Informix Error -435

Reasons / Common Causes

-435 fires when a time-out value passed to a callback function/routine in ESQL/C or ESQL/COBOL falls outside the valid range: it must be -1 (conventionally meaning "wait indefinitely") or any value 0 or greater (a bounded wait in some time unit).

1. A negative time-out value other than -1 — e.g. -2 or -30, which aren't valid.
2. An uninitialized variable used as the time-out argument, containing garbage/negative memory content rather than a deliberately chosen value.
3. Confusing time-out semantics from a different API or library, where a different sentinel value (like 0 meaning "no wait" versus "wait indefinitely") was assumed.

Solutions / Resolution

1. Set the time-out value to -1 (wait indefinitely) or any non-negative value, per the official guidance.
2. Check that the variable supplying the time-out value is properly initialized before the callback registration, rather than relying on default/garbage memory content.
3. Confirm the intended time-out semantics against the actual ESQL/C or ESQL/COBOL documentation for the specific callback being used, rather than assuming conventions from a different API.

Examples

Using -1 for an indefinite wait

int timeout = -1;  /* wait indefinitely */
/* pass timeout to the relevant ESQL/C callback registration */

Using a valid bounded wait

int timeout = 30;  /* wait up to 30 (time units defined by the
                       specific callback's documentation) */

The disallowed invalid value

int timeout = -5;  /* -435: only -1 or values >= 0 are valid */

Diagnostic Checks

1. Check the actual value being passed as the time-out argument at the point of the failing call.
2. Confirm the variable supplying it is properly initialized.

Related Errors / Related Topics

• -378 — "Record currently locked by another user." A related concept in the same general waiting/locking-behavior area, though about lock-wait mode (SET LOCK MODE TO WAIT) rather than a callback's time-out argument specifically.

The valid range is simple: -1 for indefinite, or any non-negative value — check for an uninitialized variable first if a genuinely out-of-range negative value is showing up unexpectedly.