Informix Error -4311

-4311 The variable "variable-name" was not defined as a record.

It cannot be used in this fashion.

The variable name that is shown is being used with THRU (or THROUGH) notation or with .* notation, but is not defined as a record. Check that the variable name is the one that you intended. If it is, find the place where it is defined (which may be in a global definition file included with the GLOBALS statement) and find out why it is no longer defined as a record.

Oninit® Troubleshooting Guidance

Reasons / Common Causes

-4311 fires when a variable used with THRU/THROUGH or .* notation isn't defined as a record — per the official guidance, this is the classic 4GL-context version of this check.

A variable used with THRU/THROUGH or .* that isn't declared as a record, per the official guidance — the direct, only cause.

Solutions / Resolution

Check that the variable name is the one intended, per the official guidance.
Find where it's defined (possibly in a GLOBALS-included file) and find out why it's no longer defined as a record, per the official guidance.

Examples

Expanding a non-record variable

DEFINE qty INTEGER
DISPLAY qty.*
-- -4311: qty is not defined as a record

Corrected

DEFINE rec RECORD
  qty INTEGER,
  price DECIMAL
END RECORD

DISPLAY rec.*

Diagnostic Checks

Check the declaration of any variable used with THRU/.*, including any GLOBALS file, and confirm it's genuinely a record.

Related Errors / Related Topics

-4161 — "This variable has not been defined as a record or object." A closely related error in the NewEra-specific context, covering the same condition for records and objects.

A variable used with THRU/.* isn't defined as a record — check its declaration, including any GLOBALS file.