Databricks-DA-Assoc Executing Queries with Databricks SQL Practice Question
Exhibit
Error: [TABLE_OR_VIEW_NOT_FOUND] The table or view 'sales_data' cannot be found. Verify the schema name and catalog.
Refer to the exhibit. An analyst receives this error when attempting to select from a table in Databricks SQL. What is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often assume the error is related to insufficient user permissions, ignoring the simpler and more common issue of failing to define the active namespace context.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The analyst is missing the USE CATALOG or USE SCHEMA statement.
The error indicates a Namespace resolution issue. In Databricks SQL, tables are organized in a three-level namespace: catalog.schema.table. If the current session context is not set to the correct catalog and schema, or if the user lacks the necessary privileges to see the object, the engine cannot resolve the path. Correcting the context or using a fully qualified name resolves this common accessibility error.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The table schema is corrupted and requires a REPAIR TABLE command.
Why it's wrong here
REPAIR TABLE is used in legacy Hive Metastore environments to sync external partition directories. It is not relevant to the modern three-level namespace resolution in Unity Catalog. This command does not address namespace lookup errors and will not resolve issues where a table cannot be located by the engine.
- ✓
The analyst is missing the USE CATALOG or USE SCHEMA statement.
Why this is correct
The error occurs because the SQL Warehouse cannot locate the object within the default scope. Setting the session context with USE CATALOG or USE SCHEMA ensures the engine looks in the intended location. Alternatively, using the fully qualified path catalog.schema.table resolves the lookup failure by providing the complete address.
- ✗
The SQL Warehouse is stopped and needs to be restarted.
Why it's wrong here
If a SQL Warehouse is stopped, the error message would explicitly state that the warehouse is unavailable or starting. A TABLE_OR_VIEW_NOT_FOUND error specifically refers to the inability to locate the object metadata, which confirms the warehouse itself is functioning and capable of returning errors to the user.
- ✗
The table has too many partitions, causing a timeout.
Why it's wrong here
A timeout error due to excessive partitions would result in a different error message, typically related to query execution latency or resource exhaustion. The TABLE_OR_VIEW_NOT_FOUND error is strictly a metadata resolution failure, meaning the engine has successfully parsed the query but cannot find the target data object.
Visual reference
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Databricks exam blueprint
This Databricks-DA-Assoc practice question is part of Courseiva's free Databricks certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the Databricks-DA-Assoc exam.