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Informix Error -358

-358 Must close current database before CREATE, START or ROLLFORWARD.

These statements choose a new current database, but the present database must be closed first. Use the CLOSE DATABASE statement before this statement.

Oninit® Troubleshooting Guidance

Reasons / Common Causes

-358 fires when CREATE DATABASE, START DATABASE, or ROLLFORWARD DATABASE is attempted while a database is still open in the current session — each of these statements is going to select a new current database, and the server requires the existing one to be explicitly closed first rather than switching implicitly.

  1. A session with an already-open database attempting CREATE DATABASE/START DATABASE/ ROLLFORWARD DATABASE without an intervening CLOSE DATABASE — the direct, only cause.
  2. A script assuming these statements behave like DATABASE (which does switch the current database directly) rather than requiring an explicit close first.
  3. Session/connection reuse logic that doesn't track whether a database is currently open before attempting one of these statements.
Solutions / Resolution
  1. Issue CLOSE DATABASE before CREATE, START, or ROLLFORWARD, per the official guidance — this is a required step, not optional cleanup.
  2. For reusable session/connection logic, track whether a database is currently open and close it proactively before attempting one of these statements.
Examples
Closing the current database first
DATABASE sales;
-- ... work in sales ...
CLOSE DATABASE;
CREATE DATABASE sales_archive;
The disallowed direct attempt
DATABASE sales;
CREATE DATABASE sales_archive;
-- -358: sales is still open; CLOSE DATABASE is required first
Diagnostic Checks
  1. Check whether a database is currently open in the session before attempting CREATE, START, or ROLLFORWARD DATABASE.
  2. Confirm CLOSE DATABASE is issued immediately beforehand, with no other database-opening statement in between.
Related Errors / Related Topics
  • -349 — "Database not selected yet." The mirror-image condition — this error fires when no database is open and one is needed; -358 fires when one is already open and needs to be explicitly closed first.

CREATE, START, and ROLLFORWARD DATABASE all require an explicit CLOSE DATABASE first — unlike plain DATABASE, they won't implicitly switch away from an already-open database.