jplu (CONTRIBUTOR) commented on 2020-04-15 13:50:30:
To fix this I propose to modify only the file `arrow_reader.py` with few updates. First update, the following method:
```python
def _make_file_instructions_from_absolutes(
        name,
        name2len,
        absolute_instructions,
):
    """Returns the files instructions from the absolute instructions list."""
    # For each split, return the files instruction (skip/take)
    file_instructions = []
    num_examples = 0
    for abs_instr in absolute_instructions:
        length = name2len[abs_instr.splitname]
        if not length:
            raise ValueError(
                    'Split empty. This might means that dataset hasn\'t been generated '
                    'yet and info not restored from GCS, or that legacy dataset is used.')
        filename = filename_for_dataset_split(
                dataset_name=name,
                split=abs_instr.splitname,
                filetype_suffix='arrow')
        from_ = 0 if abs_instr.from_ is None else abs_instr.from_
        to = length if abs_instr.to is None else abs_instr.to
        num_examples += to - from_
        single_file_instructions = [{"filename": filename, "skip": from_, "take": to - from_}]
        file_instructions.extend(single_file_instructions)
    return FileInstructions(
            num_examples=num_examples,
            file_instructions=file_instructions,
    )
```
Becomes:
```python
def _make_file_instructions_from_absolutes(
        name,
        name2len,
        absolute_instructions,
):
    """Returns the files instructions from the absolute instructions list."""
    # For each split, return the files instruction (skip/take)
    file_instructions = []
    num_examples = 0
    for abs_instr in absolute_instructions:
        length = name2len[abs_instr.splitname]
        ## Delete the if not length and the raise
        filename = filename_for_dataset_split(
                dataset_name=name,
                split=abs_instr.splitname,
                filetype_suffix='arrow')
        from_ = 0 if abs_instr.from_ is None else abs_instr.from_
        to = length if abs_instr.to is None else abs_instr.to
        num_examples += to - from_
        single_file_instructions = [{"filename": filename, "skip": from_, "take": to - from_}]
        file_instructions.extend(single_file_instructions)
    return FileInstructions(
            num_examples=num_examples,
            file_instructions=file_instructions,
    )
```

Second update the following method:
```python
def _read_files(files, info):
    """Returns Dataset for given file instructions.

    Args:
        files: List[dict(filename, skip, take)], the files information.
            The filenames contain the absolute path, not relative.
            skip/take indicates which example read in the file: `ds.slice(skip, take)`
    """
    pa_batches = []
    for f_dict in files:
        pa_table: pa.Table = _get_dataset_from_filename(f_dict)
        pa_batches.extend(pa_table.to_batches())
    pa_table = pa.Table.from_batches(pa_batches)
    ds = Dataset(arrow_table=pa_table, data_files=files, info=info)
    return ds
```
Becomes:
```python
def _read_files(files, info):
    """Returns Dataset for given file instructions.

    Args:
        files: List[dict(filename, skip, take)], the files information.
            The filenames contain the absolute path, not relative.
            skip/take indicates which example read in the file: `ds.slice(skip, take)`
    """
    pa_batches = []
    for f_dict in files:
        pa_table: pa.Table = _get_dataset_from_filename(f_dict)
        pa_batches.extend(pa_table.to_batches())
    ## we modify the table only if there are some batches
    if pa_batches:
        pa_table = pa.Table.from_batches(pa_batches)
    ds = Dataset(arrow_table=pa_table, data_files=files, info=info)
    return ds
```

With these two updates it works now. @thomwolf are you ok with this changes?