Some dbt_utils macros do not work with Spark SQL

Describe the bug

It appears that many dbt_utils macros are not supported with Spark SQL due to how a lot of the macros are casting with :: instead of cast

Steps to reproduce

1. Add dbt_utils to your packages.yml file:

packages:
  - package: fishtown-analytics/dbt_utils
    version: 0.6.2

1. Create a simple model with the following SQL:

select {{ dbt_utils.current_timestamp() }}

Expected results

A model should be created just fine.

Actual results

Runtime Error in model dbt_test (models/staging/dbt_test.sql)
  Database Error
    Error running query: org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.parser.ParseException: 
    mismatched input ':' expecting <EOF>(line 6, pos 21)
    
    == SQL ==
    /* {"app": "dbt", "dbt_version": "0.18.1", "profile_name": "databricks", "target_name": "dev", "node_id": "model.dbt_databricks.dbt_test"} */
    create or replace view brian_dev_stg.dbt_test
      
      as
        select 
        current_timestamp::
    ---------------------^^^
        timestamp
    

Done. PASS=0 WARN=0 ERROR=1 SKIP=0 TOTAL=1

Screenshots and log output

System information

The contents of your packages.yml file: packages:

• package: fishtown-analytics/dbt_utils version: 0.6.2

Which database are you using dbt with?

• postgres
• redshift
• bigquery
• snowflake
• other (specify: Spark SQL)

The output of dbt --version:

installed version: 0.18.1
   latest version: 0.18.1

Up to date!

Plugins:
  - bigquery: 0.18.1
  - snowflake: 0.18.1
  - redshift: 0.18.1
  - postgres: 0.18.1
  - spark: 0.18.0

The operating system you’re using: macOS Catalina Version 10.15.7 The output of python --version: Python 3.7.6

Additional context

Here is one place where casting is done by :: instead of cast() https://github.com/fishtown-analytics/dbt-utils/blob/9feaccc327a7409298a2bc362db53c2e597024fa/macros/cross_db_utils/current_timestamp.sql#L6

Are you interested in contributing the fix?

Yes! I am happy to change all the :: to cast() or provide another solution. I would love to contribute to dbt-utils!

[otosky]

just want to update the note above to v0.20.0 syntax for anyone stumbling across this issue like I did

dispatch:
 - macro_namespace: dbt_utils
   search_order: ['spark_utils', 'dbt_utils']

This is a super cool feature btw!

dispatch docs

[jtcohen6]

And it works even more “out of the box” in v1.2: https://github.com/dbt-labs/dbt-spark/pull/359

Closing this one, which has been open for a while 😃