Informix Error -16331: Too many recursive aliases.
Cause and resolution
Too many recursive aliases.
In some debugging tasks, aliases that reference other aliases can save time or circumvent limits on the number of characters in a Debugger command line. For example, you can specify alias1 to be a substring of alias2, which can be a substring of alias3, and so forth up to alias5. However, you cannot specify more than five levels of aliases between your keystrokes and the fully expanded commands for which they stand.
Oninit® Troubleshooting Guidance
Reasons / Common Causes
-16331 fires when a keystroke expands through more than five levels of nested aliases — per the official guidance.
- More than five levels of aliases between the keystroke and its fully expanded command, per the official guidance — the direct, only cause.
Solutions / Resolution
- Reduce the alias nesting to five levels or fewer, per the official guidance.
Examples
N/A
No specific triggering statement is documented beyond exceeding the five-level nesting limit.
Diagnostic Checks
- Trace the alias chain for the keystroke in question, and flatten it to five levels or fewer.
Related Errors / Related Topics
- -16321 — "Alias alias-name is an existing command keyword." A related alias-definition error, about a naming collision rather than excessive nesting depth.
An alias expands through more than five levels of nesting — flatten the alias chain.