_is_relation macro fails for relations from adapter.get_relation on Bigquery.

[PBalsdon]

Describe the bug

If we define a relation from the adapter.get_relation macro, it causes a compiler error in the {{ dbt_utils._is_relation() }} macro. This is in Bigquery. I've tried it in various versions of dbt-utils and dbt

Steps to reproduce

Make a file with the following code

{% set relation=adapter.get_relation(
      database=target.database,
      schema=target.schema,
      identifier="stg_dates" ## REPLACE WITH AN EXISTING MODEL ##
) -%}

{{relation is mapping}} -- Returns True
{{ dbt_utils._is_relation(relation, 'test_call') }}

Compile this file.

Expected results

No errors, the file compiles with True -- Returns True

Actual results

Compiler error

Screenshots and log output

System information

The contents of your packages.yml file:

packages:
  - package: dbt-labs/dbt_utils
    version: 1.1.1

Which database are you using dbt with?

• postgres
• redshift
• bigquery
• snowflake
• other (specify: ____________)

The output of dbt --version:
dbt cloud:

Additional context

I originally discovered this as a bug in audit_helper, but isolated the issue to this macro in dbt_utils.

Are you interested in contributing the fix?

In theory, yes - in reality I have no idea what's going on here and it's baffling me.

[vinit2107]

Hi @PBalsdon ,
You want DBT to execute the dbt_utils._is_relation only when you run the code. You can control it by wrapping the code around {% if execute %} block, something like this.

{% set relation=adapter.get_relation(
      database=target.database,
      schema=target.schema,
      identifier="stg_dates" ## REPLACE WITH AN EXISTING MODEL ##
) -%}

{{relation is mapping}} -- Returns True
{% if execute %}
{{ dbt_utils._is_relation(relation, 'test_call') }}
{% endif %}

If my understanding is correct, you will have relation only after you execute your script. More documentation here.
Let me know if it solves your issue.

[PBalsdon]

Thank you, I believe you are correct that we need the if execute. this solved my issue