# 2202H — invalid_tablesample_argument

> Source-backed reference for PostgreSQL SQLSTATE 2202H.
---

# 2202H

## At a glance {#at-a-glance}
A TABLESAMPLE method received an invalid argument. Fixed core and contrib methods reject out-of-range percentages or negative sample sizes with method-specific messages.

<!-- BEGIN SQLSTATE FACTS: generated by scripts/generate.py; do not edit -->

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| SQLSTATE | `2202H` |
| Condition | `invalid_tablesample_argument` |
| Status | `active` |
| Known present by | `9.5.0` |
| Locked snapshots | `9.5.25, 9.6.24, 10.23, 11.22, 12.22, 13.23, 14.24, 15.19, 16.15, 17.11, 18.6, 19beta3` |
| Macros | `ERRCODE_INVALID_TABLESAMPLE_ARGUMENT` |
| Aliases | `—` |

<!-- source facts: data/errcodes/2202H.json -->
<!-- END SQLSTATE FACTS -->

## Messages {#messages}
The fixed executor and sampling methods use these primary texts:

| Owner / guard | Primary |
| --- | --- |
| NULL method argument | `TABLESAMPLE parameter cannot be null` |
| Bernoulli/system percentage, including NaN | `sample percentage must be between 0 and 100` |
| `system_rows` negative size | `sample size must not be negative` |
| `system_time` negative or NaN time | `sample collection time must not be negative` |

## Meaning {#meaning}
2202H is a method-argument code, not one universal TABLESAMPLE range. The executor rejects a NULL method argument before calling the method. Core Bernoulli and system methods accept percentages from 0 through 100 inclusive and reject NaN. The `system_rows` contrib method rejects only a negative requested row count, so zero is allowed; `system_time` rejects negative or NaN collection time, so zero is allowed; the shown guard does not impose a finite upper bound, and positive Infinity is not rejected by that comparison itself. `REPEATABLE NULL` is the separate 2202G branch, and other sampling extensions may define their own argument guards.

## Diagnosis {#diagnosis}
Identify the sampling method and parameter position before changing the value. A NULL method argument points to the executor guard; a Bernoulli/system percentage outside 0..100 or NaN points to the core method; negative `system_rows` size and negative/NaN `system_time` are contrib-specific; positive Infinity is not classified by that shown guard. Read the primary text to distinguish these from a NULL REPEATABLE seed (2202G).

## Response {#response}
Use a non-NULL method argument, a finite percentage in the inclusive 0..100 range, a non-negative row count, or a non-negative finite collection time according to the selected method. Do not repair a 2202G repeat-seed error by changing the method percentage. If an ERROR occurred in an explicit transaction, roll back or roll back to the existing savepoint before retrying; autocommit can retry the corrected statement.

## Versions {#versions}
The locked catalogue records this condition from 9.5.0; the fixed core and contrib source paths here are PostgreSQL 18.6. No natural runtime observation is claimed for this page.

## Related {#related}
[`2202G`](../2202g/), [`22023`](../22023/)

## Sources {#sources}
The executor NULL guard is [`src/backend/executor/nodeSamplescan.c#L232-245`](https://github.com/postgres/postgres/blob/724edf9bde9d356724ad384a2e196edc3c9f80f7/src/backend/executor/nodeSamplescan.c#L232). Core percentage guards are [`src/backend/access/tablesample/bernoulli.c#L137-149`](https://github.com/postgres/postgres/blob/724edf9bde9d356724ad384a2e196edc3c9f80f7/src/backend/access/tablesample/bernoulli.c#L137) and [`src/backend/access/tablesample/system.c#L140-152`](https://github.com/postgres/postgres/blob/724edf9bde9d356724ad384a2e196edc3c9f80f7/src/backend/access/tablesample/system.c#L140). Contrib bounds are [`contrib/tsm_system_rows/tsm_system_rows.c#L178-187`](https://github.com/postgres/postgres/blob/724edf9bde9d356724ad384a2e196edc3c9f80f7/contrib/tsm_system_rows/tsm_system_rows.c#L178) and [`contrib/tsm_system_time/tsm_system_time.c#L193-203`](https://github.com/postgres/postgres/blob/724edf9bde9d356724ad384a2e196edc3c9f80f7/contrib/tsm_system_time/tsm_system_time.c#L193). The structured [evidence record](../data/evidence/2202h.json) retains the method-specific messages and limits; no natural runtime was run.