better error messages

node/engine/interpreter/extension.go

@@ -85,12 +85,11 @@ func initializeExtension(ctx context.Context, svc *common.Service, db sql.DB, i
 					}
 
 					for i, v := range a {
-						newVal, err := newValueWithSoftCast(v, method.Returns.Fields[i].Type)
+						newVal, ok, err := newValueWithSoftCast(v, method.Returns.Fields[i].Type)
 						if err != nil {
 							return err
 						}
-
-						if !newVal.Type().Equals(method.Returns.Fields[i].Type) {
+						if !ok {
 							return fmt.Errorf(`%w: method "%s"."%s" returned a value of type %s, but expected %s. column: "%s"`, engine.ErrExtensionInvocation, alias, lowerName, newVal.Type(), method.Returns.Fields[i].Type, method.Returns.Fields[i].Name)
 						}
 

node/engine/interpreter/interpreter.go

@@ -683,10 +683,13 @@ func (i *baseInterpreter) call(ctx *common.EngineContext, db sql.DB, namespace,
 		}
 
 		for i, arg := range args {
-			val, err := newValueWithSoftCast(arg, expect[i])
+			val, ok, err := newValueWithSoftCast(arg, expect[i])
 			if err != nil {
 				return nil, err
 			}
+			if !ok {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf(`%w: action "%s" expected argument %d to be of type %s, but got %s`, engine.ErrType, action, i, expect[i], val.Type())
+			}
 
 			argVals[i] = val
 		}

node/engine/interpreter/values.go

@@ -2975,25 +2975,40 @@ func makeArray(vals []scalarValue, t *types.DataType) (arrayValue, error) {
 // go's typing does not exactly match the engines. For example, if a 0-length
 // decimal array is passed, there is no way for Go to know the precision and
 // scale of the array. But in our interpreter, we do know this information.
-func newValueWithSoftCast(v any, dt *types.DataType) (value, error) {
-	val, err := newValue(v)
+// If it cannot be soft casted to the correct type, it will return a false.
+// It will only return an error if there is an unexpected error.
+// A value will always be returned if err is nil, even if ok is false.
+func newValueWithSoftCast(v any, dt *types.DataType) (val value, ok bool, err error) {
+	val, err = newValue(v)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, false, err
 	}
 
 	// if v is null or if it is a 0-length array, we need to cast it to the correct type
 	if val.Null() {
 		val, err = val.Cast(dt)
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+			return nil, false, err
 		}
 	}
 	if arr, ok := val.(arrayValue); ok && arr.Len() == 0 {
+		// if it is an array value, then the scalar type and IsArray values must match.
+		if arr.Type().IsArray != dt.IsArray {
+			return val, false, nil
+		}
+		if arr.Type().Name != dt.Name {
+			return val, false, nil
+		}
+
 		val, err = val.Cast(dt)
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+			return nil, false, err
 		}
 	}
 
-	return val, nil
+	if !val.Type().Equals(dt) {
+		return val, false, nil
+	}
+
+	return val, true, nil
 }