Informix Error -2957: You may not set the next field to that-tag because none of its associated database columns belong to the same table as this-tag.

Reasons / Common Causes

-2957 fires when a NEXTFIELD statement names a target field associated with a different table than the current field — per the official guidance, the field named in NEXTFIELD must be associated with the same table as the current field.

1. A NEXTFIELD target field belonging to a different table than the current field, per the official guidance — the direct, only cause.

Solutions / Resolution

1. Review the relationships between columns and tables in the form, and revise it, per the official guidance, choosing a NEXTFIELD target that shares the current field's table.

Examples

A NEXTFIELD target in a different table

INSTRUCTIONS
  AFTER FIELD ordnum
    NEXTFIELD cust_name
  END
-- -2957: ordnum is from orders, cust_name is from customer

Corrected

INSTRUCTIONS
  AFTER FIELD ordnum
    NEXTFIELD order_date
  END

Diagnostic Checks

1. Check the table each field's associated column belongs to, and confirm every NEXTFIELD target shares its table with the current field.

Related Errors / Related Topics

• -2956 — "You may not set display field field-tag to a value because none of its associated database columns belong to the same table..." A closely related table-scoping restriction, applied to LET assignments rather than NEXTFIELD navigation.

A NEXTFIELD target belongs to a different table than the current field — choose a target sharing the same table.