Informix Error -25553: Sqlhosts file not found or cannot be opened.

Cause and resolution

Sqlhosts file not found or cannot be opened.

The sqlhosts file is required to determine information to establish connection to a local or remote server. Create an sqlhosts file in the directory $INFORMIXDIR/etc according to the format that the manual for your database server product describes.

Oninit® Troubleshooting Guidance

Reasons / Common Causes

-25553 fires when the sqlhosts file needed to resolve connection information can't be found or opened — per the official guidance, this file is required to establish a connection to a local or remote server.

The sqlhosts file missing or inaccessible in $INFORMIXDIR/etc, per the official guidance — the direct, only cause.

Solutions / Resolution

Create an sqlhosts file in $INFORMIXDIR/etc, per the official guidance, following the format documented in the database server manual.

Examples

N/A

No specific triggering statement is documented beyond a missing/inaccessible sqlhosts file.

Diagnostic Checks

Check whether $INFORMIXDIR/etc/sqlhosts exists and is readable, and create it per the documented format if not.

Related Errors / Related Topics

-25507 — "You specified an unknown service name or protocol." A related connectivity configuration error, on the file's content once it exists.
-25555 — "Server server-name is not listed as a dbserver name in sqlhosts." A related sqlhosts error, on a missing entry rather than a missing file.
-25556 — "Invalid sqlhosts file format." A related sqlhosts error, on malformed content rather than a missing file.

The sqlhosts file couldn't be found or opened — create it in $INFORMIXDIR/etc per the documented format.