Oninit
Talk to an expert →

Informix Error -4827: The string in the file file_name is too long to fit in the variable.

Cause and resolution

The string in the file file_name is too long to fit in the variable.

The length of the variable is less than the length of the string read from the file. The String cannot be stored in the variable. Increase the size of the variable.

Oninit® Troubleshooting Guidance

Reasons / Common Causes

-4827 fires when a file I/O Read-type operation reads a string longer than the destination variable can hold — per the official guidance.

  1. The destination variable's declared length is shorter than the string read from the file, per the official guidance — the direct, only cause.
Solutions / Resolution
  1. Increase the size of the variable, per the official guidance, to accommodate the longest string expected from the file.
Examples
A destination variable too small
DEFINE line CHAR(20)
CALL f.readLine(fd, line)
-- -4827: a line in the file is longer than 20 characters
Corrected
DEFINE line CHAR(500)
CALL f.readLine(fd, line)
Diagnostic Checks
  1. Check the destination variable's declared size against the actual maximum line/string length in the source file, and increase it if needed.
Related Errors / Related Topics
  • -4828 — "The field to be read from the file file_name should not be greater than 4096 bytes." A related file-read-length restriction, about an absolute 4096-byte cap rather than the destination variable's own size.

A string read from a file is longer than the destination variable — increase the variable's size.