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Informix Error -1010

-1010 Too many tc= indirections.

In a termcap definition for a terminal, the entry tc= causes the use of a definition for default values for a different terminal. That terminal might also have a tc= entry, and so on. However, 4GL cannot follow more than four tc= commands. The termcap definition in use at this time (as the TERM or TERMCAP environment variable specifies) exceeds the limit. Write or find a termcap definition that is more self contained.

Oninit® Troubleshooting Guidance

Reasons / Common Causes

-1010 fires when a termcap entry's tc= reference chain (an entry pulling in defaults from another entry, which itself may reference yet another) goes too deep — per the official guidance, no more than four levels of tc= indirection are followed.

  1. A termcap entry chaining more than four tc= references deep, per the official guidance — the direct, only cause.
  2. A termcap database with entries that reference each other in an unusually long chain, rather than each entry being more self-contained.
Solutions / Resolution
  1. Use or create a more self-contained termcap definition, per the official guidance — reducing reliance on multiple levels of tc= indirection.
  2. Flatten the chain by copying the needed capabilities directly into the entry, rather than referencing several levels of other entries.
Examples
An overly deep tc= chain
entry-a:tc=entry-b:
entry-b:tc=entry-c:
entry-c:tc=entry-d:
entry-d:tc=entry-e:
entry-e:tc=entry-f:
-- -1010: five levels of tc= indirection exceeds the four-level limit
Diagnostic Checks
  1. Trace the tc= chain for the termcap entry in use, and count the levels of indirection.
Related Errors / Related Topics
  • -1005 — "Your specified termcap file cannot be read." A related termcap error, about file accessibility rather than indirection depth.
  • -1007 — "Invalid value for the INFORMIXTERM environment variable." A related terminal- configuration error, about the facility selector rather than the entry's content.
  • -1008 — "Termcap entry too long." A related termcap-content error, about raw length rather than indirection depth.
  • -1009 — "Bad termcap entry." A related termcap-content error, about punctuation rather than indirection depth.

No more than four levels of tc= indirection are followed — flatten the chain into a more self-contained entry.