Informix Error -2932: Formats may be specified only for float, smallfloat, decimal, or date columns.

Cause and resolution

Formats may be specified only for float, smallfloat, decimal, or date columns.

This attribute statement specifies a FORMAT string, but the data type of the field is not one of the four that support formatting: FLOAT, SMALLFLOAT, DECIMAL (or MONEY), and DATE. If this column is not DISPLAYONLY, check that it has been associated with the right column and that the column is defined in the database as you expected.

Oninit® Troubleshooting Guidance

Reasons / Common Causes

-2932 fires when a FORMAT clause is applied to a field whose data type doesn't support formatting — per the official guidance, only FLOAT, SMALLFLOAT, DECIMAL (or MONEY), and DATE support the FORMAT attribute.

A FORMAT clause applied to a field of an unsupported data type (e.g. CHAR, INTEGER, SERIAL), per the official guidance — the direct, only cause.

Solutions / Resolution

If the field isn't DISPLAYONLY, check that it's associated with the right column, per the official guidance, and that the column is defined in the database as expected.
Remove the FORMAT clause if the field's data type genuinely doesn't support it.

Examples

FORMAT on an unsupported type

ATTRIBUTES
  quantity = order_qty, FORMAT = "###.##";
-- -2932: order_qty is INTEGER, which doesn't support FORMAT

Corrected

ATTRIBUTES
  unit_price = unit_price, FORMAT = "###.##";
-- unit_price is DECIMAL, which does support FORMAT

Diagnostic Checks

Check the actual data type of any field carrying a FORMAT clause, and confirm it's FLOAT, SMALLFLOAT, DECIMAL/MONEY, or DATE.

Related Errors / Related Topics

-2931 — "There is an error in the format specification." A related FORMAT-clause error, about a malformed format string on a supported type rather than FORMAT applied to an unsupported type.

FORMAT is applied to a field whose data type doesn't support it — remove the clause or check that the field is associated with the intended column.