Oninit
Talk to an expert →

Informix Error -252

-252 Cannot get system information for table.

The database server cannot access system information associated with the table. Check the accompanying ISAM error code for more information. Unless the ISAM error code or an operating-system message points to another cause, run the oncheck utility to verify file integrity.

Oninit® Troubleshooting Guidance

Reasons / Common Causes

-252 is part of the same generic-wrapper family as -242, this time specifically about accessing system (catalog) information for a table rather than opening the table's data file itself.

  1. File permissions issues affecting the system catalog entries for the table.
  2. Hardware errors affecting the underlying storage.
  3. Corrupted system catalog information specific to this table — related to -211's broader system-catalog concerns.
Solutions / Resolution
  1. Check the accompanying ISAM error code and OS-level messages first.
  2. Run oncheck to verify file integrity, per the official guidance, unless the accompanying code or an OS message already points to a more specific cause.
Examples
Following the official diagnostic order
-- 1. Check the accompanying ISAM error code and OS messages first
-- 2. If nothing specific turns up:
oncheck -cc mydb
Diagnostic Checks
  1. Check the accompanying ISAM error code and OS-level messages.
  2. Run oncheck if no more specific cause is identified.
Related Errors / Related Topics
  • -242 — "Could not open database table table-name." The closest structural sibling — same general failure family, applied to the table's data file rather than its system information.
  • -211 — "Cannot read system catalog ." The broader system-catalog-corruption sibling.

Check the accompanying ISAM error code first, then run oncheck if nothing more specific turns up — the same diagnostic order as -242.