906,7 @@ public void testMergeUnsupportedAndObject() throws IOException {
         Map<String, Object> result = runEsql("FROM test* | LIMIT 2");
         assertResultMap(
             result,
-            List.of(columnInfo("f", "unsupported"), columnInfo("f.raw", "unsupported")),
+            List.of(unsupportedColumnInfo("f", "ip_range"), unsupportedColumnInfo("f.raw", "ip_range")),
             List.of(matchesList().item(null).item(null), matchesList().item(null).item(null))
         );
     }
@@ -958,10 +959,7 @@ public void testIntegerDocValuesConflict() throws IOException {
      * In an ideal world we'd promote the {@code integer} to an {@code long} and just go.
      */
     public void testLongIntegerConflict() throws IOException {
-        assumeTrue(
-            "order of fields in error message inconsistent before 8.14",
-            getCachedNodesVersions().stream().allMatch(v -> Version.fromString(v).onOrAfter(Version.V_8_14_0))
-        );
+        assumeOriginalTypesReported();
         longTest().sourceMode(SourceMode.DEFAULT).createIndex("test1", "emp_no");
         index("test1", """
             {"emp_no": 1}""");
@@ -980,7 +978,11 @@ public void testLongIntegerConflict() throws IOException {
         );
 
         Map<String, Object> result = runEsql("FROM test* | LIMIT 2");
-        assertResultMap(result, List.of(columnInfo("emp_no", "unsupported")), List.of(matchesList().item(null), matchesList().item(null)));
+        assertResultMap(
+            result,
+            List.of(unsupportedColumnInfo("emp_no", "integer", "long")),
+            List.of(matchesList().item(null), matchesList().item(null))
+        );
     }
 
     /**
@@ -1000,10 +1002,7 @@ public void testLongIntegerConflict() throws IOException {
      * In an ideal world we'd promote the {@code short} to an {@code integer} and just go.
      */
     public void testIntegerShortConflict() throws IOException {
-        assumeTrue(
-            "order of fields in error message inconsistent before 8.14",
-            getCachedNodesVersions().stream().allMatch(v -> Version.fromString(v).onOrAfter(Version.V_8_14_0))
-        );
+        assumeOriginalTypesReported();
         intTest().sourceMode(SourceMode.DEFAULT).createIndex("test1", "emp_no");
         index("test1", """
             {"emp_no": 1}""");
@@ -1022,7 +1021,11 @@ public void testIntegerShortConflict() throws IOException {
         );
 
         Map<String, Object> result = runEsql("FROM test* | LIMIT 2");
-        assertResultMap(result, List.of(columnInfo("emp_no", "unsupported")), List.of(matchesList().item(null), matchesList().item(null)));
+        assertResultMap(
+            result,
+            List.of(unsupportedColumnInfo("emp_no", "integer", "short")),
+            List.of(matchesList().item(null), matchesList().item(null))
+        );
     }
 
     /**
@@ -1048,10 +1051,7 @@ public void testIntegerShortConflict() throws IOException {
      * </pre>.
      */
     public void testTypeConflictInObject() throws IOException {
-        assumeTrue(
-            "order of fields in error message inconsistent before 8.14",
-            getCachedNodesVersions().stream().allMatch(v -> Version.fromString(v).onOrAfter(Version.V_8_14_0))
-        );
+        assumeOriginalTypesReported();
         createIndex("test1", empNoInObject("integer"));
         index("test1", """
             {"foo": {"emp_no": 1}}""");
@@ -1060,7 +1060,10 @@ public void testTypeConflictInObject() throws IOException {
             {"foo": {"emp_no": "cat"}}""");
 
         Map<String, Object> result = runEsql("FROM test* | LIMIT 3");
-        assertMap(result, getResultMatcher(result).entry("columns", List.of(columnInfo("foo.emp_no", "unsupported"))).extraOk());
+        assertMap(
+            result,
+            getResultMatcher(result).entry("columns", List.of(unsupportedColumnInfo("foo.emp_no", "integer", "keyword"))).extraOk()
+        );
 
         ResponseException e = expectThrows(ResponseException.class, () -> runEsql("FROM test* | SORT foo.emp_no | LIMIT 3"));
         String err = EntityUtils.toString(e.getResponse().getEntity());
@@ -1370,6 +1373,12 @@ private void assumeIndexResolverNestedFieldsNameClashFixed() throws IOException
         );
     }
 
+    private void assumeOriginalTypesReported() throws IOException {
+        var capsName = EsqlCapabilities.Cap.REPORT_ORIGINAL_TYPES.name().toLowerCase(Locale.ROOT);
+        boolean requiredClusterCapability = clusterHasCapability("POST", "/_query", List.of(), List.of(capsName)).orElse(false);
+        assumeTrue("This test makes sense for versions that report original types", requiredClusterCapability);
+    }
+
     private CheckedConsumer<XContentBuilder, IOException> empNoInObject(String empNoType) {
         return index -> {
             index.startObject("properties");
@@ -1705,6 +1714,10 @@ private static Map<String, Object> columnInfo(String name, String type) {
         return Map.of("name", name, "type", type);
     }
 
+    private static Map<String, Object> unsupportedColumnInfo(String name, String... originalTypes) {
+        return Map.of("name", name, "type", "unsupported", "original_types", List.of(originalTypes));
+    }
+
     private static void index(String name, String... docs) throws IOException {
         Request request = new Request("POST", "/" + name + "/_bulk");
         request.addParameter("refresh", "true");

x-pack/plugin/esql/qa/testFixtures/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/esql/LoadMapping.java

@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 import java.io.InputStream;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.LinkedHashMap;
+import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 
 import static java.util.Collections.emptyMap;
@@ -110,7 +111,7 @@ private static void walkMapping(String name, Object value, Map<String, EsField>
                 field = DateEsField.dateEsField(name, properties, docValues);
             } else if (esDataType == UNSUPPORTED) {
                 String type = content.get("type").toString();
-                field = new UnsupportedEsField(name, type, null, properties);
+                field = new UnsupportedEsField(name, List.of(type), null, properties);
                 propagateUnsupportedType(name, type, properties);
             } else {
                 field = new EsField(name, esDataType, properties, docValues);
@@ -165,9 +166,9 @@ public static void propagateUnsupportedType(String inherited, String originalTyp
                 UnsupportedEsField u;
                 if (field instanceof UnsupportedEsField) {
                     u = (UnsupportedEsField) field;
-                    u = new UnsupportedEsField(u.getName(), originalType, inherited, u.getProperties());
+                    u = new UnsupportedEsField(u.getName(), List.of(originalType), inherited, u.getProperties());
                 } else {
-                    u = new UnsupportedEsField(field.getName(), originalType, inherited, field.getProperties());
+                    u = new UnsupportedEsField(field.getName(), List.of(originalType), inherited, field.getProperties());
                 }
                 entry.setValue(u);
                 propagateUnsupportedType(inherited, originalType, u.getProperties());

x-pack/plugin/esql/src/internalClusterTest/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/esql/action/AsyncEsqlQueryActionIT.java

@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ public void testBasicAsyncExecution() throws Exception {
             try (var finalResponse = future.get()) {
                 assertThat(finalResponse, notNullValue());
                 assertThat(finalResponse.isRunning(), is(false));
-                assertThat(finalResponse.columns(), equalTo(List.of(new ColumnInfoImpl("sum(pause_me)", "long"))));
+                assertThat(finalResponse.columns(), equalTo(List.of(new ColumnInfoImpl("sum(pause_me)", "long", null))));
                 assertThat(getValuesList(finalResponse).size(), equalTo(1));
             }
 
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ public void testBasicAsyncExecution() throws Exception {
             try (var finalResponse = again.get()) {
                 assertThat(finalResponse, notNullValue());
                 assertThat(finalResponse.isRunning(), is(false));
-                assertThat(finalResponse.columns(), equalTo(List.of(new ColumnInfoImpl("sum(pause_me)", "long"))));
+                assertThat(finalResponse.columns(), equalTo(List.of(new ColumnInfoImpl("sum(pause_me)", "long", null))));
                 assertThat(getValuesList(finalResponse).size(), equalTo(1));
             }
 
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ private void testFinishingBeforeTimeout(boolean keepOnCompletion) {
 
         try (var response = request.execute().actionGet(60, TimeUnit.SECONDS)) {
             assertThat(response.isRunning(), is(false));
-            assertThat(response.columns(), equalTo(List.of(new ColumnInfoImpl("sum(pause_me)", "long"))));
+            assertThat(response.columns(), equalTo(List.of(new ColumnInfoImpl("sum(pause_me)", "long", null))));
             assertThat(getValuesList(response).size(), equalTo(1));
 
             if (keepOnCompletion) {
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ private void testFinishingBeforeTimeout(boolean keepOnCompletion) {
                 try (var resp = future.actionGet(60, TimeUnit.SECONDS)) {
                     assertThat(resp.asyncExecutionId().get(), equalTo(id));
                     assertThat(resp.isRunning(), is(false));
-                    assertThat(resp.columns(), equalTo(List.of(new ColumnInfoImpl("sum(pause_me)", "long"))));
+                    assertThat(resp.columns(), equalTo(List.of(new ColumnInfoImpl("sum(pause_me)", "long", null))));
                     assertThat(getValuesList(resp).size(), equalTo(1));
                 }
             } else {