Informix Error -9003: A USING format string may contain only one '.'.
Cause and resolution
A USING format string may contain only one '.'.
The format string that specifies the display of a number contains more than one decimal point. Remove all but one of the decimal points. Refer to the discussion of the USING function in the reference manual.
Oninit® Troubleshooting Guidance
Reasons / Common Causes
-9003 fires when a USING format string used to display a number contains more than one decimal point — per the official guidance.
- A USING format string with more than one decimal point, per the official guidance — the direct, only cause.
Solutions / Resolution
- Remove all but one of the decimal points, per the official guidance.
- Refer to the USING function discussion in the reference manual, per the official guidance, for correct format-string syntax.
Examples
A format string with two decimal points
PRINT amount USING "###.##.##" -- -9003: two '.' characters
Corrected
PRINT amount USING "###.##"
Diagnostic Checks
- Check the format string literal for a stray second decimal point, and remove it.
Related Errors / Related Topics
- -9052 — "The format string is too large. It may not be larger than 79 characters." A related USING-format-string validity error, on length rather than decimal-point count.
A USING format string contained more than one decimal point — keep only one.