Informix Error -653

Reasons / Common Causes

-653 fires when DEFINE GLOBAL var LIKE tab.col is used — per the official guidance, LIKE variables (which take their type from an existing column) must be local; a global variable can't be declared this way.

1. DEFINE GLOBAL var LIKE tab.col, per the official guidance's own example — the direct, only cause.
2. A local-variable declaration pattern reused for a global variable without realizing LIKE isn't supported in that context.

Solutions / Resolution

1. Don't use the LIKE keyword with global variables, per the official guidance — specify the data type explicitly instead.
2. Look up the referenced column's actual type to write the explicit type declaration:

   SELECT colname, coltype FROM syscolumns
   WHERE tabid = (SELECT tabid FROM systables WHERE tabname = 'tab') AND colname = 'col';
   

3. If LIKE's type-following convenience is genuinely wanted, declare the variable as local instead of global, if that's compatible with how it needs to be used.

Examples

The disallowed attempt

DEFINE GLOBAL var LIKE orders.status;
-- -653: LIKE variables must be local

Corrected — explicit type

DEFINE GLOBAL var CHAR(10);

Or corrected — keep it local instead

DEFINE var LIKE orders.status;

Diagnostic Checks

1. Scan DEFINE GLOBAL statements for a LIKE clause, and either switch to an explicit type or, if appropriate, make the variable local instead.

Related Errors / Related Topics

• -652 — "Local variables do not allow default values." Another SPL variable-declaration restriction tied to scope, about DEFAULT and locality rather than LIKE and globality.

LIKE variables must be local — specify the type explicitly for a global, or keep the variable local if LIKE's convenience is genuinely needed.