Informix Error -2038: BLOB fields cannot be joined.
Cause and resolution
BLOB fields cannot be joined.
Columns of BYTE and TEXT types cannot be compared. Therefore, they cannot be used in joining tables, and they cannot be named as join columns or in a COMPOSITES statement. Check that the table and column names are as you intended, and verify the current definition of the table in the database that the DATABASE statement names.
Oninit® Troubleshooting Guidance
Reasons / Common Causes
-2038 fires when a BYTE/TEXT (BLOB) column is used as a join column — per the official
guidance, BYTE/TEXT columns can't be compared, so they can't be used to join tables or be
named in a COMPOSITES statement.
- A
BYTE/TEXTcolumn named as a join column between two tables, per the official guidance — the direct, only cause. - A
BYTE/TEXTcolumn named in aCOMPOSITESstatement, per the official guidance's other named case.
Solutions / Resolution
- Verify that table and column names are correct, per the official guidance, and confirm the current table definitions.
- Join on a comparable (non-BLOB) column instead —
BYTE/TEXTfundamentally can't support the comparison a join requires.
Examples
N/A
No specific triggering statement is documented — check for a BYTE/TEXT column named as a
join key or in a COMPOSITES statement.
Diagnostic Checks
- Check every join column and
COMPOSITESstatement for aBYTE/TEXTcolumn, and replace it with a comparable column.
Related Errors / Related Topics
No closely related error codes are cross-referenced for -2038 in this set yet.
A BYTE/TEXT column was used as a join column (or in COMPOSITES) — these types can't be
compared, so join on a different column instead.