Informix Error -2027: An illegal (invisible, control) character has been found on line line,character column. It has been replaced by a blank in the listing, but it is still in the source (input) table, and should be removed before attempting to compile again.

Reasons / Common Causes

-2027 fires when the compiler finds a non-printing or control character in the source — per the official guidance, this can come from a word processor saving in document mode rather than text mode, an accidental non-printing keystroke during editing, or file corruption during storage or transfer.

1. A word processor used in document mode rather than plain-text mode, per the official guidance — the first named cause.
2. A non-printing key pressed accidentally while editing the file, per the official guidance — the second named cause.
3. File corruption during storage or transfer, per the official guidance — the third named cause.

Solutions / Resolution

1. Locate and remove the hidden character(s) from the source file, per the official guidance, using the reported line/character position, before recompiling.
2. Re-save the file in plain-text mode, if a word processor's document mode is the suspected cause.

Examples

Locating the offending character

$ sed -n '<line>p' order_entry.per | cat -A

cat -A reveals non-printing/control characters that a normal listing would otherwise show as a blank.

Diagnostic Checks

1. Use the reported line/character position to locate the invisible character, and confirm it with a tool that reveals non-printing characters (e.g. cat -A).

Related Errors / Related Topics

No closely related error codes are cross-referenced for -2027 in this set yet.

A non-printing/control character is present in the source — locate and remove it using the reported position.