Informix Error -4094: Length of compared CHAR or VARCHAR types is different.

Cause and resolution

Length of compared CHAR or VARCHAR types is different.

The compiler was attempting to process a comparison between two string types (such as comparing function signatures), and the two strings had different bounds.

Oninit® Troubleshooting Guidance

Reasons / Common Causes

-4094 fires while the compiler is processing a comparison between two string types (such as comparing function signatures) — per the official guidance, the two strings' declared bounds (lengths) are different.

Two CHAR/VARCHAR types being compiler-compared with different declared lengths, per the official guidance — the direct, only cause.

Solutions / Resolution

Make the declared lengths of the compared string types match.

Examples

Mismatched string type lengths in a prototype comparison

FUNCTION save(name CHAR(30)) RETURNING INTEGER
...
FUNCTION save(name CHAR(50)) RETURNING INTEGER
-- -4094: CHAR(30) vs CHAR(50)

Corrected

FUNCTION save(name CHAR(30)) RETURNING INTEGER

Diagnostic Checks

Check the declared lengths of every compared CHAR/VARCHAR type (e.g. across redeclared function signatures), and make them consistent.

Related Errors / Related Topics

No closely related error codes are cross-referenced for -4094 in this set yet.

Two compared CHAR/VARCHAR types have different declared lengths — make them match.