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Informix Error -3731

-3731 Cannot open the table table-name.

The database server cannot open the file that represents this table. You might have exceeded an operating-system limit on open files; if that is the case, you will have to reduce the number of tables that are included in the form. However, first make sure that a file exists for this table in the database directory (its name is database-name.dbs) and that your account has read access to it. The name of the table file is composed of table-name, a 3-digit number, and the suffix .dat.

Oninit® Troubleshooting Guidance

Reasons / Common Causes

-3731 fires when the database server can't open the file representing a table — per the official guidance, this may be an operating-system open-file limit, a missing database file, or a permissions issue.

  1. An operating-system open-file limit was exceeded, per the official guidance — the first named cause, requiring fewer tables in the form.
  2. The database file (database-name.dbs) doesn't exist in the database directory, per the official guidance — the second named cause.
  3. The account lacks read access to the table's file (named table-name plus a 3-digit number plus .dat), per the official guidance — the third named cause.
Solutions / Resolution
  1. Check whether an open-file limit was exceeded, per the official guidance, and reduce the number of tables in the form if so.
  2. Confirm the database file exists in the database directory, per the official guidance.
  3. Confirm the account has read access to the table's file, per the official guidance.
Examples
Checking the database and table files
ls database-name.dbs
ls database-name.dbs/table-name*.dat
Diagnostic Checks
  1. Check the OS open-file limit, whether database-name.dbs exists, and whether the account has read access to the table's .dat file.
Related Errors / Related Topics
  • -3651 — "You have exceeded the number of opened tables allowed by your system." A closely related open-file-limit error, about the same underlying OS limit surfaced when a statement requires more open tables than allowed.

The database server can't open the table's file — check the OS open-file limit, whether the database file exists, and read access to the table's .dat file.