Informix Error -2986

Reasons / Common Causes

-2986 fires when a form specification defines more master/detail pairs than the form compiler supports — per the official guidance, this is a hard restriction on the number of master/detail pairs permitted in one form.

1. Too many MASTER OF relationships defined in one form, per the official guidance — the direct, only cause.

Solutions / Resolution

1. Find a way to simplify the form, per the official guidance — for example, by splitting the master/detail hierarchy across multiple forms.

Examples

Simplifying an oversized master/detail hierarchy

Split a deeply nested master/detail form into two or more separate forms, each handling a smaller portion of the hierarchy, rather than expressing every relationship in a single form specification.

Diagnostic Checks

1. Count the MASTER OF relationships in the form specification, and reduce them if the compiler reports this limit exceeded.

Related Errors / Related Topics

• -2987 — "The form specification has exceeded the maximum of limit screens." A related form-size limit, about too many screen layouts rather than too many master/detail pairs.

The form defines too many master/detail pairs for the compiler to support — simplify the form, e.g. by splitting it into multiple forms.