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Informix Error -16378: A small positive integer is expected.

Cause and resolution

A small positive integer is expected.

You cannot enter a TIMEDELAY command without an argument, or with a negative number as the argument. Repeat the command, specifying zero or a positive integer as the number of seconds delay in the Source window or Command window.

Oninit® Troubleshooting Guidance

Reasons / Common Causes

-16378 fires when TIMEDELAY is given without an argument, or with a negative number — per the official guidance.

  1. TIMEDELAY given no argument, per the official guidance — the first named case.
  2. TIMEDELAY given a negative number, per the official guidance — the second named case.
Solutions / Resolution
  1. Repeat the command, specifying zero or a positive integer as the delay in seconds for the Source/Command window, per the official guidance.
Examples
TIMEDELAY with a negative value
> TIMEDELAY -1
Corrected
> TIMEDELAY 2
Diagnostic Checks
  1. Check that TIMEDELAY's argument is zero or a positive integer.
Related Errors / Related Topics
  • -16316 — "A small integer is expected." A related integer-argument error, for GROW (which accepts signed integers) rather than TIMEDELAY (which requires non-negative ones).

TIMEDELAY requires a zero or positive integer — supply one.