Informix Error -1396

Reasons / Common Causes

-1396 fires when the file named in a PRINT FILE statement can't be accessed — per the official guidance, this covers a wrong filename, a missing path, the file not existing, or a permissions problem.

1. An incorrect filename, per the official guidance — the first named check.
2. A relative path that doesn't resolve because the file isn't in the current directory, per the official guidance — the second named check.
3. The file not existing, per the official guidance — the third named check.
4. The account lacking read permission on the file, per the official guidance — the fourth named check.

Solutions / Resolution

1. Verify the filename is correct, per the official guidance.
2. Provide a full path if the file isn't in the current directory, per the official guidance.
3. Confirm the file exists, per the official guidance.
4. Check that your account has read permissions, per the official guidance.
5. Review operating-system error messages for additional details, per the official guidance.

Examples

Checking file existence and permissions

$ ls -l /path/to/print_source.txt

Diagnostic Checks

1. Check the filename, path, existence, and read permissions for the PRINT FILE source file, in that order.

Related Errors / Related Topics

• -1322 — "A report output file cannot be opened." A related report-file error, about the output file rather than a PRINT FILE source file being read from.

The PRINT FILE source file couldn't be opened — check filename, path, existence, and read permissions.