Informix Error -2040: The form name name exceeds the maximum length of length characters.

Reasons / Common Causes

-2040 fires when a form's name exceeds the Form Compiler's own maximum length — per the official guidance, this limit can be shorter than the host operating system's own filename length limit.

1. A form-specification filename longer than the Form Compiler's maximum, per the official guidance — the direct, only cause, even if the OS itself would allow a longer filename.

Solutions / Resolution

1. Rename the form-specification file to a shorter name, per the official guidance, and issue the command again.

Examples

Renaming an overlong form file

$ mv very_long_order_entry_form_specification_name.per order_entry.per
$ form4gl order_entry

Diagnostic Checks

1. Measure the form's name length against the Form Compiler's documented maximum (which may be shorter than the OS filesystem's own limit).

Related Errors / Related Topics

• -1805 — "Invalid connection name." A related identifier-length restriction, for connection names rather than form names.
• -2022 — "This identifier exceeds the maximum length for identifiers." A related length-limit error, for form-specification identifiers rather than the form's own file name.

The form name exceeds the Form Compiler's own maximum length — rename the file shorter.