EXTERNAL_COLUMNS()

All functions > SOURCE > EXTERNAL_COLUMNS()

Mapping of source columns to features.

Signatures

Returns: Row of data from table source

EXTERNAL_COLUMNS(source_columns: ARRAY<FEATURE>, aliases: ARRAY<FEATURE>, types: ARRAY<TYPE>, bound_columns: ARRAY<FEATURE>, bound_features: ARRAY<FEATURE>, source_type: VARCHAR, source_content: VARCHAR, [on_condition: VARCHAR]) → ROW

sql

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`source_columns`	`ARRAY<FEATURE>`	Yes	Array of source column names dynamic array
`aliases`	`ARRAY<FEATURE>`	Yes	Array of alias names dynamic array
`types`	`ARRAY<TYPE>`	Yes	Array of types dynamic array
`bound_columns`	`ARRAY<FEATURE>`	Yes	Array of bound column names dynamic array
`bound_features`	`ARRAY<FEATURE>`	Yes	Array of bound feature names dynamic array
`source_type`	`VARCHAR`	Yes	Source type: TABLE, SQL, CSV, TSV, JSON
`source_content`	`VARCHAR`	Yes	Source content: table name, SQL query, CSV text, TSV text, JSON text
`on_condition`	`VARCHAR`	No	Optional predicate over declared columns and compile-time constants, stored as formula text

Examples

CSV mapping with INLINE_COLUMNS (rewrites to EXTERNAL_COLUMNS)

FeatureQL

DEFINE
    orders := ENTITY(),
    order_id := INPUT(BIGINT#orders),
    fct := INLINE_COLUMNS(
        order_id BIGINT#orders BIND TO order_id,
        amount DOUBLE
        FROM CSV(
            order_id,amount
            10,99.9
            11,50.0
        )
    ),
    order_fk := fct[order_id]
RETURN
    order_id,
    order_fk
FOR
    order_id := BIND_VALUES(ARRAY(10, 11))
;

Result

ORDER_ID BIGINT#ORDERS	ORDER_FK BIGINT#ORDERS
10	10
11	11

EXTERNAL_COLUMNS inside VARIANT (FROM SQL subquery)

FeatureQL

DEFINE
    id := INPUT(VARCHAR),
    expr := INPUT(BIGINT),
    power := INPUT(BIGINT),
    operation := POW(expr, power)
RETURN
    expr2 := 2,
    result1 := VARIANT(
        operation REPLACING expr, power WITH 2, INLINE_COLUMNS(
            id VARCHAR BIND TO id,
            val BIGINT
            FROM CSV(
                id,val
                a,1
                b,1
            )
        )[val]
    )
FOR
    id := BIND_VALUES(ARRAY('a', 'b'))
;

Result

EXPR2 BIGINT	RESULT1 BIGINT
2	2
2	2

Last update at: 2026/10/13 08:32:21

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Signatures Examples CSV mapping with INLINE_COLUMNS (rewrites to EXTERNAL_COLUMNS)EXTERNAL_COLUMNS inside VARIANT (FROM SQL subquery)