diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/common/CreateMBREvalFactory.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/common/CreateMBREvalFactory.java
index e20212c..616cbdc 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/common/CreateMBREvalFactory.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/common/CreateMBREvalFactory.java
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
 
+    private static final byte SER_INT32_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.INT32.serialize();
+
     private ICopyEvaluatorFactory recordEvalFactory;
     private ICopyEvaluatorFactory dimensionEvalFactory;
     private ICopyEvaluatorFactory coordinateEvalFactory;
@@ -61,6 +63,12 @@
                 outInput2.reset();
                 eval2.evaluate(tuple);
 
+                // type-check: (Point/Line/Polygon/Circle/Rectangle/Null, Int32, Int32)
+                if (outInput1.getByteArray()[0] != SER_INT32_TYPE_TAG
+                        || outInput2.getByteArray()[0] != SER_INT32_TYPE_TAG) {
+                    throw new AlgebricksException("Expects Types: (Point/Line/Polygon/Circle/Rectangle/Null, Int32, Int32).");
+                }
+
                 try {
 
                     int dimension = AInt32SerializerDeserializer.getInt(outInput1.getByteArray(), 1);
@@ -204,9 +212,9 @@
                                         double x = ADoubleSerializerDeserializer.getDouble(outInput0.getByteArray(),
                                                 ACircleSerializerDeserializer
                                                         .getCenterPointCoordinateOffset(Coordinate.X));
-                                        double radius = ADoubleSerializerDeserializer.getDouble(outInput0.getByteArray(),
-                                                ACircleSerializerDeserializer
-                                                        .getCenterPointCoordinateOffset(Coordinate.X));
+                                        double radius = ADoubleSerializerDeserializer.getDouble(outInput0
+                                                .getByteArray(), ACircleSerializerDeserializer
+                                                .getCenterPointCoordinateOffset(Coordinate.X));
 
                                         value = x - radius;
                                     }
@@ -215,9 +223,9 @@
                                         double y = ADoubleSerializerDeserializer.getDouble(outInput0.getByteArray(),
                                                 ACircleSerializerDeserializer
                                                         .getCenterPointCoordinateOffset(Coordinate.Y));
-                                        double radius = ADoubleSerializerDeserializer.getDouble(outInput0.getByteArray(),
-                                                ACircleSerializerDeserializer
-                                                        .getCenterPointCoordinateOffset(Coordinate.Y));
+                                        double radius = ADoubleSerializerDeserializer.getDouble(outInput0
+                                                .getByteArray(), ACircleSerializerDeserializer
+                                                .getCenterPointCoordinateOffset(Coordinate.Y));
 
                                         value = y - radius;
                                     }
@@ -226,9 +234,9 @@
                                         double x = ADoubleSerializerDeserializer.getDouble(outInput0.getByteArray(),
                                                 ACircleSerializerDeserializer
                                                         .getCenterPointCoordinateOffset(Coordinate.X));
-                                        double radius = ADoubleSerializerDeserializer.getDouble(outInput0.getByteArray(),
-                                                ACircleSerializerDeserializer
-                                                        .getCenterPointCoordinateOffset(Coordinate.X));
+                                        double radius = ADoubleSerializerDeserializer.getDouble(outInput0
+                                                .getByteArray(), ACircleSerializerDeserializer
+                                                .getCenterPointCoordinateOffset(Coordinate.X));
 
                                         value = x + radius;
                                     }
@@ -237,9 +245,9 @@
                                         double y = ADoubleSerializerDeserializer.getDouble(outInput0.getByteArray(),
                                                 ACircleSerializerDeserializer
                                                         .getCenterPointCoordinateOffset(Coordinate.Y));
-                                        double radius = ADoubleSerializerDeserializer.getDouble(outInput0.getByteArray(),
-                                                ACircleSerializerDeserializer
-                                                        .getCenterPointCoordinateOffset(Coordinate.Y));
+                                        double radius = ADoubleSerializerDeserializer.getDouble(outInput0
+                                                .getByteArray(), ACircleSerializerDeserializer
+                                                .getCenterPointCoordinateOffset(Coordinate.Y));
 
                                         value = y + radius;
                                     }
@@ -284,13 +292,13 @@
                                 }
                                 break;
                             case NULL: {
-                            	out.writeByte(ATypeTag.NULL.serialize());
-                            	return;
+                                out.writeByte(ATypeTag.NULL.serialize());
+                                return;
                             }
                             default:
                                 throw new NotImplementedException(
-									"create-mbr is only implemented for POINT, LINE, POLYGON, CIRCLE and RECTANGLE. Encountered type: "
-											+ tag + ".");
+                                        "create-mbr is only implemented for POINT, LINE, POLYGON, CIRCLE and RECTANGLE. Encountered type: "
+                                                + tag + ".");
 
                         }
                     } else {
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AbstractBinaryStringBoolEval.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AbstractBinaryStringBoolEval.java
index 03a0ba8..a54e3b0 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AbstractBinaryStringBoolEval.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AbstractBinaryStringBoolEval.java
@@ -2,15 +2,15 @@
 
 import java.io.DataOutput;
 import java.util.Arrays;
-import java.util.logging.Level;
-import java.util.logging.Logger;
 
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.formats.nontagged.AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ABoolean;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.AString;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.runtime.base.ICopyEvaluator;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.runtime.base.ICopyEvaluatorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.ISerializerDeserializer;
@@ -21,20 +21,26 @@
 public abstract class AbstractBinaryStringBoolEval implements ICopyEvaluator {
 
     private DataOutput dout;
+
+    // allowed input types
     private final static byte SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.NULL.serialize();
+    private final static byte SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.STRING.serialize();
+
     private ArrayBackedValueStorage array0 = new ArrayBackedValueStorage();
     private ArrayBackedValueStorage array1 = new ArrayBackedValueStorage();
     private ICopyEvaluator evalLeft;
     private ICopyEvaluator evalRight;
+    private final FunctionIdentifier funcID;
     @SuppressWarnings({ "rawtypes" })
     private ISerializerDeserializer boolSerde = AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider.INSTANCE
             .getSerializerDeserializer(BuiltinType.ABOOLEAN);
 
     public AbstractBinaryStringBoolEval(DataOutput dout, ICopyEvaluatorFactory evalLeftFactory,
-            ICopyEvaluatorFactory evalRightFactory) throws AlgebricksException {
+            ICopyEvaluatorFactory evalRightFactory, FunctionIdentifier funcID) throws AlgebricksException {
         this.dout = dout;
         this.evalLeft = evalLeftFactory.createEvaluator(array0);
         this.evalRight = evalRightFactory.createEvaluator(array1);
+        this.funcID = funcID;
     }
 
     @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
@@ -47,15 +53,17 @@
 
         try {
             if (array0.getByteArray()[0] == SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG && array1.getByteArray()[0] == SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG) {
-                try {
-                    boolSerde.serialize(ABoolean.TRUE, dout);
-                } catch (HyracksDataException ex) {
-                    Logger.getLogger(AbstractBinaryStringBoolEval.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
-                }
+                boolSerde.serialize(ABoolean.TRUE, dout);
                 return;
-            } else if (array0.getByteArray()[0] == SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG || array1.getByteArray()[0] == SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG) {
+            } else if ((array0.getByteArray()[0] == SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG && array1.getByteArray()[0] == SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG)
+                    || (array0.getByteArray()[0] == SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG && array1.getByteArray()[0] == SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG)) {
                 boolSerde.serialize(ABoolean.FALSE, dout);
                 return;
+            } else if (array0.getByteArray()[0] != SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG
+                    || array1.getByteArray()[0] != SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG) {
+                throw new AlgebricksException(funcID.getName() + ": expects input type STRING or NULL, but got "
+                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(array0.getByteArray()[0]) + " and "
+                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(array1.getByteArray()[0]) + ")!");
             }
         } catch (HyracksDataException e) {
             throw new AlgebricksException(e);
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AbstractNumericArithmeticEval.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AbstractNumericArithmeticEval.java
index f585965..895e575 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AbstractNumericArithmeticEval.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AbstractNumericArithmeticEval.java
@@ -33,10 +33,10 @@
 @SuppressWarnings("serial")
 public abstract class AbstractNumericArithmeticEval extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
-    
     abstract protected long evaluateInteger(long lhs, long rhs) throws HyracksDataException;
+
     abstract protected double evaluateDouble(double lhs, double rhs) throws HyracksDataException;
-    
+
     @Override
     public ICopyEvaluatorFactory createEvaluatorFactory(final ICopyEvaluatorFactory[] args) throws AlgebricksException {
         return new ICopyEvaluatorFactory() {
@@ -52,22 +52,21 @@
                     private ICopyEvaluator evalLeft = args[0].createEvaluator(argOut);
                     private ICopyEvaluator evalRight = args[1].createEvaluator(argOut);
                     private double[] operandsFloating = new double[args.length];
-                    private long[]   operandsInteger  = new long[args.length];
-                    private int      resultType;
+                    private long[] operandsInteger = new long[args.length];
+                    private int resultType;
                     static protected final int typeInt8 = 1;
                     static protected final int typeInt16 = 2;
                     static protected final int typeInt32 = 3;
                     static protected final int typeInt64 = 4;
                     static protected final int typeFloat = 5;
                     static protected final int typeDouble = 6;
-                    
-                    
+
                     protected AMutableFloat aFloat = new AMutableFloat(0);
                     protected AMutableDouble aDouble = new AMutableDouble(0);
                     protected AMutableInt64 aInt64 = new AMutableInt64(0);
                     protected AMutableInt32 aInt32 = new AMutableInt32(0);
                     protected AMutableInt16 aInt16 = new AMutableInt16((short) 0);
-                    protected AMutableInt8 aInt8 = new AMutableInt8((byte) 0);                    
+                    protected AMutableInt8 aInt8 = new AMutableInt8((byte) 0);
                     private ATypeTag typeTag;
                     @SuppressWarnings("rawtypes")
                     private ISerializerDeserializer serde;
@@ -87,38 +86,48 @@
                                     evalRight.evaluate(tuple);
                                 typeTag = EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut.getByteArray()[0]);
                                 switch (typeTag) {
-                                    case INT8: {   
+                                    case INT8: {
                                         currentType = typeInt8;
-                                        operandsInteger[i] = AInt8SerializerDeserializer.getByte(argOut.getByteArray(), 1);
-                                        operandsFloating[i] = AInt8SerializerDeserializer.getByte(argOut.getByteArray(), 1);
+                                        operandsInteger[i] = AInt8SerializerDeserializer.getByte(argOut.getByteArray(),
+                                                1);
+                                        operandsFloating[i] = AInt8SerializerDeserializer.getByte(
+                                                argOut.getByteArray(), 1);
                                         break;
                                     }
                                     case INT16: {
                                         currentType = typeInt16;
-                                        operandsInteger[i] = AInt16SerializerDeserializer.getShort(argOut.getByteArray(), 1);
-                                        operandsFloating[i] = AInt16SerializerDeserializer.getShort(argOut.getByteArray(), 1);
+                                        operandsInteger[i] = AInt16SerializerDeserializer.getShort(
+                                                argOut.getByteArray(), 1);
+                                        operandsFloating[i] = AInt16SerializerDeserializer.getShort(
+                                                argOut.getByteArray(), 1);
                                         break;
                                     }
                                     case INT32: {
                                         currentType = typeInt32;
-                                        operandsInteger[i] = AInt32SerializerDeserializer.getInt(argOut.getByteArray(), 1);
-                                        operandsFloating[i] = AInt32SerializerDeserializer.getInt(argOut.getByteArray(), 1);
+                                        operandsInteger[i] = AInt32SerializerDeserializer.getInt(argOut.getByteArray(),
+                                                1);
+                                        operandsFloating[i] = AInt32SerializerDeserializer.getInt(
+                                                argOut.getByteArray(), 1);
                                         break;
                                     }
                                     case INT64: {
                                         currentType = typeInt64;
-                                        operandsInteger[i] = AInt64SerializerDeserializer.getLong(argOut.getByteArray(), 1);
-                                        operandsFloating[i] = AInt64SerializerDeserializer.getLong(argOut.getByteArray(), 1);
+                                        operandsInteger[i] = AInt64SerializerDeserializer.getLong(
+                                                argOut.getByteArray(), 1);
+                                        operandsFloating[i] = AInt64SerializerDeserializer.getLong(
+                                                argOut.getByteArray(), 1);
                                         break;
                                     }
                                     case FLOAT: {
                                         currentType = typeFloat;
-                                        operandsFloating[i] = AFloatSerializerDeserializer.getFloat(argOut.getByteArray(), 1);
+                                        operandsFloating[i] = AFloatSerializerDeserializer.getFloat(
+                                                argOut.getByteArray(), 1);
                                         break;
                                     }
                                     case DOUBLE: {
                                         currentType = typeDouble;
-                                        operandsFloating[i] = ADoubleSerializerDeserializer.getDouble(argOut.getByteArray(), 1);
+                                        operandsFloating[i] = ADoubleSerializerDeserializer.getDouble(
+                                                argOut.getByteArray(), 1);
                                         break;
                                     }
                                     case NULL: {
@@ -128,88 +137,88 @@
                                         return;
                                     }
                                     default: {
-                                        throw new NotImplementedException(i == 0 ? "Left"
-                                                : "Right"
-                                                        + " Operand of Division can not be "
-                                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut
-                                                                .getByteArray()[0]));
+                                        throw new NotImplementedException(getIdentifier().getName()
+                                                + (i == 0 ? ": Left" : ": Right")
+                                                + " operand expects INT8/INT16/INT32/INT64/FLOAT/DOUBLE/NULL, but got "
+                                                + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut
+                                                        .getByteArray()[0]));
                                     }
                                 }
-                                
-                                if(resultType < currentType) {
+
+                                if (resultType < currentType) {
                                     resultType = currentType;
                                 }
                             }
-                            
+
                             long lres = 0;
                             double dres = 0;
-                            switch(resultType) {
+                            switch (resultType) {
                                 case typeInt8:
                                     serde = AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider.INSTANCE
-                                    .getSerializerDeserializer(BuiltinType.AINT8);
+                                            .getSerializerDeserializer(BuiltinType.AINT8);
                                     lres = evaluateInteger(operandsInteger[0], operandsInteger[1]);
-                                    if(lres > Byte.MAX_VALUE) {
+                                    if (lres > Byte.MAX_VALUE) {
                                         throw new AlgebricksException("Overflow happened.");
-                                    } 
-                                    if(lres < Byte.MIN_VALUE) {
+                                    }
+                                    if (lres < Byte.MIN_VALUE) {
                                         throw new AlgebricksException("Underflow happened.");
-                                    }                                     
-                                    aInt8.setValue((byte)lres);
-                                    serde.serialize(aInt8, out);                
-                                    break;                                
+                                    }
+                                    aInt8.setValue((byte) lres);
+                                    serde.serialize(aInt8, out);
+                                    break;
                                 case typeInt16:
                                     serde = AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider.INSTANCE
-                                    .getSerializerDeserializer(BuiltinType.AINT16);
+                                            .getSerializerDeserializer(BuiltinType.AINT16);
                                     lres = evaluateInteger(operandsInteger[0], operandsInteger[1]);
-                                    if(lres > Short.MAX_VALUE) {
+                                    if (lres > Short.MAX_VALUE) {
                                         throw new AlgebricksException("Overflow happened.");
-                                    } 
-                                    if(lres < Short.MIN_VALUE) {
+                                    }
+                                    if (lres < Short.MIN_VALUE) {
                                         throw new AlgebricksException("Underflow happened.");
-                                    }                                    
-                                    aInt16.setValue((short)lres);
-                                    serde.serialize(aInt16, out);                
+                                    }
+                                    aInt16.setValue((short) lres);
+                                    serde.serialize(aInt16, out);
                                     break;
                                 case typeInt32:
                                     serde = AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider.INSTANCE
-                                    .getSerializerDeserializer(BuiltinType.AINT32);
+                                            .getSerializerDeserializer(BuiltinType.AINT32);
                                     lres = evaluateInteger(operandsInteger[0], operandsInteger[1]);
-                                    if(lres > Integer.MAX_VALUE) {
+                                    if (lres > Integer.MAX_VALUE) {
                                         throw new AlgebricksException("Overflow happened.");
-                                    } 
-                                    if(lres < Integer.MIN_VALUE) {
+                                    }
+                                    if (lres < Integer.MIN_VALUE) {
                                         throw new AlgebricksException("Underflow happened.");
-                                    }                                      
-                                    aInt32.setValue((int)lres);
-                                    serde.serialize(aInt32, out);                 
+                                    }
+                                    aInt32.setValue((int) lres);
+                                    serde.serialize(aInt32, out);
                                     break;
                                 case typeInt64:
                                     serde = AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider.INSTANCE
-                                    .getSerializerDeserializer(BuiltinType.AINT64);
-                                    lres = evaluateInteger(operandsInteger[0], operandsInteger[1]);                                      
+                                            .getSerializerDeserializer(BuiltinType.AINT64);
+                                    lres = evaluateInteger(operandsInteger[0], operandsInteger[1]);
                                     aInt64.setValue(lres);
-                                    serde.serialize(aInt64, out);                   
+                                    serde.serialize(aInt64, out);
                                     break;
                                 case typeFloat:
                                     serde = AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider.INSTANCE
-                                    .getSerializerDeserializer(BuiltinType.AFLOAT);
+                                            .getSerializerDeserializer(BuiltinType.AFLOAT);
                                     dres = evaluateDouble(operandsFloating[0], operandsFloating[1]);
-                                    if(dres > Float.MAX_VALUE) {
+                                    if (dres > Float.MAX_VALUE) {
                                         throw new AlgebricksException("Overflow happened.");
-                                    } 
-                                    if(dres < - Float.MAX_VALUE) {
+                                    }
+                                    if (dres < -Float.MAX_VALUE) {
                                         throw new AlgebricksException("Underflow happened.");
-                                    }                                      
-                                    aFloat.setValue((float)dres);
-                                    serde.serialize(aFloat, out);                   
-                                    break;                                    
+                                    }
+                                    aFloat.setValue((float) dres);
+                                    serde.serialize(aFloat, out);
+                                    break;
                                 case typeDouble:
                                     serde = AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider.INSTANCE
-                                    .getSerializerDeserializer(BuiltinType.ADOUBLE);
+                                            .getSerializerDeserializer(BuiltinType.ADOUBLE);
                                     aDouble.setValue(evaluateDouble(operandsFloating[0], operandsFloating[1]));
-                                    serde.serialize(aDouble, out);                   
+                                    serde.serialize(aDouble, out);
                                     break;
-                            }                                                   
+                            }
                         } catch (HyracksDataException hde) {
                             throw new AlgebricksException(hde);
                         }
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AbstractQuadStringStringEval.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AbstractQuadStringStringEval.java
index 37a9d20..ce9ecd2 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AbstractQuadStringStringEval.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AbstractQuadStringStringEval.java
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 package edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.functions;
 
 import java.io.DataOutput;
-import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.regex.Pattern;
 
@@ -15,7 +14,9 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.AString;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.runtime.base.ICopyEvaluator;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.runtime.base.ICopyEvaluatorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.ISerializerDeserializer;
@@ -40,6 +41,8 @@
     private ICopyEvaluator eval2;
     private ICopyEvaluator eval3;
 
+    private final FunctionIdentifier funcID;
+
     private AMutableString resultBuffer = new AMutableString("");
     @SuppressWarnings("rawtypes")
     private ISerializerDeserializer nullSerde = AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider.INSTANCE
@@ -49,12 +52,14 @@
             .getSerializerDeserializer(BuiltinType.ASTRING);
 
     public AbstractQuadStringStringEval(DataOutput dout, ICopyEvaluatorFactory eval0, ICopyEvaluatorFactory eval1,
-            ICopyEvaluatorFactory eval2, ICopyEvaluatorFactory eval3) throws AlgebricksException {
+            ICopyEvaluatorFactory eval2, ICopyEvaluatorFactory eval3, FunctionIdentifier funcID)
+            throws AlgebricksException {
         this.dout = dout;
         this.eval0 = eval0.createEvaluator(array0);
         this.eval1 = eval1.createEvaluator(array1);
         this.eval2 = eval2.createEvaluator(array2);
         this.eval3 = eval3.createEvaluator(array3);
+        this.funcID = funcID;
     }
 
     @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
@@ -74,18 +79,22 @@
                 nullSerde.serialize(ANull.NULL, dout);
                 return;
             } else if (array0.getByteArray()[0] == SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG) {
-                if (array0.getByteArray()[1] == SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG) {
-                    dout.write(array0.getByteArray(), array0.getStartOffset(), array0.getLength());
-                    return;
+                if ((array1.getByteArray()[0] != SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG && array1.getByteArray()[0] != SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG)
+                        || (array2.getByteArray()[0] != SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG && array2.getByteArray()[0] != SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG)
+                        || (array3.getByteArray()[0] != SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG && array3.getByteArray()[0] != SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG)) {
+                    throw new AlgebricksException(funcID.getName()
+                            + ": expects input type (STRING/NULL, STRING/NULL, STRING/NULL, STRING/NULL), but got ("
+                            + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(array0.getByteArray()[0]) + ", "
+                            + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(array1.getByteArray()[0]) + ", "
+                            + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(array2.getByteArray()[0]) + ", "
+                            + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(array3.getByteArray()[0]) + ".");
                 }
 
             } else {
-                throw new AlgebricksException("Expects String Type.");
+                throw new AlgebricksException("Expects String or NULL Type.");
             }
         } catch (HyracksDataException e) {
             throw new AlgebricksException(e);
-        } catch (IOException e) {
-            throw new AlgebricksException(e.getMessage());
         }
 
         byte[] b0 = array0.getByteArray();
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AbstractStringContainsEval.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AbstractStringContainsEval.java
index eed3a24..81782c8 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AbstractStringContainsEval.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AbstractStringContainsEval.java
@@ -4,8 +4,11 @@
 
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.formats.nontagged.AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ABoolean;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.runtime.base.ICopyEvaluator;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.runtime.base.ICopyEvaluatorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.ISerializerDeserializer;
@@ -17,6 +20,10 @@
 
     private DataOutput dout;
 
+    // allowed input types
+    private final static byte SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.NULL.serialize();
+    private final static byte SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.STRING.serialize();
+
     private ArrayBackedValueStorage array0 = new ArrayBackedValueStorage();
     private ArrayBackedValueStorage array1 = new ArrayBackedValueStorage();
     private ICopyEvaluator evalString;
@@ -25,11 +32,14 @@
     private ISerializerDeserializer boolSerde = AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider.INSTANCE
             .getSerializerDeserializer(BuiltinType.ABOOLEAN);
 
+    private final FunctionIdentifier funcID;
+
     public AbstractStringContainsEval(DataOutput dout, ICopyEvaluatorFactory evalStringFactory,
-            ICopyEvaluatorFactory evalPatternFactory) throws AlgebricksException {
+            ICopyEvaluatorFactory evalPatternFactory, FunctionIdentifier funcID) throws AlgebricksException {
         this.dout = dout;
         this.evalString = evalStringFactory.createEvaluator(array0);
         this.evalPattern = evalPatternFactory.createEvaluator(array1);
+        this.funcID = funcID;
     }
 
     @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
@@ -39,6 +49,31 @@
         evalPattern.evaluate(tuple);
         array0.reset();
         evalString.evaluate(tuple);
+
+        try {
+            if (array1.getByteArray()[0] == SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG) {
+                if (array0.getByteArray()[0] == SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG || array0.getByteArray()[0] == SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG) {
+                    boolSerde.serialize(ABoolean.TRUE, dout);
+                    return;
+                }
+            } else if (array0.getByteArray()[0] == SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG) {
+                if (array1.getByteArray()[0] == SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG) {
+                    boolSerde.serialize(ABoolean.FALSE, dout);
+                    return;
+                }
+
+            }
+
+            if (array0.getByteArray()[0] != SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG || array1.getByteArray()[0] != SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG) {
+                throw new AlgebricksException(funcID.getName()
+                        + ": expects input type (STRING/NULL, STRING/NULL), but got ("
+                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(array0.getByteArray()[0]) + ", "
+                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(array1.getByteArray()[0]) + ").");
+            }
+        } catch (HyracksDataException e) {
+            throw new AlgebricksException(e);
+        }
+
         byte[] b1 = array0.getByteArray();
         byte[] b2 = array1.getByteArray();
         ABoolean res = findMatch(b1, b2) ? ABoolean.TRUE : ABoolean.FALSE;
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AbstractTripleStringBoolEval.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AbstractTripleStringBoolEval.java
index a0c963b..a3be797 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AbstractTripleStringBoolEval.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AbstractTripleStringBoolEval.java
@@ -9,7 +9,9 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.AString;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.runtime.base.ICopyEvaluator;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.runtime.base.ICopyEvaluatorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.ISerializerDeserializer;
@@ -24,6 +26,7 @@
 
     private DataOutput dout;
     private final static byte SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.NULL.serialize();
+    private final static byte SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.STRING.serialize();
     private ArrayBackedValueStorage array0 = new ArrayBackedValueStorage();
     private ArrayBackedValueStorage array1 = new ArrayBackedValueStorage();
     private ArrayBackedValueStorage array2 = new ArrayBackedValueStorage();
@@ -34,12 +37,15 @@
     private ISerializerDeserializer boolSerde = AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider.INSTANCE
             .getSerializerDeserializer(BuiltinType.ABOOLEAN);
 
+    private final FunctionIdentifier funcID;
+
     public AbstractTripleStringBoolEval(DataOutput dout, ICopyEvaluatorFactory eval0, ICopyEvaluatorFactory eval1,
-            ICopyEvaluatorFactory eval2) throws AlgebricksException {
+            ICopyEvaluatorFactory eval2, FunctionIdentifier funcID) throws AlgebricksException {
         this.dout = dout;
         this.eval0 = eval0.createEvaluator(array0);
         this.eval1 = eval1.createEvaluator(array1);
         this.eval2 = eval2.createEvaluator(array2);
+        this.funcID = funcID;
     }
 
     @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
@@ -53,13 +59,24 @@
         eval2.evaluate(tuple);
 
         try {
-            if (array0.getByteArray()[0] == SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG && array1.getByteArray()[0] == SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG) {
-                boolSerde.serialize(ABoolean.TRUE, dout);
-                return;
-            } else if (array0.getByteArray()[0] == SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG || array1.getByteArray()[0] == SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG) {
+            if ((array0.getByteArray()[0] == SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG && array1.getByteArray()[0] == SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG)
+                    || (array1.getByteArray()[0] == SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG && array0.getByteArray()[0] == SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG)) {
                 boolSerde.serialize(ABoolean.FALSE, dout);
                 return;
+            } else if (array0.getByteArray()[0] == SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG && array1.getByteArray()[0] == SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG) {
+                boolSerde.serialize(ABoolean.TRUE, dout);
+                return;
             }
+
+            if (array0.getByteArray()[0] != SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG || array1.getByteArray()[0] != SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG
+                    || array2.getByteArray()[0] != SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG) {
+                throw new AlgebricksException(funcID.getName()
+                        + ": expects iput type (STRING/NULL, STRING/NULL, STRING) but got ("
+                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(array0.getByteArray()[0]) + ", "
+                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(array1.getByteArray()[0]) + ", "
+                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(array2.getByteArray()[0]) + ")");
+            }
+
         } catch (HyracksDataException e) {
             throw new AlgebricksException(e);
         }
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AbstractTripleStringStringEval.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AbstractTripleStringStringEval.java
index e38fe8a..41d0b3d 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AbstractTripleStringStringEval.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AbstractTripleStringStringEval.java
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.functions;
 
 import java.io.DataOutput;
-import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.regex.Pattern;
 
@@ -11,7 +10,9 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.AString;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.runtime.base.ICopyEvaluator;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.runtime.base.ICopyEvaluatorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.ISerializerDeserializer;
@@ -42,12 +43,15 @@
     private ISerializerDeserializer strSerde = AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider.INSTANCE
             .getSerializerDeserializer(BuiltinType.ASTRING);
 
+    private final FunctionIdentifier funcID;
+
     public AbstractTripleStringStringEval(DataOutput dout, ICopyEvaluatorFactory eval0, ICopyEvaluatorFactory eval1,
-            ICopyEvaluatorFactory eval2) throws AlgebricksException {
+            ICopyEvaluatorFactory eval2, FunctionIdentifier funcID) throws AlgebricksException {
         this.dout = dout;
         this.eval0 = eval0.createEvaluator(array0);
         this.eval1 = eval1.createEvaluator(array1);
         this.eval2 = eval2.createEvaluator(array2);
+        this.funcID = funcID;
     }
 
     @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
@@ -61,22 +65,25 @@
         eval2.evaluate(tuple);
 
         try {
+            // type-check: (string?, string, string)
+
             if (array0.getByteArray()[0] == SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG) {
-                nullSerde.serialize(ANull.NULL, dout);
-                return;
-            } else if (array0.getByteArray()[0] == SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG) {
-                if (array0.getByteArray()[1] == SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG) {
-                    dout.write(array0.getByteArray(), array0.getStartOffset(), array0.getLength());
+                if (array1.getByteArray()[0] == SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG && array2.getByteArray()[0] == SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG) {
+                    nullSerde.serialize(ANull.NULL, dout);
                     return;
                 }
+            }
 
-            } else {
-                throw new AlgebricksException("Expects String Type.");
+            if (array0.getByteArray()[0] != SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG || array1.getByteArray()[0] != SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG
+                    || array2.getByteArray()[0] != SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG) {
+                throw new AlgebricksException(funcID.getName()
+                        + ": expects input type (STRING/NULL, STRING, STRING), but got ("
+                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(array0.getByteArray()[0]) + ", "
+                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(array1.getByteArray()[0]) + ", "
+                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(array2.getByteArray()[0]) + ").");
             }
         } catch (HyracksDataException e) {
             throw new AlgebricksException(e);
-        } catch (IOException e) {
-            throw new AlgebricksException(e.getMessage());
         }
 
         byte[] b0 = array0.getByteArray();
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AndDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AndDescriptor.java
index b2fc6da..a090dc2 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AndDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AndDescriptor.java
@@ -93,5 +93,4 @@
             }
         };
     }
-
 }
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AnyCollectionMemberDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AnyCollectionMemberDescriptor.java
index e080a39..d704812 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AnyCollectionMemberDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/AnyCollectionMemberDescriptor.java
@@ -87,7 +87,8 @@
                         }
 
                         if (serList[0] != SER_ORDEREDLIST_TYPE_TAG && serList[0] != SER_UNORDEREDLIST_TYPE_TAG) {
-                            throw new AlgebricksException("List's get-any-item is not defined for values of type"
+                            throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.ANY_COLLECTION_MEMBER.getName()
+                                    + ": expects input type ORDEREDLIST/UNORDEREDLIST, but got "
                                     + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(serList[0]));
                         }
 
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/ClosedRecordConstructorDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/ClosedRecordConstructorDescriptor.java
index ac6bfe5..cdfd9d3 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/ClosedRecordConstructorDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/ClosedRecordConstructorDescriptor.java
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 package edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.functions;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/CodePointToStringDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/CodePointToStringDescriptor.java
index 55fe563..1a3e1b8 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/CodePointToStringDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/CodePointToStringDescriptor.java
@@ -6,20 +6,16 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.AsterixException;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.AInt32SerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.AOrderedListSerializerDeserializer;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.formats.nontagged.AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ANull;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.runtime.base.ICopyEvaluator;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.runtime.base.ICopyEvaluatorFactory;
-import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.dataflow.value.ISerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.data.std.api.IDataOutputProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.data.std.util.ArrayBackedValueStorage;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.dataflow.common.data.accessors.IFrameTupleReference;
@@ -36,8 +32,9 @@
             return new CodePointToStringDescriptor();
         }
     };
-    private final static byte SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.NULL.serialize();
     private final static byte SER_ORDEREDLIST_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.ORDEREDLIST.serialize();
+    private final static byte SER_INT32_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.INT32.serialize();
+
     private final static byte[] currentUTF8 = new byte[6];
     private final byte stringTypeTag = ATypeTag.STRING.serialize();
 
@@ -49,7 +46,7 @@
 
             private int codePointToUTF8(int c) {
                 if (c < 0x80) {
-                    currentUTF8[0] = (byte) (c & 0x7F /*mask 7 lsb: 0b1111111 */);
+                    currentUTF8[0] = (byte) (c & 0x7F /* mask 7 lsb: 0b1111111 */);
                     return 1;
                 } else if (c < 0x0800) {
                     currentUTF8[0] = (byte) (c >> 6 & 0x1F | 0xC0);
@@ -100,8 +97,10 @@
                             outInputList.reset();
                             evalList.evaluate(tuple);
                             byte[] serOrderedList = outInputList.getByteArray();
-                            if (serOrderedList[0] != SER_ORDEREDLIST_TYPE_TAG) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException("Expects an Integer List."
+                            if (serOrderedList[0] != SER_ORDEREDLIST_TYPE_TAG
+                                    && serOrderedList[1] != SER_INT32_TYPE_TAG) {
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.CODEPOINT_TO_STRING.getName()
+                                        + ": expects input type ORDEREDLIST but got "
                                         + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(serOrderedList[0]));
                             }
                             int size = AOrderedListSerializerDeserializer.getNumberOfItems(serOrderedList);
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/ContainsDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/ContainsDescriptor.java
index f2bb83c..8fe59a8 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/ContainsDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/ContainsDescriptor.java
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 
                 DataOutput dout = output.getDataOutput();
 
-                return new AbstractStringContainsEval(dout, args[0], args[1]) {
+                return new AbstractStringContainsEval(dout, args[0], args[1], AsterixBuiltinFunctions.CONTAINS) {
 
                     @Override
                     protected boolean findMatch(byte[] strBytes, byte[] patternBytes) {
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/CreateCircleDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/CreateCircleDescriptor.java
index 5cef4da..c188228 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/CreateCircleDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/CreateCircleDescriptor.java
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -27,6 +29,10 @@
 public class CreateCircleDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
+
+    private static final byte SER_DOUBLE_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.DOUBLE.serialize();
+    private static final byte SER_POINT_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.POINT.serialize();
+
     public static final IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
         public IFunctionDescriptor createFunctionDescriptor() {
             return new CreateCircleDescriptor();
@@ -61,6 +67,17 @@
                         outInput1.reset();
                         eval1.evaluate(tuple);
 
+                        // Type check: (point, double)
+                        if (outInput0.getByteArray()[0] != SER_POINT_TYPE_TAG
+                                || outInput1.getByteArray()[0] != SER_DOUBLE_TYPE_TAG) {
+                            throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.CREATE_CIRCLE.getName()
+                                    + ": expects input type (POINT, DOUBLE) but got ("
+                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(outInput0.getByteArray()[0])
+                                    + ", "
+                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(outInput1.getByteArray()[0])
+                                    + ")");
+                        }
+
                         try {
                             aPoint.setValue(ADoubleSerializerDeserializer.getDouble(outInput0.getByteArray(),
                                     APointSerializerDeserializer.getCoordinateOffset(Coordinate.X)),
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/CreateLineDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/CreateLineDescriptor.java
index 42931b8..3021d70 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/CreateLineDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/CreateLineDescriptor.java
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -27,6 +29,10 @@
 public class CreateLineDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
+
+    // allowed input type
+    private static final byte SER_POINT_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.POINT.serialize();
+
     public static final IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
         public IFunctionDescriptor createFunctionDescriptor() {
             return new CreateLineDescriptor();
@@ -61,6 +67,17 @@
                         outInput1.reset();
                         eval1.evaluate(tuple);
 
+                        // type-check: (point, point)
+                        if (outInput0.getByteArray()[0] != SER_POINT_TYPE_TAG
+                                || outInput1.getByteArray()[0] != SER_POINT_TYPE_TAG) {
+                            throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.CREATE_LINE.getName()
+                                    + ": expects input type: (POINT, POINT) but got ("
+                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(outInput0.getByteArray()[0])
+                                    + ", "
+                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(outInput1.getByteArray()[0])
+                                    + ").");
+                        }
+
                         try {
                             aPoint[0].setValue(ADoubleSerializerDeserializer.getDouble(outInput0.getByteArray(),
                                     APointSerializerDeserializer.getCoordinateOffset(Coordinate.X)),
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/CreatePointDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/CreatePointDescriptor.java
index 6099ab6..e660815 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/CreatePointDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/CreatePointDescriptor.java
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -24,6 +26,10 @@
 public class CreatePointDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
+
+    // allowed input type
+    private static final byte SER_DOUBLE_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.DOUBLE.serialize();
+
     public static final IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
         public IFunctionDescriptor createFunctionDescriptor() {
             return new CreatePointDescriptor();
@@ -57,6 +63,17 @@
                         outInput1.reset();
                         eval1.evaluate(tuple);
 
+                        // type-check: (double, double)
+                        if (outInput0.getByteArray()[0] != SER_DOUBLE_TYPE_TAG
+                                || outInput1.getByteArray()[0] != SER_DOUBLE_TYPE_TAG) {
+                            throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.CREATE_POINT.getName()
+                                    + ": expects input type: (DOUBLE, DOUBLE) but got ("
+                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(outInput0.getByteArray()[0])
+                                    + ", "
+                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(outInput1.getByteArray()[0])
+                                    + ").");
+                        }
+
                         try {
                             aPoint.setValue(ADoubleSerializerDeserializer.getDouble(outInput0.getByteArray(), 1),
                                     ADoubleSerializerDeserializer.getDouble(outInput1.getByteArray(), 1));
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/CreateRectangleDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/CreateRectangleDescriptor.java
index 36a9266..a9c3b09 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/CreateRectangleDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/CreateRectangleDescriptor.java
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -27,6 +29,10 @@
 public class CreateRectangleDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
+
+    // allowed input type
+    private static final byte SER_POINT_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.POINT.serialize();
+
     public static final IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
         public IFunctionDescriptor createFunctionDescriptor() {
             return new CreateRectangleDescriptor();
@@ -60,6 +66,16 @@
                         outInput1.reset();
                         eval1.evaluate(tuple);
 
+                        if (outInput0.getByteArray()[0] != SER_POINT_TYPE_TAG
+                                || outInput1.getByteArray()[0] != SER_POINT_TYPE_TAG) {
+                            throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.CREATE_RECTANGLE.getName()
+                                    + ": expects input type: (POINT, POINT) but got ("
+                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(outInput0.getByteArray()[0])
+                                    + ", "
+                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(outInput1.getByteArray()[0])
+                                    + ".");
+                        }
+
                         try {
                             aPoint[0].setValue(ADoubleSerializerDeserializer.getDouble(outInput0.getByteArray(),
                                     APointSerializerDeserializer.getCoordinateOffset(Coordinate.X)),
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/EditDistanceCheckDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/EditDistanceCheckDescriptor.java
index ca61b5b..028c31b 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/EditDistanceCheckDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/EditDistanceCheckDescriptor.java
@@ -92,8 +92,8 @@
                 }
 
                 default: {
-                    throw new AlgebricksException("Invalid type " + argType
-                            + " passed as argument to edit distance function.");
+                    throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.EDIT_DISTANCE_CHECK.getName()
+                            + ": expects input type as STRING or ORDEREDLIST but got " + argType + ".");
                 }
 
             }
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/EditDistanceListIsFilterable.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/EditDistanceListIsFilterable.java
index 7c47cad..5866bf7 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/EditDistanceListIsFilterable.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/EditDistanceListIsFilterable.java
@@ -94,9 +94,9 @@
                     break;
                 }
                 default: {
-                    throw new AlgebricksException(
-                            "Expected type 'ORDEREDLIST' or 'UNORDEREDLIST' as first argument. Encountered '"
-                                    + typeTag.toString() + "'.");
+                    throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.EDIT_DISTANCE_LIST_IS_FILTERABLE.getName()
+                            + ": expects input type ORDEREDLIST or UNORDEREDLIST as the first argument, but got "
+                            + typeTag + ".");
                 }
             }
 
@@ -105,8 +105,8 @@
             edThreshEval.evaluate(tuple);
             typeTag = EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argBuf.getByteArray()[0]);
             if (!typeTag.equals(ATypeTag.INT32)) {
-                throw new AlgebricksException("Expected type 'INT32' as second argument. Encountered '"
-                        + typeTag.toString() + "'.");
+                throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.EDIT_DISTANCE_LIST_IS_FILTERABLE.getName()
+                        + ": expected type INT32 as the second argument, but got " + typeTag + ".");
             }
             int edThresh = IntegerSerializerDeserializer.getInt(argBuf.getByteArray(), 1);
 
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/EditDistanceStringIsFilterable.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/EditDistanceStringIsFilterable.java
index e8571bf..512a76b 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/EditDistanceStringIsFilterable.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/EditDistanceStringIsFilterable.java
@@ -88,8 +88,8 @@
             stringEval.evaluate(tuple);
             typeTag = EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argBuf.getByteArray()[0]);
             if (!typeTag.equals(ATypeTag.STRING)) {
-                throw new AlgebricksException("Expected type 'STRING' as first argument. Encountered '"
-                        + typeTag.toString() + "'.");
+                throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.EDIT_DISTANCE_STRING_IS_FILTERABLE.getName()
+                        + ": expects input type STRING as first argument, but got " + typeTag + ".");
             }
             int utf8Length = UTF8StringPointable.getUTFLength(argBuf.getByteArray(), 1);
             int pos = 3;
@@ -105,8 +105,8 @@
             edThreshEval.evaluate(tuple);
             typeTag = EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argBuf.getByteArray()[0]);
             if (!typeTag.equals(ATypeTag.INT32)) {
-                throw new AlgebricksException("Expected type 'INT32' as second argument. Encountered '"
-                        + typeTag.toString() + "'.");
+                throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.EDIT_DISTANCE_STRING_IS_FILTERABLE.getName()
+                        + ": expects input type INT32 as second argument, but got " + typeTag + ".");
             }
             int edThresh = IntegerSerializerDeserializer.getInt(argBuf.getByteArray(), 1);
 
@@ -115,8 +115,8 @@
             gramLenEval.evaluate(tuple);
             typeTag = EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argBuf.getByteArray()[0]);
             if (!typeTag.equals(ATypeTag.INT32)) {
-                throw new AlgebricksException("Expected type 'INT32' as third argument. Encountered '"
-                        + typeTag.toString() + "'.");
+                throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.EDIT_DISTANCE_STRING_IS_FILTERABLE.getName()
+                        + ": expects input type INT32 as third argument, but got " + typeTag + ".");
             }
             int gramLen = IntegerSerializerDeserializer.getInt(argBuf.getByteArray(), 1);
 
@@ -125,8 +125,8 @@
             usePrePostEval.evaluate(tuple);
             typeTag = EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argBuf.getByteArray()[0]);
             if (!typeTag.equals(ATypeTag.BOOLEAN)) {
-                throw new AlgebricksException("Expected type 'BOOLEAN' as fourth argument. Encountered '"
-                        + typeTag.toString() + "'.");
+                throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.EDIT_DISTANCE_STRING_IS_FILTERABLE.getName()
+                        + ": expects input type BOOLEAN as fourth argument, but got " + typeTag + ".");
             }
             boolean usePrePost = BooleanSerializerDeserializer.getBoolean(argBuf.getByteArray(), 1);
 
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/EndsWithDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/EndsWithDescriptor.java
index d5d74bb..bd5757d 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/EndsWithDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/EndsWithDescriptor.java
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 
                 DataOutput dout = output.getDataOutput();
 
-                return new AbstractStringContainsEval(dout, args[0], args[1]) {
+                return new AbstractStringContainsEval(dout, args[0], args[1], AsterixBuiltinFunctions.ENDS_WITH) {
 
                     @Override
                     protected boolean findMatch(byte[] strBytes, byte[] patternBytes) {
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/FieldAccessByNameDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/FieldAccessByNameDescriptor.java
index 3c4e6d8..09a9940 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/FieldAccessByNameDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/FieldAccessByNameDescriptor.java
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 import java.io.IOException;
 
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.AsterixException;
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.ARecordSerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.formats.nontagged.AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ANull;
@@ -93,7 +92,8 @@
                         }
 
                         if (serRecord[0] != SER_RECORD_TYPE_TAG) {
-                            throw new AlgebricksException("Field accessor is not defined for values of type"
+                            throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.FIELD_ACCESS_BY_NAME.getName()
+                                    + ": expects input type NULL or RECORD, but got "
                                     + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(serRecord[0]));
                         }
 
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/GetItemDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/GetItemDescriptor.java
index ca65c11..b41347d 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/GetItemDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/GetItemDescriptor.java
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
         private ICopyEvaluatorFactory indexEvalFactory;
         private final static byte SER_ORDEREDLIST_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.ORDEREDLIST.serialize();
         private final static byte SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.NULL.serialize();
+        private final static byte SER_INT32_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.INT32.serialize();
         private byte serItemTypeTag;
         private ATypeTag itemTag;
         private boolean selfDescList = false;
@@ -92,9 +93,13 @@
                             return;
                         }
 
-                        if (serOrderedList[0] != SER_ORDEREDLIST_TYPE_TAG) {
-                            throw new AlgebricksException("List's get-item can not be called on values of type"
-                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(serOrderedList[0]));
+                        if (serOrderedList[0] != SER_ORDEREDLIST_TYPE_TAG
+                                || outInputIdx.getByteArray()[0] != SER_INT32_TYPE_TAG) {
+                            throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.GET_ITEM.getName()
+                                    + ": expects input type (NULL/ORDEREDLIST, INT32), but got ("
+                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(serOrderedList[0]) + ", "
+                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(outInputIdx.getByteArray()[0])
+                                    + ").");
                         }
 
                         itemIndex = IntegerSerializerDeserializer.getInt(outInputIdx.getByteArray(), 1);
@@ -103,7 +108,8 @@
                             return;
                         }
                         if (itemIndex < 0)
-                            throw new AlgebricksException("Item index can be negative !!");
+                            throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.GET_ITEM.getName()
+                                    + ": item index can be negative!");
 
                         itemTag = EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(serOrderedList[1]);
                         if (itemTag == ATypeTag.ANY)
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/InjectFailureDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/InjectFailureDescriptor.java
index 3247475..e35c56f 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/InjectFailureDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/InjectFailureDescriptor.java
@@ -58,7 +58,8 @@
                             if (typeTag == ATypeTag.BOOLEAN) {
                                 boolean argResult = ABooleanSerializerDeserializer.getBoolean(argOut.getByteArray(), 1);
                                 if (argResult)
-                                    throw new AlgebricksException("Injecting a intended failure");
+                                    throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.INJECT_FAILURE
+                                            + ": injecting a intended failure");
                             }
 
                             // evaluate the real evaluator
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/LenDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/LenDescriptor.java
index abea4e3..48e575a 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/LenDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/LenDescriptor.java
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -78,7 +79,9 @@
                         }
 
                         if (serList[0] != SER_ORDEREDLIST_TYPE_TAG && serList[0] != SER_UNORDEREDLIST_TYPE_TAG) {
-                            throw new AlgebricksException("len() can only be called on ordered or unordered lists.");
+                            throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.LEN.getName()
+                                    + ": expects input type ORDEREDLIST/UNORDEREDLIST but got "
+                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(serList[0]));
                         }
 
                         int numberOfitems = 0;
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/LikeDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/LikeDescriptor.java
index 4344f33..58b5b7b 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/LikeDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/LikeDescriptor.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -39,7 +40,11 @@
 public class LikeDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
+
+    // allowed input types
     private final static byte SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.NULL.serialize();
+    private final static byte SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.STRING.serialize();
+
     public static final IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
         public IFunctionDescriptor createFunctionDescriptor() {
             return new LikeDescriptor();
@@ -94,6 +99,12 @@
                                 nullSerde.serialize(ANull.NULL, dout);
                                 return;
                             }
+                            if (array0.getByteArray()[0] != SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG) {
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.LIKE
+                                        + ": expects input type STRING/NULL for the first argument but got "
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(array0.getByteArray()[0])
+                                        + ".");
+                            }
                             boolean newPattern = false;
                             if (first) {
                                 first = false;
@@ -121,6 +132,12 @@
                                 nullSerde.serialize(ANull.NULL, dout);
                                 return;
                             }
+                            if (array0.getByteArray()[0] != SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG) {
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.LIKE
+                                        + ": expects input type (STRING/NULL, STRING/NULL) but got (STRING, "
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(array0.getByteArray()[0])
+                                        + ").");
+                            }
                             carSeq.reset(array0, 1);
                             if (newPattern) {
                                 matcher = pattern.matcher(carSeq);
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NotDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NotDescriptor.java
index 41ec790..1553a1a 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NotDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NotDescriptor.java
@@ -53,7 +53,8 @@
                     private ArrayBackedValueStorage argOut = new ArrayBackedValueStorage();
                     private ICopyEvaluator eval = args[0].createEvaluator(argOut);
 
-                    private String errorMessage = "Not() can only be applied on boolean";
+                    private String errorMessage = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.NOT.getName()
+                            + ": expects input type BOOLEAN/NULL";
                     @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
                     private ISerializerDeserializer<ABoolean> booleanSerde = AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider.INSTANCE
                             .getSerializerDeserializer(BuiltinType.ABOOLEAN);
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NotNullDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NotNullDescriptor.java
index 12e73f6..6c4126f 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NotNullDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NotNullDescriptor.java
@@ -57,7 +57,8 @@
                     private DataOutput out = output.getDataOutput();
                     private ArrayBackedValueStorage outInput = new ArrayBackedValueStorage();
                     private ICopyEvaluator eval = args[0].createEvaluator(outInput);
-                    private String errorMessage = "The input value cannot be null!";
+                    private String errorMessage = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.NOT_NULL
+                            + ": the input value cannot be NULL.";
 
                     @Override
                     public void evaluate(IFrameTupleReference tuple) throws AlgebricksException {
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericAbsDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericAbsDescriptor.java
index c013750..4ba5d40 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericAbsDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericAbsDescriptor.java
@@ -129,7 +129,8 @@
                                 aDouble.setValue((val <= 0.0D) ? 0.0D - val : val);
                                 serde.serialize(aDouble, out);
                             } else {
-                                throw new NotImplementedException("Numeric Abs is not implemented for "
+                                throw new NotImplementedException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.NUMERIC_ABS.getName()
+                                        + ": not implemented for "
                                         + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut.getByteArray()[0]));
                             }
                         } catch (HyracksDataException e) {
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericCeilingDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericCeilingDescriptor.java
index 14d1f78..c5ae80b 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericCeilingDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericCeilingDescriptor.java
@@ -130,7 +130,8 @@
                                 aDouble.setValue(Math.ceil(val));
                                 serde.serialize(aDouble, out);
                             } else {
-                                throw new NotImplementedException("Numeric Ceiling is not implemented for "
+                                throw new NotImplementedException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.NUMERIC_CEILING.getName()
+                                        + ": not implemented for "
                                         + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut.getByteArray()[0]));
                             }
                         } catch (HyracksDataException e) {
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericFloorDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericFloorDescriptor.java
index 99dd240..89deafd 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericFloorDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericFloorDescriptor.java
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@
                                 aDouble.setValue(Math.floor(val));
                                 serde.serialize(aDouble, out);
                             } else {
-                                throw new NotImplementedException("Numeric Floor is not implemented for "
+                                throw new NotImplementedException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.NUMERIC_FLOOR.getName() + ": not implemented for "
                                         + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut.getByteArray()[0]));
                             }
                         } catch (HyracksDataException e) {
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericModuloDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericModuloDescriptor.java
index b7fba62..3dff635 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericModuloDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericModuloDescriptor.java
@@ -142,8 +142,9 @@
                                         return;
                                     }
                                     default: {
-                                        throw new NotImplementedException(i == 0 ? "Left" : "Right"
-                                                + " Operand of Modulo can not be "
+                                        throw new NotImplementedException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.NUMERIC_MOD.getName()
+                                                + (i == 0 ? ": left" : ": right")
+                                                + " operand can not be "
                                                 + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut
                                                         .getByteArray()[0]));
                                     }
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericRoundDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericRoundDescriptor.java
index bc565ce..505277e 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericRoundDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericRoundDescriptor.java
@@ -131,7 +131,8 @@
                                 aDouble.setValue(val);
                                 serde.serialize(aDouble, out);
                             } else {
-                                throw new NotImplementedException("Numeric Round is not implemented for "
+                                throw new NotImplementedException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.NUMERIC_ROUND.getName()
+                                        + ": not implemented for "
                                         + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut.getByteArray()[0]));
                             }
                         } catch (HyracksDataException e) {
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericRoundHalfToEven2Descriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericRoundHalfToEven2Descriptor.java
index e205bf5..6613994 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericRoundHalfToEven2Descriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericRoundHalfToEven2Descriptor.java
@@ -99,8 +99,8 @@
                         } else if (argOut.getByteArray()[0] == serInt64TypeTag) {
                             return (int) AInt64SerializerDeserializer.getLong(argOut.getByteArray(), 1);
                         } else {
-                            throw new AlgebricksException(
-                                    "The precision argument for round-half-to-even should be an integer.");
+                            throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.NUMERIC_ROUND_HALF_TO_EVEN2.getName()
+                                    + ": the precision argument should be an INT8/INT16/INT32/INT64.");
                         }
                     }
 
@@ -166,8 +166,11 @@
                                     serde.serialize(aDouble, out);
                                 }
                             } else {
-                                throw new NotImplementedException("Numeric Round Half to Even is not implemented for "
-                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut.getByteArray()[0]));
+                                throw new NotImplementedException(
+                                        AsterixBuiltinFunctions.NUMERIC_ROUND_HALF_TO_EVEN2.getName()
+                                                + ": not implemented for "
+                                                + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut
+                                                        .getByteArray()[0]));
                             }
                         } catch (HyracksDataException e) {
                             throw new AlgebricksException(e);
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericRoundHalfToEvenDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericRoundHalfToEvenDescriptor.java
index 1b54090..69cd990 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericRoundHalfToEvenDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericRoundHalfToEvenDescriptor.java
@@ -130,8 +130,11 @@
                                 aDouble.setValue(Math.rint(val));
                                 serde.serialize(aDouble, out);
                             } else {
-                                throw new NotImplementedException("Numeric Round Half to Even is not implemented for "
-                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut.getByteArray()[0]));
+                                throw new NotImplementedException(
+                                        AsterixBuiltinFunctions.NUMERIC_ROUND_HALF_TO_EVEN.getName()
+                                                + ": not implemented for "
+                                                + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut
+                                                        .getByteArray()[0]));
                             }
                         } catch (HyracksDataException e) {
                             throw new AlgebricksException(e);
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericSubtractDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericSubtractDescriptor.java
index 7ce452e..ca68215 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericSubtractDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericSubtractDescriptor.java
@@ -125,10 +125,12 @@
                                         return;
                                     }
                                     default: {
-                                        throw new NotImplementedException(i == 0 ? "Left" : "Right"
-                                                + " Operand of Substraction can not be "
-                                                + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut
-                                                        .getByteArray()[0]));
+                                        throw new NotImplementedException(
+                                                AsterixBuiltinFunctions.NUMERIC_SUBTRACT.getName()
+                                                        + (i == 0 ? ": left" : ": right")
+                                                        + " operand can not be "
+                                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut
+                                                                .getByteArray()[0]));
                                     }
                                 }
                             }
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericUnaryMinusDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericUnaryMinusDescriptor.java
index 6fec336..4192b6d 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericUnaryMinusDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/NumericUnaryMinusDescriptor.java
@@ -114,7 +114,8 @@
                                 aDouble.setValue(-ADoubleSerializerDeserializer.getDouble(argOut.getByteArray(), 1));
                                 serde.serialize(aDouble, out);
                             } else {
-                                throw new NotImplementedException("Unary minus is not implemented for "
+                                throw new NotImplementedException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.NUMERIC_UNARY_MINUS.getName()
+                                        + ": not implemented for "
                                         + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut.getByteArray()[0]));
                             }
                         } catch (HyracksDataException e) {
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/PrefixLenDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/PrefixLenDescriptor.java
index 019f655..10d8ff0 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/PrefixLenDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/PrefixLenDescriptor.java
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.AMutableInt32;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.common.SimilarityFiltersCache;
 import edu.uci.ics.fuzzyjoin.similarity.SimilarityFilters;
@@ -27,7 +29,14 @@
 public class PrefixLenDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    private final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS, "prefix-len@3", 3);
+
+    // allowed input types
+    private final static byte SER_INT32_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.INT32.serialize();
+    private final static byte SER_DOUBLE_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.DOUBLE.serialize();
+    private final static byte SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.STRING.serialize();
+
+    private final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS, "prefix-len@3",
+            3);
     public static final IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
         public IFunctionDescriptor createFunctionDescriptor() {
             return new PrefixLenDescriptor();
@@ -64,17 +73,32 @@
                         // length
                         inputVal.reset();
                         evalLen.evaluate(tuple);
+                        if (inputVal.getByteArray()[0] != SER_INT32_TYPE_TAG) {
+                            throw new AlgebricksException(FID.getName()
+                                    + ": expects type Int32 for the first argument, but got "
+                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(inputVal.getByteArray()[0]));
+                        }
                         int length = IntegerSerializerDeserializer.getInt(inputVal.getByteArray(), 1);
 
                         // similarity threshold
                         inputVal.reset();
                         evalThreshold.evaluate(tuple);
+                        if (inputVal.getByteArray()[0] != SER_DOUBLE_TYPE_TAG) {
+                            throw new AlgebricksException(FID.getName()
+                                    + ": expects type DOUBLE for the second argument, but got "
+                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(inputVal.getByteArray()[0]));
+                        }
                         float similarityThreshold = (float) ADoubleSerializerDeserializer.getDouble(
                                 inputVal.getByteArray(), 1);
 
                         // similarity name
                         inputVal.reset();
                         evalSimilarity.evaluate(tuple);
+                        if (inputVal.getByteArray()[0] != SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG) {
+                            throw new AlgebricksException(FID.getName()
+                                    + ": expects type STRING for the third argument, but got "
+                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(inputVal.getByteArray()[0]));
+                        }
                         SimilarityFilters similarityFilters = similarityFiltersCache.get(similarityThreshold,
                                 inputVal.getByteArray());
 
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/PrefixLenJaccardDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/PrefixLenJaccardDescriptor.java
index 4138932..3e4a515 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/PrefixLenJaccardDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/PrefixLenJaccardDescriptor.java
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.fuzzyjoin.similarity.SimilarityFiltersJaccard;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
@@ -26,6 +28,11 @@
 public class PrefixLenJaccardDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
+
+    // allowed input types
+    private final static byte SER_INT32_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.INT32.serialize();
+    private final static byte SER_FLOAT_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.FLOAT.serialize();
+
     public static final IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
         public IFunctionDescriptor createFunctionDescriptor() {
             return new PrefixLenJaccardDescriptor();
@@ -62,11 +69,21 @@
                         // length
                         inputVal.reset();
                         evalLen.evaluate(tuple);
+                        if (inputVal.getByteArray()[0] != SER_INT32_TYPE_TAG) {
+                            throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.PREFIX_LEN_JACCARD.getName()
+                                    + ": expects type Int32 the first argument but got "
+                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(inputVal.getByteArray()[0]));
+                        }
                         int length = IntegerSerializerDeserializer.getInt(inputVal.getByteArray(), 1);
 
                         // similarity threshold
                         inputVal.reset();
                         evalThreshold.evaluate(tuple);
+                        if (inputVal.getByteArray()[0] != SER_FLOAT_TYPE_TAG) {
+                            throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.PREFIX_LEN_JACCARD.getName()
+                                    + ": expects type FLOAT the first argument but got "
+                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(inputVal.getByteArray()[0]));
+                        }
                         float similarityThreshold = (float) AFloatSerializerDeserializer.getFloat(
                                 inputVal.getByteArray(), 1);
 
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/RegExpDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/RegExpDescriptor.java
index be01d28..c91bcb2 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/RegExpDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/RegExpDescriptor.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -38,7 +39,11 @@
 public class RegExpDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
+
+    // allowed input types
     private final static byte SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.NULL.serialize();
+    private final static byte SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.STRING.serialize();
+
     public static final IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
         public IFunctionDescriptor createFunctionDescriptor() {
             return new RegExpDescriptor();
@@ -93,6 +98,11 @@
                                 nullSerde.serialize(ANull.NULL, dout);
                                 return;
                             }
+                            if (array0.getByteArray()[0] != SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG) {
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.REG_EXP.getName()
+                                        + ": expects type STRING/NULL for the first input argument but got "
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(array0.getByteArray()[0]));
+                            }
                             boolean newPattern = false;
                             if (first) {
                                 first = false;
@@ -120,6 +130,11 @@
                                 nullSerde.serialize(ANull.NULL, dout);
                                 return;
                             }
+                            if (array0.getByteArray()[0] != SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG) {
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.REG_EXP.getName()
+                                        + ": expects type STRING/NULL for the second input argument but got "
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(array0.getByteArray()[0]));
+                            }
                             carSeq.reset(array0, 1);
                             if (newPattern) {
                                 matcher = pattern.matcher(carSeq);
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SimilarityDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SimilarityDescriptor.java
index a2d9cc7..123e653 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SimilarityDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SimilarityDescriptor.java
@@ -35,10 +35,15 @@
 public class SimilarityDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    private final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS, "similarity@7", 7);
+    private final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS, "similarity@7",
+            7);
 
+    private final static byte SER_DOUBLE_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.DOUBLE.serialize();
+    private final static byte SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.STRING.serialize();
+    private final static byte SER_INT32_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.INT32.serialize();
     private final static byte SER_ORDEREDLIST_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.ORDEREDLIST.serialize();
     private final static byte SER_UNORDEREDLIST_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.UNORDEREDLIST.serialize();
+
     public static final IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
         public IFunctionDescriptor createFunctionDescriptor() {
             return new SimilarityDescriptor();
@@ -83,21 +88,41 @@
                         // similarity threshold
                         inputVal.reset();
                         evalThreshold.evaluate(tuple);
+                        if (inputVal.getByteArray()[0] != SER_DOUBLE_TYPE_TAG) {
+                            throw new AlgebricksException(FID.getName()
+                                    + ": expects type DOUBLE for the first argument but got "
+                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(inputVal.getByteArray()[0]));
+                        }
                         float similarityThreshold = (float) ADoubleSerializerDeserializer.getDouble(
                                 inputVal.getByteArray(), 1);
 
                         // similarity name
                         inputVal.reset();
                         evalSimilarity.evaluate(tuple);
+                        if (inputVal.getByteArray()[0] != SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG) {
+                            throw new AlgebricksException(FID.getName()
+                                    + ": expects type STRING for the second argument but got "
+                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(inputVal.getByteArray()[0]));
+                        }
                         SimilarityFilters similarityFilters = similarityFiltersCache.get(similarityThreshold,
                                 inputVal.getByteArray());
 
                         inputVal.reset();
                         evalLen1.evaluate(tuple);
+                        if (inputVal.getByteArray()[0] != SER_INT32_TYPE_TAG) {
+                            throw new AlgebricksException(FID.getName()
+                                    + ": expects type INT32 for the thrid argument but got "
+                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(inputVal.getByteArray()[0]));
+                        }
                         int length1 = IntegerSerializerDeserializer.getInt(inputVal.getByteArray(), 1);
 
                         inputVal.reset();
                         evalLen2.evaluate(tuple);
+                        if (inputVal.getByteArray()[0] != SER_INT32_TYPE_TAG) {
+                            throw new AlgebricksException(FID.getName()
+                                    + ": expects type INT32 for the fourth argument but got "
+                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(inputVal.getByteArray()[0]));
+                        }
                         int length2 = IntegerSerializerDeserializer.getInt(inputVal.getByteArray(), 1);
 
                         float sim = 0;
@@ -115,7 +140,7 @@
 
                             byte[] serList = inputVal.getByteArray();
                             if (serList[0] != SER_ORDEREDLIST_TYPE_TAG && serList[0] != SER_UNORDEREDLIST_TYPE_TAG) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException("Scan collection is not defined for values of type"
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(FID.getName() + ": not defined for values of type"
                                         + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(serList[0]));
                             }
 
@@ -159,7 +184,7 @@
 
                             serList = inputVal.getByteArray();
                             if (serList[0] != SER_ORDEREDLIST_TYPE_TAG && serList[0] != SER_UNORDEREDLIST_TYPE_TAG) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException("Scan collection is not defined for values of type"
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(FID.getName() + ": not defined for values of type"
                                         + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(serList[0]));
                             }
 
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SimilarityJaccardPrefixDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SimilarityJaccardPrefixDescriptor.java
index 3c2f981..79a0894 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SimilarityJaccardPrefixDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SimilarityJaccardPrefixDescriptor.java
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 package edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.functions;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SpatialAreaDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SpatialAreaDescriptor.java
index d887894..15e4b40 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SpatialAreaDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SpatialAreaDescriptor.java
@@ -70,7 +70,8 @@
                                     int numOfPoints = AInt16SerializerDeserializer.getShort(argOut.getByteArray(), 1);
 
                                     if (numOfPoints < 3) {
-                                        throw new AlgebricksException("Polygon must have at least 3 points");
+                                        throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.SPATIAL_AREA.getName()
+                                                + ": polygon must have at least 3 points");
                                     }
                                     area = Math.abs(SpatialUtils.polygonArea(argOut.getByteArray(), numOfPoints));
                                     out.writeByte(ATypeTag.DOUBLE.serialize());
@@ -105,8 +106,9 @@
                                     nullSerde.serialize(ANull.NULL, out);
                                     break;
                                 default:
-                                    throw new NotImplementedException("spatial-area does not support the type: " + tag
-                                            + " It is only implemented for POLYGON, CIRCLE and RECTANGLE.");
+                                    throw new NotImplementedException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.SPATIAL_AREA.getName()
+                                            + ": does not support the type: " + tag
+                                            + "; it is only implemented for POLYGON, CIRCLE and RECTANGLE.");
                             }
                         } catch (HyracksDataException hde) {
                             throw new AlgebricksException(hde);
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SpatialCellDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SpatialCellDescriptor.java
index 6583f19..9b8d1a4 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SpatialCellDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SpatialCellDescriptor.java
@@ -103,8 +103,8 @@
                             } else if (tag == ATypeTag.NULL) {
                                 nullSerde.serialize(ANull.NULL, out);
                             } else {
-                                throw new NotImplementedException("spatial-cell does not support the type: " + tag
-                                        + " It is only implemented for POINT.");
+                                throw new NotImplementedException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.SPATIAL_CELL.getName()
+                                        + ": does not support the type: " + tag + "; it is only implemented for POINT.");
                             }
                         } catch (IOException e1) {
                             throw new AlgebricksException(e1);
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SpatialDistanceDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SpatialDistanceDescriptor.java
index 688a72c..c1b965d 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SpatialDistanceDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SpatialDistanceDescriptor.java
@@ -79,14 +79,17 @@
                                             APointSerializerDeserializer.getCoordinateOffset(Coordinate.Y));
                                     distance = Math.sqrt(Math.pow(x2 - x1, 2) + Math.pow(y2 - y1, 2));
                                 } else {
-                                    throw new NotImplementedException("spatial-distance does not support the type: "
-                                            + tag1 + " It is only implemented for POINT.");
+                                    throw new NotImplementedException(
+                                            AsterixBuiltinFunctions.SPATIAL_DISTANCE.getName()
+                                                    + ": does not support the type: " + tag1
+                                                    + "; it is only implemented for POINT.");
                                 }
                             } else if (tag0 == ATypeTag.NULL || tag1 == ATypeTag.NULL) {
                                 nullSerde.serialize(ANull.NULL, out);
                             } else {
-                                throw new NotImplementedException("spatial-distance does not support the type: " + tag0
-                                        + " It is only implemented for POINT.");
+                                throw new NotImplementedException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.SPATIAL_DISTANCE.getName()
+                                        + ": does not support the type: " + tag1
+                                        + "; it is only implemented for POINT.");
                             }
                             out.writeByte(ATypeTag.DOUBLE.serialize());
                             out.writeDouble(distance);
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SpatialIntersectDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SpatialIntersectDescriptor.java
index bd3aef5..55acc01 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SpatialIntersectDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SpatialIntersectDescriptor.java
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 public class SpatialIntersectDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
+
     public static final IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
         public IFunctionDescriptor createFunctionDescriptor() {
             return new SpatialIntersectDescriptor();
@@ -67,6 +68,7 @@
                     private final DoubleArray trianglesY1 = new DoubleArray();
 
                     private boolean pointOnLine(byte[] bytes0, byte[] bytes1) throws HyracksDataException {
+
                         double startX = ADoubleSerializerDeserializer.getDouble(bytes0,
                                 ALineSerializerDeserializer.getStartPointCoordinateOffset(Coordinate.X));
                         double startY = ADoubleSerializerDeserializer.getDouble(bytes0,
@@ -112,7 +114,8 @@
                                 APolygonSerializerDeserializer.getNumberOfPointsOffset());
 
                         if (numOfPoints1 < 3) {
-                            throw new HyracksDataException("Polygon must have at least 3 points.");
+                            throw new HyracksDataException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.SPATIAL_INTERSECT.getName()
+                                    + ": polygon must have at least 3 points.");
                         }
 
                         int counter = 0;
@@ -218,7 +221,8 @@
                                 APolygonSerializerDeserializer.getNumberOfPointsOffset());
 
                         if (numOfPoints1 < 3) {
-                            throw new HyracksDataException("Polygon must have at least 3 points.");
+                            throw new HyracksDataException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.SPATIAL_INTERSECT.getName()
+                                    + ": polygon must have at least 3 points.");
                         }
                         for (int i = 0; i < numOfPoints1; i++) {
                             double startX2 = ADoubleSerializerDeserializer.getDouble(bytes1,
@@ -369,7 +373,8 @@
                         int v = middleVertex;
                         while (!foundEar) {
                             if (0 >= (nonSimplePolygonDetection--)) {
-                                throw new NotImplementedException("Non-simple polygons are not supported.");
+                                throw new HyracksDataException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.SPATIAL_INTERSECT.getName()
+                                        + ": non-simple polygons are not supported.");
                             }
                             int u = v;
                             if (numOfPoints <= u) {
@@ -658,7 +663,8 @@
                                 APolygonSerializerDeserializer.getNumberOfPointsOffset());
 
                         if (numOfPoints1 < 3) {
-                            throw new AlgebricksException("Polygon must have at least 3 points.");
+                            throw new HyracksDataException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.SPATIAL_INTERSECT.getName()
+                                    + ": polygon must have at least 3 points.");
                         }
 
                         getCounterClockWisePolygon(bytes1, pointsOffsets1, numOfPoints1);
@@ -709,7 +715,8 @@
                                 APolygonSerializerDeserializer.getNumberOfPointsOffset());
 
                         if (numOfPoints < 3) {
-                            throw new AlgebricksException("Polygon must have at least 3 points.");
+                            throw new HyracksDataException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.SPATIAL_INTERSECT.getName()
+                                    + ": polygon must have at least 3 points.");
                         }
 
                         getCounterClockWisePolygon(bytes0, pointsOffsets0, numOfPoints);
@@ -788,9 +795,10 @@
                                             break;
                                         default:
                                             throw new NotImplementedException(
-                                                    "spatial-intersection does not support the type: "
+                                                    AsterixBuiltinFunctions.SPATIAL_INTERSECT.getName()
+                                                            + ": does not support the type: "
                                                             + tag1
-                                                            + " It is only implemented for POINT, ALINE, POLYGON, and CIRCLE.");
+                                                            + "; it is only implemented for POINT, ALINE, POLYGON, and CIRCLE.");
                                     }
                                     break;
                                 case LINE:
@@ -844,9 +852,10 @@
                                             break;
                                         default:
                                             throw new NotImplementedException(
-                                                    "spatial-intersection does not support the type: "
+                                                    AsterixBuiltinFunctions.SPATIAL_INTERSECT.getName()
+                                                            + ": does not support the type: "
                                                             + tag1
-                                                            + " It is only implemented for POINT, ALINE, POLYGON, and CIRCLE.");
+                                                            + "; it is only implemented for POINT, ALINE, POLYGON, and CIRCLE.");
                                     }
                                     break;
                                 case POLYGON:
@@ -945,9 +954,10 @@
                                             break;
                                         default:
                                             throw new NotImplementedException(
-                                                    "spatial-intersection does not support the type: "
+                                                    AsterixBuiltinFunctions.SPATIAL_INTERSECT.getName()
+                                                            + ": does not support the type: "
                                                             + tag1
-                                                            + " It is only implemented for POINT, ALINE, POLYGON, and CIRCLE.");
+                                                            + "; it is only implemented for POINT, ALINE, POLYGON, and CIRCLE.");
                                     }
                                     break;
                                 case CIRCLE:
@@ -976,9 +986,10 @@
                                             break;
                                         default:
                                             throw new NotImplementedException(
-                                                    "spatial-intersection does not support the type: "
+                                                    AsterixBuiltinFunctions.SPATIAL_INTERSECT.getName()
+                                                            + ": does not support the type: "
                                                             + tag1
-                                                            + " It is only implemented for POINT, ALINE, POLYGON, and CIRCLE.");
+                                                            + "; it is only implemented for POINT, ALINE, POLYGON, and CIRCLE.");
                                     }
                                     break;
                                 case RECTANGLE:
@@ -1030,9 +1041,10 @@
                                             break;
                                         default:
                                             throw new NotImplementedException(
-                                                    "spatial-intersection does not support the type: "
+                                                    AsterixBuiltinFunctions.SPATIAL_INTERSECT.getName()
+                                                            + ": does not support the type: "
                                                             + tag1
-                                                            + " It is only implemented for POINT, ALINE, POLYGON, and CIRCLE.");
+                                                            + "; it is only implemented for POINT, ALINE, POLYGON, and CIRCLE.");
                                     }
                                     break;
                                 case NULL:
@@ -1040,8 +1052,9 @@
                                     break;
                                 default:
                                     throw new NotImplementedException(
-                                            "spatial-intersection does not support the type: " + tag0
-                                                    + " It is only implemented for POINT, ALINE, POLYGON, and CIRCLE.");
+                                            AsterixBuiltinFunctions.SPATIAL_INTERSECT.getName()
+                                                    + ": does not support the type: " + tag1
+                                                    + "; it is only implemented for POINT, ALINE, POLYGON, and CIRCLE.");
                             }
 
                             ABoolean aResult = res ? (ABoolean.TRUE) : (ABoolean.FALSE);
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StartsWithDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StartsWithDescriptor.java
index 4ac02cf..9358030 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StartsWithDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StartsWithDescriptor.java
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 
                 DataOutput dout = output.getDataOutput();
 
-                return new AbstractStringContainsEval(dout, args[0], args[1]) {
+                return new AbstractStringContainsEval(dout, args[0], args[1], AsterixBuiltinFunctions.STARTS_WITH) {
 
                     @Override
                     protected boolean findMatch(byte[] strBytes, byte[] patternBytes) {
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringConcatDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringConcatDescriptor.java
index f53ebe8..bcd199c 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringConcatDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringConcatDescriptor.java
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.common.AsterixListAccessor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
@@ -30,6 +31,10 @@
 public class StringConcatDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
+
+    private static final byte SER_ORDEREDLIST_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.ORDEREDLIST.serialize();
+    private static final byte SER_UNORDEREDLIST_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.UNORDEREDLIST.serialize();
+
     public static final IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
         public IFunctionDescriptor createFunctionDescriptor() {
             return new StringConcatDescriptor();
@@ -61,6 +66,11 @@
                             outInputList.reset();
                             evalList.evaluate(tuple);
                             byte[] listBytes = outInputList.getByteArray();
+                            if (listBytes[0] != SER_ORDEREDLIST_TYPE_TAG && listBytes[0] != SER_UNORDEREDLIST_TYPE_TAG) {
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.STRING_CONCAT.getName()
+                                        + ": expects input type ORDEREDLIST/UNORDEREDLIST, but got "
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(listBytes[0]));
+                            }
                             try {
                                 listAccessor.reset(listBytes, 0);
                             } catch (AsterixException e) {
@@ -77,8 +87,8 @@
                                             nullSerde.serialize(ANull.NULL, out);
                                             return;
                                         }
-                                        throw new AlgebricksException("Unsupported type " + itemType
-                                                + " in list passed to string-concat function.");
+                                        throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.STRING_CONCAT.getName()
+                                                + ": expects type STRING/NULL for the list item but got " + itemType);
                                     }
                                     utf8Len += UTF8StringPointable.getUTFLength(listBytes, itemOffset);
                                 }
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringEndWithDescrtiptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringEndWithDescrtiptor.java
index aed2199..6d0eaad 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringEndWithDescrtiptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringEndWithDescrtiptor.java
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
 
                 DataOutput dout = output.getDataOutput();
 
-                return new AbstractBinaryStringBoolEval(dout, args[0], args[1]) {
+                return new AbstractBinaryStringBoolEval(dout, args[0], args[1], AsterixBuiltinFunctions.STRING_END_WITH) {
 
                     @Override
                     protected boolean compute(byte[] lBytes, int lLen, int lStart, byte[] rBytes, int rLen, int rStart,
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringEqualDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringEqualDescriptor.java
index f71b09f..e921e45 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringEqualDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringEqualDescriptor.java
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 
                 DataOutput dout = output.getDataOutput();
 
-                return new AbstractBinaryStringBoolEval(dout, args[0], args[1]) {
+                return new AbstractBinaryStringBoolEval(dout, args[0], args[1], AsterixBuiltinFunctions.STRING_EQUAL) {
 
                     @Override
                     protected boolean compute(byte[] lBytes, int lLen, int lStart, byte[] rBytes, int rLen, int rStart,
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringJoinDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringJoinDescriptor.java
index 67334ce..9c2f960 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringJoinDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringJoinDescriptor.java
@@ -64,13 +64,16 @@
                             outInputSep.reset();
                             evalSep.evaluate(tuple);
                             byte[] serSep = outInputSep.getByteArray();
-                            if (serOrderedList[0] != SER_ORDEREDLIST_TYPE_TAG) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException("Expects String List but got "
+                            if (serOrderedList[0] != SER_ORDEREDLIST_TYPE_TAG
+                                    && serOrderedList[1] != SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG) {
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.STRING_JOIN.getName()
+                                        + ": expects input type ORDEREDLIST but got "
                                         + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(serOrderedList[0]));
                             }
 
                             if (serSep[0] != SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException("Expects String as Seperator but got "
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.STRING_JOIN.getName()
+                                        + ": expects STRING type for the seperator but got "
                                         + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(serSep[0]));
                             }
 
@@ -83,6 +86,7 @@
                                 for (int i = 0; i < size; i++) {
                                     int itemOffset = AOrderedListSerializerDeserializer
                                             .getItemOffset(serOrderedList, i);
+
                                     int currentSize = UTF8StringPointable.getUTFLength(serOrderedList, itemOffset);
                                     if (i != size - 1 && currentSize != 0) {
                                         utf_8_len += sep_len;
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringLengthDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringLengthDescriptor.java
index bb39b49..a81d53d 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringLengthDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringLengthDescriptor.java
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -46,7 +47,6 @@
                     private DataOutput out = output.getDataOutput();
                     private ArrayBackedValueStorage outInput = new ArrayBackedValueStorage();
                     private ICopyEvaluator eval = args[0].createEvaluator(outInput);
-                    private String errorMessage = "This can not be an instance of string";
                     @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
                     private ISerializerDeserializer<ANull> nullSerde = AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider.INSTANCE
                             .getSerializerDeserializer(BuiltinType.ANULL);
@@ -68,10 +68,12 @@
                             } else if (serString[0] == SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG)
                                 nullSerde.serialize(ANull.NULL, out);
                             else {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException(errorMessage);
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.STRING_LENGTH.getName()
+                                        + ": expects input type STRING/NULL but got "
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(serString[0]));
                             }
                         } catch (IOException e1) {
-                            throw new AlgebricksException(errorMessage);
+                            throw new AlgebricksException(e1);
                         }
                     }
                 };
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringLowerCaseDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringLowerCaseDescriptor.java
index 6bc79ac..5e188d3 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringLowerCaseDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringLowerCaseDescriptor.java
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 import java.io.DataOutput;
 import java.io.IOException;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.formats.nontagged.AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ANull;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
@@ -11,6 +10,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@
                     private DataOutput out = output.getDataOutput();
                     private ArrayBackedValueStorage outInput = new ArrayBackedValueStorage();
                     private ICopyEvaluator eval = args[0].createEvaluator(outInput);
-                    private String errorMessage = "This is not an instance of string";
+
                     private final byte stt = ATypeTag.STRING.serialize();
 
                     @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
@@ -81,9 +81,11 @@
                             } else if (serString[0] == SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG)
                                 nullSerde.serialize(ANull.NULL, out);
                             else
-                                throw new AlgebricksException(errorMessage);
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.STRING_LOWERCASE.getName()
+                                        + ": expects input type STRING/NULL but got "
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(serString[0]));
                         } catch (IOException e1) {
-                            throw new AlgebricksException(errorMessage);
+                            throw new AlgebricksException(e1);
                         }
                     }
                 };
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringMatchesDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringMatchesDescriptor.java
index 75814df..03a3545 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringMatchesDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringMatchesDescriptor.java
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@
 
                 DataOutput dout = output.getDataOutput();
 
-                return new AbstractBinaryStringBoolEval(dout, args[0], args[1]) {
+                return new AbstractBinaryStringBoolEval(dout, args[0], args[1], AsterixBuiltinFunctions.STRING_MATCHES) {
 
                     private Pattern pattern = null;
                     private Matcher matcher = null;
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringMatchesWithFlagDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringMatchesWithFlagDescriptor.java
index 31dde5b..93dc342 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringMatchesWithFlagDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringMatchesWithFlagDescriptor.java
@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@
 
                 DataOutput dout = output.getDataOutput();
 
-                return new AbstractTripleStringBoolEval(dout, args[0], args[1], args[2]) {
+                return new AbstractTripleStringBoolEval(dout, args[0], args[1], args[2],
+                        AsterixBuiltinFunctions.STRING_MATCHES_WITH_FLAG) {
 
                     private Pattern pattern = null;
                     private Matcher matcher = null;
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringReplaceDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringReplaceDescriptor.java
index 32af44e..230eb34 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringReplaceDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringReplaceDescriptor.java
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 import java.util.regex.Matcher;
 import java.util.regex.Pattern;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.utils.UTF8CharSequence;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.formats.nontagged.AqlBinaryComparatorFactoryProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.formats.nontagged.AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider;
@@ -51,7 +50,8 @@
 
                 DataOutput dout = output.getDataOutput();
 
-                return new AbstractTripleStringStringEval(dout, args[0], args[1], args[2]) {
+                return new AbstractTripleStringStringEval(dout, args[0], args[1], args[2],
+                        AsterixBuiltinFunctions.STRING_REPLACE) {
 
                     private Pattern pattern = null;
                     private Matcher matcher = null;
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringReplaceWithFlagsDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringReplaceWithFlagsDescriptor.java
index e665654..4f18863 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringReplaceWithFlagsDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringReplaceWithFlagsDescriptor.java
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@
 
                 DataOutput dout = output.getDataOutput();
 
-                return new AbstractQuadStringStringEval(dout, args[0], args[1], args[2], args[3]) {
+                return new AbstractQuadStringStringEval(dout, args[0], args[1], args[2], args[3],
+                        AsterixBuiltinFunctions.STRING_REPLACE_WITH_FLAG) {
 
                     private Pattern pattern = null;
                     private Matcher matcher = null;
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringStartWithDescrtiptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringStartWithDescrtiptor.java
index e7f2576..601c3d0 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringStartWithDescrtiptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringStartWithDescrtiptor.java
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@
 
                 DataOutput dout = output.getDataOutput();
 
-                return new AbstractBinaryStringBoolEval(dout, args[0], args[1]) {
+                return new AbstractBinaryStringBoolEval(dout, args[0], args[1],
+                        AsterixBuiltinFunctions.STRING_START_WITH) {
 
                     @Override
                     protected boolean compute(byte[] lBytes, int lLen, int lStart, byte[] rBytes, int rLen, int rStart,
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringToCodePointDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringToCodePointDescriptor.java
index 3d845e1..e001d9e 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringToCodePointDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/StringToCodePointDescriptor.java
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.AOrderedListType;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -119,7 +120,9 @@
                                 }
                                 listBuilder.write(out, true);
                             } else
-                                throw new AlgebricksException("Expects String Type.");
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.STRING_TO_CODEPOINT.getName()
+                                        + ": expects input type STRING but got "
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(serString[0]));
                         } catch (IOException e1) {
                             throw new AlgebricksException(e1.getMessage());
                         }
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/Substring2Descriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/Substring2Descriptor.java
index 338c9a9..5a84401 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/Substring2Descriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/Substring2Descriptor.java
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -21,6 +22,11 @@
 public class Substring2Descriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
+
+    // allowed input types
+    private static final byte SER_INT32_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.INT32.serialize();
+    private static final byte SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.STRING.serialize();
+
     public static final IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
         public IFunctionDescriptor createFunctionDescriptor() {
             return new Substring2Descriptor();
@@ -46,11 +52,21 @@
                     public void evaluate(IFrameTupleReference tuple) throws AlgebricksException {
                         argOut.reset();
                         evalStart.evaluate(tuple);
+                        if (argOut.getByteArray()[0] != SER_INT32_TYPE_TAG) {
+                            throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.SUBSTRING2.getName()
+                                    + ": expects type INT32 for the second argument but got "
+                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut.getByteArray()[0]));
+                        }
                         int start = IntegerSerializerDeserializer.getInt(argOut.getByteArray(), 1) - 1;
                         argOut.reset();
                         evalString.evaluate(tuple);
 
                         byte[] bytes = argOut.getByteArray();
+                        if (bytes[0] != SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG) {
+                            throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.SUBSTRING2.getName()
+                                    + ": expects type STRING for the first argument but got "
+                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut.getByteArray()[0]));
+                        }
                         int utflen = UTF8StringPointable.getUTFLength(bytes, 1);
                         int sStart = 3;
                         int c = 0;
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SubstringAfterDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SubstringAfterDescriptor.java
index 7594dd2..7584e4d 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SubstringAfterDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SubstringAfterDescriptor.java
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -20,6 +21,11 @@
 public class SubstringAfterDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
+
+    // allowed input types
+    private static final byte SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.STRING.serialize();
+    private static final byte SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.NULL.serialize();
+
     public static final IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
         public IFunctionDescriptor createFunctionDescriptor() {
             return new SubstringAfterDescriptor();
@@ -52,6 +58,14 @@
                         evalPattern.evaluate(tuple);
                         byte[] pattern = array1.getByteArray();
 
+                        if ((src[0] != SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG && src[0] != SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG)
+                                || (pattern[0] != SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG && pattern[0] != SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG)) {
+                            throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.SUBSTRING_AFTER.getName()
+                                    + ": expects input type (STRING/NULL, STRING/NULL) but got ("
+                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(src[0]) + ", "
+                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(pattern[0]) + ").");
+                        }
+
                         int srcLen = UTF8StringPointable.getUTFLength(src, 1);
                         int patternLen = UTF8StringPointable.getUTFLength(pattern, 1);
                         int posSrc = 3;
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SubstringBeforeDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SubstringBeforeDescriptor.java
index 2c53756..77911af 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SubstringBeforeDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SubstringBeforeDescriptor.java
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -20,6 +21,11 @@
 public class SubstringBeforeDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
+
+    // allowed input types
+    private static final byte SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.STRING.serialize();
+    private static final byte SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.NULL.serialize();
+
     public static final IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
         public IFunctionDescriptor createFunctionDescriptor() {
             return new SubstringBeforeDescriptor();
@@ -52,6 +58,14 @@
                         evalPattern.evaluate(tuple);
                         byte[] pattern = array1.getByteArray();
 
+                        if ((src[0] != SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG && src[0] != SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG)
+                                || (pattern[0] != SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG && pattern[0] != SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG)) {
+                            throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.SUBSTRING_BEFORE.getName()
+                                    + ": expects input type (STRING/NULL, STRING/NULL) but got ("
+                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(src[0]) + ", "
+                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(pattern[0]) + ").");
+                        }
+
                         int srcLen = UTF8StringPointable.getUTFLength(src, 1);
                         int patternLen = UTF8StringPointable.getUTFLength(pattern, 1);
                         int posSrc = 3;
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SubstringDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SubstringDescriptor.java
index 480f4a2..77741fb 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SubstringDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/SubstringDescriptor.java
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -21,6 +22,11 @@
 public class SubstringDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
+
+    // allowed input types
+    private static final byte SER_INT32_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.INT32.serialize();
+    private static final byte SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.STRING.serialize();
+
     public static final IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
         public IFunctionDescriptor createFunctionDescriptor() {
             return new SubstringDescriptor();
@@ -47,14 +53,31 @@
                     public void evaluate(IFrameTupleReference tuple) throws AlgebricksException {
                         argOut.reset();
                         evalStart.evaluate(tuple);
+                        if (argOut.getByteArray()[0] != SER_INT32_TYPE_TAG) {
+                            throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.SUBSTRING.getName()
+                                    + ": expects type INT32 for the second argument but got "
+                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut.getByteArray()[0]));
+                        }
                         int start = IntegerSerializerDeserializer.getInt(argOut.getByteArray(), 1) - 1;
                         argOut.reset();
                         evalLen.evaluate(tuple);
+                        if (argOut.getByteArray()[0] != SER_INT32_TYPE_TAG) {
+                            throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.SUBSTRING.getName()
+                                    + ": expects type INT32 for the third argument but got "
+                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut.getByteArray()[0]));
+                        }
                         int len = IntegerSerializerDeserializer.getInt(argOut.getByteArray(), 1);
+
                         argOut.reset();
                         evalString.evaluate(tuple);
 
                         byte[] bytes = argOut.getByteArray();
+
+                        if (bytes[0] != SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG) {
+                            throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.SUBSTRING.getName()
+                                    + ": expects type STRING for the first argument but got "
+                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut.getByteArray()[0]));
+                        }
                         int utflen = UTF8StringPointable.getUTFLength(bytes, 1);
                         int sStart = 3;
                         int c = 0;
@@ -72,8 +95,9 @@
                         }
 
                         if (idxPos2 < len) {
-                            throw new AlgebricksException("substring: start=" + start + "\tlen=" + len
-                                    + "\tgoing past the input length=" + (idxPos1 + idxPos2) + ".");
+                            throw new AlgebricksException(AsterixBuiltinFunctions.SUBSTRING.getName() + ": start="
+                                    + start + "\tlen=" + len + "\tgoing past the input length=" + (idxPos1 + idxPos2)
+                                    + ".");
                         }
 
                         int substrByteLen = c - startSubstr;
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/AbstractIntervalLogicFuncDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/AbstractIntervalLogicFuncDescriptor.java
index 241e2e0..e2286fc 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/AbstractIntervalLogicFuncDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/AbstractIntervalLogicFuncDescriptor.java
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ANull;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.runtime.base.ICopyEvaluator;
@@ -84,14 +85,18 @@
 
                             if (argOut0.getByteArray()[0] != SER_INTERVAL_TYPE_TAG
                                     || argOut1.getByteArray()[0] != SER_INTERVAL_TYPE_TAG) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException("Inapplicable input type for parameters: ("
-                                        + argOut0.getByteArray()[0] + ", " + argOut1.getByteArray()[0] + ")");
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(getIdentifier().getName()
+                                        + ": expects input type (INTERVAL, INTERVAL) but got ("
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut0.getByteArray()[0])
+                                        + ", "
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut1.getByteArray()[0])
+                                        + ")");
                             }
 
                             if (AIntervalSerializerDeserializer.getIntervalTimeType(argOut0.getByteArray(), 1) != AIntervalSerializerDeserializer
                                     .getIntervalTimeType(argOut1.getByteArray(), 1)) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException(
-                                        "Failed to compare to intervals with different internal time type.");
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(getIdentifier().getName()
+                                        + ": failed to compare intervals with different internal time type.");
                             }
 
                             ABoolean res = (compareIntervals(
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/AddDateDurationDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/AddDateDurationDescriptor.java
index 7417f2b..a9f66a2 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/AddDateDurationDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/AddDateDurationDescriptor.java
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 
 import java.io.DataOutput;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.ADateSerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.ADurationSerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.formats.nontagged.AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider;
@@ -25,10 +24,12 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ANull;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.temporal.DurationArithmeticOperations;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.temporal.GregorianCalendarSystem;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -43,8 +44,7 @@
 public class AddDateDurationDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private final static long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS,
-            "add-date-duration", 2);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.ADD_DATE_DURATION;
 
     // allowed input types
     private final static byte SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.NULL.serialize();
@@ -100,17 +100,15 @@
                             }
 
                             if (argOut0.getByteArray()[0] != SER_DATE_TYPE_TAG) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException(
-                                        "Inapplicable input type for parameter 0: expecting a Date ("
-                                                + SER_DATE_TYPE_TAG + ") or null (" + SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG
-                                                + "), but got: " + argOut0.getByteArray()[0]);
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(FID.getName()
+                                        + ": expects type DATE/NULL for parameter 0 but got "
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut0.getByteArray()[0]));
                             }
 
                             if (argOut1.getByteArray()[0] != SER_DURATION_TYPE_TAG) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException(
-                                        "Inapplicable input type for parameter 1: expecting a Duration ("
-                                                + SER_DURATION_TYPE_TAG + ") or null (" + SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG
-                                                + "), but got: " + argOut1.getByteArray()[0]);
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(FID.getName()
+                                        + ": expects type DURATION/NULL for parameter 1 but got "
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut1.getByteArray()[0]));
                             }
 
                             // get duration fields: yearMonth field and dayTime field
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/AddDatetimeDurationDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/AddDatetimeDurationDescriptor.java
index 4f04da3..ca27455 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/AddDatetimeDurationDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/AddDatetimeDurationDescriptor.java
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 
 import java.io.DataOutput;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.ADateTimeSerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.ADurationSerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.formats.nontagged.AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider;
@@ -24,10 +23,12 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.AMutableDateTime;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ANull;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.temporal.DurationArithmeticOperations;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -42,8 +43,7 @@
 public class AddDatetimeDurationDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private final static long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS,
-            "add-datetime-duration", 2);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.ADD_DATETIME_DURATION;
 
     // allowed input types
     private final static byte SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.NULL.serialize();
@@ -102,17 +102,15 @@
                             }
 
                             if (argOut0.getByteArray()[0] != SER_DATETIME_TYPE_TAG) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException(
-                                        "Inapplicable input type for parameter 0: expecting a DateTime ("
-                                                + SER_DATETIME_TYPE_TAG + ") or null (" + SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG
-                                                + "), but got: " + argOut0.getByteArray()[0]);
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(FID.getName()
+                                        + ": expects type DATETIME/NULL for parameter 0 but got "
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut0.getByteArray()[0]));
                             }
 
                             if (argOut1.getByteArray()[0] != SER_DURATION_TYPE_TAG) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException(
-                                        "Inapplicable input type for parameter 1: expecting a Duration ("
-                                                + SER_DURATION_TYPE_TAG + ") or null (" + SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG
-                                                + "), but got: " + argOut1.getByteArray()[0]);
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(FID.getName()
+                                        + ": expects type DURATION/NULL for parameter 1 but got "
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut1.getByteArray()[0]));
                             }
 
                             // get duration fields: yearMonth field and dayTime field
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/AddTimeDurationDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/AddTimeDurationDescriptor.java
index e6b6ebd..e7a4fc4 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/AddTimeDurationDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/AddTimeDurationDescriptor.java
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 
 import java.io.DataOutput;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.ADurationSerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.ATimeSerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.formats.nontagged.AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider;
@@ -24,10 +23,12 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ANull;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ATime;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.temporal.DurationArithmeticOperations;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -42,8 +43,7 @@
 public class AddTimeDurationDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private final static long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS,
-            "add-time-duration", 2);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.ADD_TIME_DURATION;
 
     // allowed input types
     private final static byte SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.NULL.serialize();
@@ -102,17 +102,15 @@
                             }
 
                             if (argOut0.getByteArray()[0] != SER_TIME_TYPE_TAG) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException(
-                                        "Inapplicable input type for parameter 0: expecting a Time ("
-                                                + SER_TIME_TYPE_TAG + ") or null (" + SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG
-                                                + "), but got: " + argOut0.getByteArray()[0]);
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(FID.getName()
+                                        + ": expects type TIME/NULL for parameter 0 but got "
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut0.getByteArray()[0]));
                             }
 
                             if (argOut1.getByteArray()[0] != SER_DURATION_TYPE_TAG) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException(
-                                        "Inapplicable input type for parameter 1: expecting a Duration ("
-                                                + SER_DURATION_TYPE_TAG + ") or null (" + SER_DURATION_TYPE_TAG
-                                                + "), but got: " + argOut1.getByteArray()[0]);
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(FID.getName()
+                                        + ": expects type DURATION/NULL for parameter 1 but got "
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut1.getByteArray()[0]));
                             }
 
                             // get duration fields: yearMonth field and dayTime field
@@ -120,7 +118,8 @@
 
                             // cannot add a year-month duration to a time value
                             if (yearMonth != 0) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException("ATime cannot be added by a year-month duration.");
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(FID.getName()
+                                        + ": a TIME value cannot be added by a DURATION value with year-month field.");
                             }
 
                             long dayTime = ADurationSerializerDeserializer.getDayTime(argOut1.getByteArray(), 1);
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/AdjustDateTimeForTimeZoneDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/AdjustDateTimeForTimeZoneDescriptor.java
index 21d098a..441d20a 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/AdjustDateTimeForTimeZoneDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/AdjustDateTimeForTimeZoneDescriptor.java
@@ -16,17 +16,18 @@
 
 import java.io.DataOutput;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.ADateTimeSerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.formats.nontagged.AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ANull;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.temporal.ATimeParserFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.temporal.GregorianCalendarSystem;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.temporal.GregorianCalendarSystem.Fields;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -40,8 +41,7 @@
 public class AdjustDateTimeForTimeZoneDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private final static long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS,
-            "adjust-datetime-for-timezone", 2);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.ADJUST_DATETIME_FOR_TIMEZONE;
 
     // allowed input types
     private final static byte SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.NULL.serialize();
@@ -97,21 +97,21 @@
                             }
 
                             if (argOut0.getByteArray()[0] != SER_DATETIME_TYPE_TAG) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException(
-                                        "Inapplicable input type for parameter 0: expecting a Datetime, but got: "
-                                                + argOut0.getByteArray()[0]);
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(FID.getName()
+                                        + ": expects type DATETIME/NULL for parameter 0 but got "
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut0.getByteArray()[0]));
                             }
 
                             if (argOut1.getByteArray()[0] != SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException(
-                                        "Inapplicable input type for parameter 0: expecting a String, but got: "
-                                                + argOut1.getByteArray()[0]);
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(FID.getName()
+                                        + ": expects type STRING/NULL for parameter 1 but got "
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut1.getByteArray()[0]));
                             }
 
                             int timezone = ATimeParserFactory.parseTimezonePart(argOut1.getByteArray(), 3);
 
                             if (!calInstance.validateTimeZone(timezone)) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException("Wrong format for a time zone string!");
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(FID.getName() + ": wrong format for a time zone string!");
                             }
 
                             long chronon = ADateTimeSerializerDeserializer.getChronon(argOut0.getByteArray(), 1);
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/AdjustTimeForTimeZoneDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/AdjustTimeForTimeZoneDescriptor.java
index 1f8842e..1ca64c6 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/AdjustTimeForTimeZoneDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/AdjustTimeForTimeZoneDescriptor.java
@@ -16,17 +16,18 @@
 
 import java.io.DataOutput;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.ATimeSerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.formats.nontagged.AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ANull;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.temporal.ATimeParserFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.temporal.GregorianCalendarSystem;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.temporal.GregorianCalendarSystem.Fields;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -40,8 +41,7 @@
 public class AdjustTimeForTimeZoneDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private final static long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS,
-            "adjust-time-for-timezone", 2);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.ADJUST_TIME_FOR_TIMEZONE;
 
     // allowed input types
     private final static byte SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.NULL.serialize();
@@ -97,21 +97,21 @@
                             }
 
                             if (argOut0.getByteArray()[0] != SER_TIME_TYPE_TAG) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException(
-                                        "Inapplicable input type for parameter 0: expecting a Time, but got: "
-                                                + argOut0.getByteArray()[0]);
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(FID.getName()
+                                        + ": expects type TIME/NULL for parameter 0 but got "
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut0.getByteArray()[0]));
                             }
 
                             if (argOut1.getByteArray()[0] != SER_STRING_TYPE_TAG) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException(
-                                        "Inapplicable input type for parameter 0: expecting a String, but got: "
-                                                + argOut1.getByteArray()[0]);
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(FID.getName()
+                                        + ": expects type STRING/NULL for parameter 1 but got "
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut1.getByteArray()[0]));
                             }
 
                             int timezone = ATimeParserFactory.parseTimezonePart(argOut1.getByteArray(), 3);
 
                             if (!calInstance.validateTimeZone(timezone)) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException("Wrong format for a time zone string!");
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(FID.getName() + ": wrong format for a time zone string!");
                             }
 
                             int chronon = ATimeSerializerDeserializer.getChronon(argOut0.getByteArray(), 1);
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/CalendarDuartionFromDateDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/CalendarDuartionFromDateDescriptor.java
index cbd600f..c6da17e 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/CalendarDuartionFromDateDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/CalendarDuartionFromDateDescriptor.java
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 
 import java.io.DataOutput;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.ADateSerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.ADurationSerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.formats.nontagged.AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider;
@@ -25,10 +24,12 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ANull;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.temporal.DurationArithmeticOperations;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.temporal.GregorianCalendarSystem;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -43,8 +44,7 @@
 public class CalendarDuartionFromDateDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private final static long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS,
-            "calendar-duration-from-date", 2);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.CALENDAR_DURATION_FROM_DATE;
 
     // allowed input types
     private final static byte SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.NULL.serialize();
@@ -107,15 +107,15 @@
                             }
 
                             if (argOut0.getByteArray()[0] != SER_DATE_TYPE_TAG) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException(
-                                        "Inapplicable input type for parameter 0: expecting a Date, but got: "
-                                                + argOut0.getByteArray()[0]);
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(FID.getName()
+                                        + ": expects type DATE/NULL for parameter 0 but got "
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut0.getByteArray()[0]));
                             }
 
                             if (argOut1.getByteArray()[0] != SER_DURATION_TYPE_TAG) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException(
-                                        "Inapplicable input type for parameter 1: expecting a Date, but got: "
-                                                + argOut1.getByteArray()[0]);
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(FID.getName()
+                                        + ": expects type DURATION/NULL for parameter 1 but got "
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut1.getByteArray()[0]));
                             }
 
                             int yearMonthDurationInMonths = ADurationSerializerDeserializer.getYearMonth(
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/CalendarDurationFromDateTimeDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/CalendarDurationFromDateTimeDescriptor.java
index 8df3c7f..e09f1da 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/CalendarDurationFromDateTimeDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/CalendarDurationFromDateTimeDescriptor.java
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 
 import java.io.DataOutput;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.ADateTimeSerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.ADurationSerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.formats.nontagged.AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider;
@@ -25,10 +24,12 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ANull;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.temporal.DurationArithmeticOperations;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.temporal.GregorianCalendarSystem;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -49,11 +50,9 @@
  * 2. Calculate the differences by fields between two different time points;<br/>
  * 3. Re-format the duration into a human-readable one.
  * <p/>
- * Here "human-readable" means the value of each field of the duration is within the value range of the field in the
- * calendar system. For example, month would be in [0, 12), and hour would be in [0, 24).
+ * Here "human-readable" means the value of each field of the duration is within the value range of the field in the calendar system. For example, month would be in [0, 12), and hour would be in [0, 24).
  * <p/>
- * The result can be considered as a "field-based" difference between the two datetime value, but all negative values
- * would be converted to be non-negative.
+ * The result can be considered as a "field-based" difference between the two datetime value, but all negative values would be converted to be non-negative.
  * <p/>
  * In the implementation, we always do the subtraction from the later time point, resulting a positive duration always.
  * <p/>
@@ -61,8 +60,7 @@
 public class CalendarDurationFromDateTimeDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private final static long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS,
-            "calendar-duration-from-datetime", 2);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.CALENDAR_DURATION_FROM_DATETIME;
 
     // allowed input types
     private final static byte SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.NULL.serialize();
@@ -123,15 +121,15 @@
                             }
 
                             if (argOut0.getByteArray()[0] != SER_DATETIME_TYPE_TAG) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException(
-                                        "Inapplicable input type for parameter 0: expecting Datetime, but got: "
-                                                + argOut0.getByteArray()[0]);
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(FID.getName()
+                                        + ": expects type DATETIME/NULL for parameter 0 but got "
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut0.getByteArray()[0]));
                             }
 
                             if (argOut1.getByteArray()[0] != SER_DURATION_TYPE_TAG) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException(
-                                        "Inapplicable input type for parameter 1: expecting Duration, but got: "
-                                                + argOut1.getByteArray()[0]);
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(FID.getName()
+                                        + ": expects type DURATION/NULL for parameter 1 but got "
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut1.getByteArray()[0]));
                             }
 
                             int yearMonthDurationInMonths = ADurationSerializerDeserializer.getYearMonth(
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/CurrentDateDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/CurrentDateDescriptor.java
index 0cb47b5..21103d6 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/CurrentDateDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/CurrentDateDescriptor.java
@@ -16,11 +16,11 @@
 
 import java.io.DataOutput;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.formats.nontagged.AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ADate;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.AMutableDate;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.temporal.GregorianCalendarSystem;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
@@ -37,8 +37,7 @@
 public class CurrentDateDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    private final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS, "current-date",
-            0);
+    private final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.CURRENT_DATE;
 
     public final static IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
 
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/CurrentDateTimeDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/CurrentDateTimeDescriptor.java
index 9209cae..cd0af68 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/CurrentDateTimeDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/CurrentDateTimeDescriptor.java
@@ -16,10 +16,10 @@
 
 import java.io.DataOutput;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.formats.nontagged.AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ADateTime;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.AMutableDateTime;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
@@ -36,8 +36,7 @@
 public class CurrentDateTimeDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    private final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS,
-            "current-datetime", 0);
+    private final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.CURRENT_DATETIME;
 
     public final static IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
 
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/CurrentTimeDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/CurrentTimeDescriptor.java
index c7078b9..2e012a3 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/CurrentTimeDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/CurrentTimeDescriptor.java
@@ -16,11 +16,11 @@
 
 import java.io.DataOutput;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.formats.nontagged.AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.AMutableTime;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ATime;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.temporal.GregorianCalendarSystem;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 public class CurrentTimeDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS, "current-time", 0);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.CURRENT_TIME;
 
     public final static IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
 
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/DateFromDatetimeDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/DateFromDatetimeDescriptor.java
index 4ef52d9..b0ced1c 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/DateFromDatetimeDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/DateFromDatetimeDescriptor.java
@@ -2,17 +2,18 @@
 
 import java.io.DataOutput;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.ADateTimeSerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.formats.nontagged.AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ADate;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.AMutableDate;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ANull;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.temporal.GregorianCalendarSystem;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -27,8 +28,7 @@
 public class DateFromDatetimeDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS,
-            "date-from-datetime", 1);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.DATE_FROM_DATETIME;
 
     // allowed input types
     private final static byte SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.NULL.serialize();
@@ -77,9 +77,10 @@
                             } else {
                                 if (argOut.getByteArray()[0] != SER_DATETIME_TYPE_TAG) {
                                     throw new AlgebricksException(
-                                            "Inapplicable input type for function date_from_datetime: expecting ADateTime ("
-                                                    + SER_DATETIME_TYPE_TAG + ") or null (" + SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG
-                                                    + "), but got: " + argOut.getByteArray()[0]);
+                                            FID.getName()
+                                                    + ": expects input type DATETIME/NULL but got "
+                                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut
+                                                            .getByteArray()[0]));
                                 }
                                 long datetimeChronon = ADateTimeSerializerDeserializer.getChronon(
                                         argOut.getByteArray(), 1);
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/DateFromUnixTimeInDaysDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/DateFromUnixTimeInDaysDescriptor.java
index 6b78a35..5743ff9 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/DateFromUnixTimeInDaysDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/DateFromUnixTimeInDaysDescriptor.java
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 
 import java.io.DataOutput;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.AInt16SerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.AInt32SerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.AInt8SerializerDeserializer;
@@ -24,10 +23,12 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ADate;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.AMutableDate;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ANull;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -42,8 +43,13 @@
 public class DateFromUnixTimeInDaysDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private final static long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS,
-            "date-from-unix-time-in-days", 1);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.DATE_FROM_UNIX_TIME_IN_DAYS;
+
+    // allowed input types
+    private static final byte SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.NULL.serialize();
+    private static final byte SER_INT8_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.INT8.serialize();
+    private static final byte SER_INT16_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.INT16.serialize();
+    private static final byte SER_INT32_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.INT32.serialize();
 
     public final static IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
 
@@ -67,12 +73,6 @@
                     private ArrayBackedValueStorage argOut = new ArrayBackedValueStorage();
                     private ICopyEvaluator eval = args[0].createEvaluator(argOut);
 
-                    // allowed input types
-                    private byte serNullTypeTag = ATypeTag.NULL.serialize();
-                    private byte serInt8TypeTag = ATypeTag.INT8.serialize();
-                    private byte serInt16TypeTag = ATypeTag.INT16.serialize();
-                    private byte serInt32TypeTag = ATypeTag.INT32.serialize();
-
                     private AMutableDate aDate = new AMutableDate(0);
 
                     // possible returning types
@@ -88,19 +88,21 @@
                         argOut.reset();
                         eval.evaluate(tuple);
                         try {
-                            if (argOut.getByteArray()[0] == serNullTypeTag) {
+                            if (argOut.getByteArray()[0] == SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG) {
                                 nullSerde.serialize(ANull.NULL, out);
                             } else {
-                                if (argOut.getByteArray()[0] == serInt8TypeTag) {
+                                if (argOut.getByteArray()[0] == SER_INT8_TYPE_TAG) {
                                     aDate.setValue(AInt8SerializerDeserializer.getByte(argOut.getByteArray(), 1));
-                                } else if (argOut.getByteArray()[0] == serInt16TypeTag) {
+                                } else if (argOut.getByteArray()[0] == SER_INT16_TYPE_TAG) {
                                     aDate.setValue(AInt16SerializerDeserializer.getShort(argOut.getByteArray(), 1));
-                                } else if (argOut.getByteArray()[0] == serInt32TypeTag) {
+                                } else if (argOut.getByteArray()[0] == SER_INT32_TYPE_TAG) {
                                     aDate.setValue(AInt32SerializerDeserializer.getInt(argOut.getByteArray(), 1));
                                 } else {
                                     throw new AlgebricksException(
-                                            "Inapplicable input type for function date-from-unix-time-in-days: expecting integer or null type, but got "
-                                                    + argOut.getByteArray()[0]);
+                                            FID.getName()
+                                                    + ": expects type INT8/INT16/INT32/INT64/NULL but got "
+                                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut
+                                                            .getByteArray()[0]));
                                 }
                                 dateSerde.serialize(aDate, out);
                             }
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/DatetimeFromDateAndTimeDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/DatetimeFromDateAndTimeDescriptor.java
index 2ade4b7..7854a2b 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/DatetimeFromDateAndTimeDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/DatetimeFromDateAndTimeDescriptor.java
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 
 import java.io.DataOutput;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.ADateSerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.ATimeSerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.formats.nontagged.AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider;
@@ -24,10 +23,12 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.AMutableDateTime;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ANull;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.temporal.GregorianCalendarSystem;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -42,8 +43,7 @@
 public class DatetimeFromDateAndTimeDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS,
-            "datetime-from-date-time", 2);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.DATETIME_FROM_DATE_TIME;
 
     // allowed input types
     private final static byte SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.NULL.serialize();
@@ -100,20 +100,17 @@
                                     || argOut1.getByteArray()[0] == SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG) {
                                 nullSerde.serialize(ANull.NULL, out);
                             } else {
-                                if (argOut0.getByteArray()[0] != SER_DATE_TYPE_TAG) {
+                                if (argOut0.getByteArray()[0] != SER_DATE_TYPE_TAG
+                                        && argOut1.getByteArray()[0] != SER_TIME_TYPE_TAG) {
                                     throw new AlgebricksException(
-                                            "Inapplicable input type for function datetime-from-date-time: expecting a Date ("
-                                                    + SER_DATE_TYPE_TAG + ") or null (" + SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG
-                                                    + ") for the first parameter, but got: "
-                                                    + argOut0.getByteArray()[0]);
-                                }
+                                            FID.getName()
+                                                    + ": expects input type (DATE/NULL, TIME/NULL) but got ("
+                                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut0
+                                                            .getByteArray()[0])
+                                                    + ", "
+                                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut1
+                                                            .getByteArray()[0]) + ").");
 
-                                if (argOut1.getByteArray()[0] != SER_TIME_TYPE_TAG) {
-                                    throw new AlgebricksException(
-                                            "Inapplicable input type for function datetime-from-date-time: expecting a Time ("
-                                                    + SER_TIME_TYPE_TAG + ") or null (" + SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG
-                                                    + ") for the secon parameter, but got: "
-                                                    + argOut1.getByteArray()[0]);
                                 }
 
                                 long datetimeChronon = ADateSerializerDeserializer
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/DatetimeFromUnixTimeInMsDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/DatetimeFromUnixTimeInMsDescriptor.java
index dbd34f2..447184e 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/DatetimeFromUnixTimeInMsDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/DatetimeFromUnixTimeInMsDescriptor.java
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 
 import java.io.DataOutput;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.AInt16SerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.AInt32SerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.AInt64SerializerDeserializer;
@@ -25,10 +24,12 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ADateTime;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.AMutableDateTime;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ANull;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -43,8 +44,7 @@
 public class DatetimeFromUnixTimeInMsDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private final static long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS,
-            "datetime-from-unix-time-in-ms", 1);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.DATETIME_FROM_UNIX_TIME_IN_MS;
 
     // allowed input types
     private final static byte SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.NULL.serialize();
@@ -106,8 +106,10 @@
                                     aDatetime.setValue(AInt64SerializerDeserializer.getLong(argOut.getByteArray(), 1));
                                 } else {
                                     throw new AlgebricksException(
-                                            "Inapplicable input type for function datetime-from-unix-time-in-ms: expecting integer or null type, but got "
-                                                    + argOut.getByteArray()[0]);
+                                            FID.getName()
+                                                    + ": expects type INT8/INT16/INT32/INT64/NULL but got "
+                                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut
+                                                            .getByteArray()[0]));
                                 }
                                 datetimeSerde.serialize(aDatetime, out);
                             }
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalAfterDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalAfterDescriptor.java
index 85bb378..9c44e19 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalAfterDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalAfterDescriptor.java
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
  */
 package edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.functions.temporal;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -22,8 +22,7 @@
 public class IntervalAfterDescriptor extends AbstractIntervalLogicFuncDescriptor {
 
     private final static long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS, "interval-after",
-            2);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.INTERVAL_AFTER;
 
     public final static IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
 
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalBeforeDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalBeforeDescriptor.java
index 2da48ee..dc908b9 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalBeforeDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalBeforeDescriptor.java
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
  */
 package edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.functions.temporal;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -22,8 +22,7 @@
 public class IntervalBeforeDescriptor extends AbstractIntervalLogicFuncDescriptor {
 
     private final static long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS,
-            "interval-before", 2);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.INTERVAL_BEFORE;
 
     public final static IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
 
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalCoveredByDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalCoveredByDescriptor.java
index 1064e59..bc17852 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalCoveredByDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalCoveredByDescriptor.java
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
  */
 package edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.functions.temporal;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -22,8 +22,7 @@
 public class IntervalCoveredByDescriptor extends AbstractIntervalLogicFuncDescriptor {
 
     private final static long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS,
-            "interval-covered-by", 2);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.INTERVAL_COVERED_BY;
 
     public final static IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
 
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalCoversDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalCoversDescriptor.java
index 5b1cfa5..844ef75 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalCoversDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalCoversDescriptor.java
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
  */
 package edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.functions.temporal;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -22,8 +22,7 @@
 public class IntervalCoversDescriptor extends AbstractIntervalLogicFuncDescriptor {
 
     private final static long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS,
-            "interval-covers", 2);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.INTERVAL_COVERS;
 
     public final static IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
 
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalEndedByDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalEndedByDescriptor.java
index 4610c89..98c7833f 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalEndedByDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalEndedByDescriptor.java
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
  */
 package edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.functions.temporal;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -22,8 +22,7 @@
 public class IntervalEndedByDescriptor extends AbstractIntervalLogicFuncDescriptor {
 
     private final static long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS,
-            "interval-ended-by", 2);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.INTERVAL_ENDED_BY;
 
     public final static IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
 
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalEndsDecriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalEndsDecriptor.java
index 9853c62..140583a 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalEndsDecriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalEndsDecriptor.java
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
  */
 package edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.functions.temporal;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -22,8 +22,7 @@
 public class IntervalEndsDecriptor extends AbstractIntervalLogicFuncDescriptor {
 
     private final static long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS, "interval-ends",
-            2);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.INTERVAL_ENDS;
 
     public final static IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
 
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalMeetsDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalMeetsDescriptor.java
index 0263edb..a2232a8 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalMeetsDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalMeetsDescriptor.java
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
  */
 package edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.functions.temporal;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -22,8 +22,7 @@
 public class IntervalMeetsDescriptor extends AbstractIntervalLogicFuncDescriptor {
 
     private final static long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS, "interval-meets",
-            2);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.INTERVAL_MEETS;
 
     public final static IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
 
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalMetByDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalMetByDescriptor.java
index 4cab864..377d033 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalMetByDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalMetByDescriptor.java
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
  */
 package edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.functions.temporal;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -22,8 +22,7 @@
 public class IntervalMetByDescriptor extends AbstractIntervalLogicFuncDescriptor {
 
     private final static long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS,
-            "interval-met-by", 2);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.INTERVAL_MET_BY;
 
     public final static IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
 
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalOverlappedByDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalOverlappedByDescriptor.java
index 17e7612..f5d82f0 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalOverlappedByDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalOverlappedByDescriptor.java
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
  */
 package edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.functions.temporal;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -22,8 +22,7 @@
 public class IntervalOverlappedByDescriptor extends AbstractIntervalLogicFuncDescriptor {
 
     private final static long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS,
-            "interval-overlapped-by", 2);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.INTERVAL_OVERLAPPED_BY;
 
     public final static IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
 
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalOverlapsDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalOverlapsDescriptor.java
index ee62711..d244010 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalOverlapsDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalOverlapsDescriptor.java
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
  */
 package edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.functions.temporal;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -22,8 +22,7 @@
 public class IntervalOverlapsDescriptor extends AbstractIntervalLogicFuncDescriptor {
 
     private final static long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS,
-            "interval-overlaps", 2);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.INTERVAL_OVERLAPS;
 
     public final static IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
 
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalStartedByDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalStartedByDescriptor.java
index 7e5e0fe..94b01a1 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalStartedByDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalStartedByDescriptor.java
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
  */
 package edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.functions.temporal;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -22,8 +22,7 @@
 public class IntervalStartedByDescriptor extends AbstractIntervalLogicFuncDescriptor {
 
     private final static long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS,
-            "interval-started-by", 2);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.INTERVAL_STARTED_BY;
 
     public final static IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
 
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalStartsDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalStartsDescriptor.java
index c2ca32e..ce27742 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalStartsDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/IntervalStartsDescriptor.java
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
  */
 package edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.functions.temporal;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -22,8 +22,7 @@
 public class IntervalStartsDescriptor extends AbstractIntervalLogicFuncDescriptor {
 
     private final static long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS,
-            "interval-starts", 2);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.INTERVAL_STARTS;
 
     public final static IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
 
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/OverlapDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/OverlapDescriptor.java
index 80479cd..2919f90 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/OverlapDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/OverlapDescriptor.java
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
  */
 package edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.functions.temporal;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 public class OverlapDescriptor extends AbstractIntervalLogicFuncDescriptor {
 
     private final static long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS, "overlap", 2);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.OVERLAP;
 
     public final static IFunctionDescriptorFactory FACTORY = new IFunctionDescriptorFactory() {
 
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/SubtractDateDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/SubtractDateDescriptor.java
index 67d8ef3..6f54162 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/SubtractDateDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/SubtractDateDescriptor.java
@@ -16,17 +16,18 @@
 
 import java.io.DataOutput;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.ADateSerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.formats.nontagged.AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ADuration;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.AMutableDuration;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ANull;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.temporal.GregorianCalendarSystem;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -41,8 +42,7 @@
 public class SubtractDateDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private final static long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS, "subtract-date",
-            2);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.SUBTRACT_DATE;
 
     // allowed input types
     private final static byte SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.NULL.serialize();
@@ -96,18 +96,14 @@
                                 return;
                             }
 
-                            if (argOut0.getByteArray()[0] != SER_DATE_TYPE_TAG) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException(
-                                        "Inapplicable input type for parameter 0: expecting a Date ("
-                                                + SER_DATE_TYPE_TAG + ") or null (" + SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG
-                                                + "), but got: " + argOut0.getByteArray()[0]);
-                            }
-
-                            if (argOut1.getByteArray()[0] != SER_DATE_TYPE_TAG) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException(
-                                        "Inapplicable input type for parameter 1: expecting a Date ("
-                                                + SER_DATE_TYPE_TAG + ") or null (" + SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG
-                                                + "), but got: " + argOut1.getByteArray()[0]);
+                            if (argOut0.getByteArray()[0] != SER_DATE_TYPE_TAG
+                                    && argOut1.getByteArray()[0] != SER_DATE_TYPE_TAG) {
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(FID.getName()
+                                        + ": expects input type (DATE/NULL, DATE/NULL) but got ("
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut0.getByteArray()[0])
+                                        + ", "
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut1.getByteArray()[0])
+                                        + ").");
                             }
 
                             long durationChronon = (ADateSerializerDeserializer.getChronon(argOut0.getByteArray(), 1) - ADateSerializerDeserializer
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/SubtractDatetimeDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/SubtractDatetimeDescriptor.java
index 5b77709..dc677b5 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/SubtractDatetimeDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/SubtractDatetimeDescriptor.java
@@ -16,16 +16,17 @@
 
 import java.io.DataOutput;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.ADateTimeSerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.formats.nontagged.AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ADuration;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.AMutableDuration;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ANull;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -40,8 +41,7 @@
 public class SubtractDatetimeDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private final static long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS,
-            "subtract-datetime", 2);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.SUBTRACT_DATETIME;
 
     // allowed input types
     private final static byte SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.NULL.serialize();
@@ -98,16 +98,14 @@
                                 return;
                             }
 
-                            if (argOut0.getByteArray()[0] != SER_DATETIME_TYPE_TAG) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException(
-                                        "Inapplicable input type for parameter 0: expecting a DateTime, but got: "
-                                                + argOut0.getByteArray()[0]);
-                            }
-
-                            if (argOut1.getByteArray()[0] != SER_DATETIME_TYPE_TAG) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException(
-                                        "Inapplicable input type for parameter 1: expecting a DateTime, but got: "
-                                                + argOut1.getByteArray()[0]);
+                            if (argOut0.getByteArray()[0] != SER_DATETIME_TYPE_TAG
+                                    && argOut1.getByteArray()[0] != SER_DATETIME_TYPE_TAG) {
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(FID.getName()
+                                        + ": expects input type (DATETIME/NULL, DATETIME/NULL) but got ("
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut0.getByteArray()[0])
+                                        + ", "
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut1.getByteArray()[0])
+                                        + ").");
                             }
 
                             long durationChronon = ADateTimeSerializerDeserializer
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/SubtractTimeDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/SubtractTimeDescriptor.java
index 323033e..579030d 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/SubtractTimeDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/SubtractTimeDescriptor.java
@@ -16,16 +16,17 @@
 
 import java.io.DataOutput;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.ATimeSerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.formats.nontagged.AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ADuration;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.AMutableDuration;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ANull;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -40,8 +41,7 @@
 public class SubtractTimeDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private final static long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS, "subtract-time",
-            2);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.SUBTRACT_TIME;
 
     // allowed input types
     private final static byte SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.NULL.serialize();
@@ -98,18 +98,14 @@
                                 return;
                             }
 
-                            if (argOut0.getByteArray()[0] != SER_TIME_TYPE_TAG) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException(
-                                        "Inapplicable input type for parameter 0: expecting a Time ("
-                                                + SER_TIME_TYPE_TAG + ") or null (" + SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG
-                                                + "), but got: " + argOut0.getByteArray()[0]);
-                            }
-
-                            if (argOut1.getByteArray()[0] != SER_TIME_TYPE_TAG) {
-                                throw new AlgebricksException(
-                                        "Inapplicable input type for parameter 1: expecting a Time ("
-                                                + SER_TIME_TYPE_TAG + ") or null (" + SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG
-                                                + "), but got: " + argOut1.getByteArray()[0]);
+                            if (argOut0.getByteArray()[0] != SER_TIME_TYPE_TAG
+                                    && argOut1.getByteArray()[0] != SER_TIME_TYPE_TAG) {
+                                throw new AlgebricksException(FID.getName()
+                                        + ": expects input type (TIME/NULL, TIME/NULL) but got ("
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut0.getByteArray()[0])
+                                        + ", "
+                                        + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut1.getByteArray()[0])
+                                        + ").");
                             }
 
                             int durationChronon = ATimeSerializerDeserializer.getChronon(argOut0.getByteArray(), 1)
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/TimeFromDatetimeDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/TimeFromDatetimeDescriptor.java
index b1053a4..00fe414 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/TimeFromDatetimeDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/TimeFromDatetimeDescriptor.java
@@ -16,17 +16,18 @@
 
 import java.io.DataOutput;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.ADateTimeSerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.formats.nontagged.AqlSerializerDeserializerProvider;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.AMutableTime;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ANull;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ATime;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.temporal.GregorianCalendarSystem;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -41,8 +42,7 @@
 public class TimeFromDatetimeDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS,
-            "time-from-datetime", 1);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.TIME_FROM_DATETIME;
 
     // allowed input types
     private final static byte SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.NULL.serialize();
@@ -94,9 +94,10 @@
                             } else {
                                 if (argOut.getByteArray()[0] != SER_DATETIME_TYPE_TAG) {
                                     throw new AlgebricksException(
-                                            "Inapplicable input type for function time-from-datetime: expecting a DataTime ("
-                                                    + SER_DATETIME_TYPE_TAG + ") or null (" + SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG
-                                                    + "), but got: " + argOut.getByteArray()[0]);
+                                            FID.getName()
+                                                    + ": expects input type DATETIME/NULL but got "
+                                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut
+                                                            .getByteArray()[0]));
                                 }
                                 long datetimeChronon = ADateTimeSerializerDeserializer.getChronon(
                                         argOut.getByteArray(), 1);
diff --git a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/TimeFromUnixTimeInMsDescriptor.java b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/TimeFromUnixTimeInMsDescriptor.java
index b3fbc0e..98fd75f 100644
--- a/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/TimeFromUnixTimeInMsDescriptor.java
+++ b/asterix-runtime/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/runtime/evaluators/functions/temporal/TimeFromUnixTimeInMsDescriptor.java
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 
 import java.io.DataOutput;
 
-import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.functions.FunctionConstants;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.AInt16SerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.AInt32SerializerDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.dataflow.data.nontagged.serde.AInt8SerializerDeserializer;
@@ -24,10 +23,12 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.AMutableTime;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ANull;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.base.ATime;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.AsterixBuiltinFunctions;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.functions.IFunctionDescriptorFactory;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.ATypeTag;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.EnumDeserializer;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.runtime.evaluators.base.AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.exceptions.AlgebricksException;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.functions.FunctionIdentifier;
@@ -42,8 +43,7 @@
 public class TimeFromUnixTimeInMsDescriptor extends AbstractScalarFunctionDynamicDescriptor {
 
     private final static long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = new FunctionIdentifier(FunctionConstants.ASTERIX_NS,
-            "time-from-unix-time-in-ms", 1);
+    public final static FunctionIdentifier FID = AsterixBuiltinFunctions.TIME_FROM_UNIX_TIME_IN_MS;
 
     // allowed input types
     private final static byte SER_NULL_TYPE_TAG = ATypeTag.NULL.serialize();
@@ -102,8 +102,10 @@
                                     aTime.setValue(AInt32SerializerDeserializer.getInt(argOut.getByteArray(), 1));
                                 } else {
                                     throw new AlgebricksException(
-                                            "Inapplicable input type for function time-from-unix-time-in-ms: expecting integer or null type, but got "
-                                                    + argOut.getByteArray()[0]);
+                                            FID.getName()
+                                                    + ": expects input type INT8/INT16/INT32/NULL but got "
+                                                    + EnumDeserializer.ATYPETAGDESERIALIZER.deserialize(argOut
+                                                            .getByteArray()[0]));
                                 }
                                 timeSerde.serialize(aTime, out);
                             }