Oninit
Talk to an expert →

Informix Error -2036: The display lines of a multi-line field lie in different screen pages.

Cause and resolution

The display lines of a multi-line field lie in different screen pages.

A multiline field (multiple fields with identical tags, given the WORDWRAP attribute) must be complete within a screen page. Possibly you did not intend the field to be on two pages. If your page layout, plus 4 reserved lines, is taller than the physical screen (as specified in the SCREEN statement or in the lines dimension on the command line), the form is divided by starting a new page after the last line that can fit on the page, and this situation might accidentally split a multiline field. In any case, rearrange fields so that the multiline field fits on a single page.

Oninit® Troubleshooting Guidance

Reasons / Common Causes

-2036 fires when a multiline field (multiple fields sharing a tag, using WORDWRAP) spans across screen pages — per the official guidance, a multiline field must be complete within a single screen page; this typically happens when the page layout plus reserved lines exceeds the physical screen dimensions, forcing the form to split across pages.

  1. The page layout, combined with reserved lines, exceeding the physical screen dimensions, per the official guidance — pushing part of a multiline field onto a second page.
Solutions / Resolution
  1. Rearrange the form fields so the multiline field fits entirely on a single screen page, per the official guidance.
Examples
N/A

No specific triggering statement is documented — reduce the page layout/reserved-line usage so the multiline field doesn't span pages.

Diagnostic Checks
  1. Check the page layout and reserved-line usage for where the physical screen dimensions are being exceeded, splitting the multiline field.
Related Errors / Related Topics
  • -2031 — "The WORDWRAP attribute can only be specified for CHAR, VARCHAR and TEXT fields." A related WORDWRAP restriction, about field type rather than page-span placement.

A multiline (WORDWRAP) field spans multiple screen pages — rearrange fields so it fits on one page.