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Informix Error -22623: Data type length must be greater than zero.

Cause and resolution

Data type length must be greater than zero.

This message indicates an IBM Informix ESQL/FORTRAN preprocessor error. The length that is specified for the data type is less than zero. Assign a length to the data type and try again.

Oninit® Troubleshooting Guidance

Reasons / Common Causes

-22623 fires when a data type's specified length is less than zero — per the official guidance.

  1. A data type declared with a length less than zero, per the official guidance — the direct, only cause.
Solutions / Resolution
  1. Assign a length to the data type and try again, per the official guidance.
Examples
N/A

No specific triggering statement is documented beyond a negative data-type length.

Diagnostic Checks
  1. Check the flagged data type's declared length, and assign a valid, non-negative length.
Related Errors / Related Topics
  • -22624 — "INTEGER type length must be 2 or 4." A related data-type-length error, specific to INTEGER rather than length being negative generally.
  • -22625 — "REAL type length must be 4 or 8." A related data-type-length error, specific to REAL rather than length being negative generally.

A data type's length was less than zero — assign a valid length.