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Improve Error Message and Add Pre-Run Checks for Missing Lakehouse in Notebooks

When running Spark SQL in a Fabric notebook without a Lakehouse attached, the current error message is overly technical and not very helpful:

AnalysisException: org.apache.hadoop.hive.ql.metadata.HiveException: MetaException(message:Spark SQL queries are only possible in the context of a lakehouse. Please attach a lakehouse to proceed.)

This could be improved with a more user-friendly message, such as:

"It looks like your notebook isn't connected to a Lakehouse. Please attach one using the Lakehouse dropdown at the top of the notebook to use Spark SQL features."

Bonus Feature Request:
It would be incredibly helpful to have a pre-run validation feature, similar to Power Automate’s Flow Checker, that scans the notebook for common issues like:

  • Missing Lakehouse attachment
  • Invalid or missing table references
  • Unsupported operations in the current context

This would help users catch issues before execution and improve the overall user experience.

Status: New