From 5db302ba4ed23dac7ecf9362e673591add716987 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Jacob Quinn <quinn.jacobd@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 4 Oct 2026 08:28:56 -0600
Subject: [PATCH] Report missing note columns with ArgumentError

Interpolate the requested column rather than an undefined variable in the
existing error path. Cover Symbol, String and zero-index requests and retain
existing table and column notes after those errors.

AI disclosure: This work was prepared with assistance from OpenAI Codex.
---
 src/standardkeys.jl |  2 +-
 test/runtests.jl    | 13 +++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 14 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/src/standardkeys.jl b/src/standardkeys.jl
index 3899107..9be056a 100644
--- a/src/standardkeys.jl
+++ b/src/standardkeys.jl
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ See also: [`note!`](@ref)
 """
 function note(table, column)
     idx = column isa Union{Signed, Unsigned} ? Int(column) : Tables.columnindex(table, column)
-    idx == 0 && throw(ArgumentError("column $col not found in table"))
+    idx == 0 && throw(ArgumentError("column $column not found in table"))
     if "note" in DataAPI.colmetadatakeys(table, column)
         return string(DataAPI.colmetadata(table, column, "note"))
     else
diff --git a/test/runtests.jl b/test/runtests.jl
index 5f149cb..b4bac10 100644
--- a/test/runtests.jl
+++ b/test/runtests.jl
@@ -44,6 +44,19 @@ end
     note!(df, :b, "three", append=true)
     @test note(df, 2) == "two\nthree"
     @test colmetadata(df, :b, "note", style=true) == ("two\nthree", :note)
+
+    for column in (:absent, "absent", 0, UInt8(0))
+        err = try
+            note(df, column)
+        catch exception
+            exception
+        end
+        @test err isa ArgumentError
+        @test sprint(showerror, err) == "ArgumentError: column $column not found in table"
+    end
+    @test note(df) == "two\nthree"
+    @test note(df, :b) == "two\nthree"
+    @test names(df) == ["a", "b", "c"]
 end
 
 @testset "unit, unit!, units" begin