Informix Error -4338: The symbol variable-name has already been defined once as a parameter.

Cause and resolution

The symbol variable-name has already been defined once as a parameter.

The name that is shown appears in the parameter list of the FUNCTION statement and in at least two DEFINE statements within the function body. Only one appearance in a DEFINE statement is permitted.

Oninit® Troubleshooting Guidance

Reasons / Common Causes

-4338 fires when a function parameter is defined more than once in DEFINE statements inside the function body — per the official guidance, only one DEFINE appearance per parameter is permitted.

A function parameter defined in more than one DEFINE statement, per the official guidance — the direct, only cause.

Solutions / Resolution

Remove the duplicate DEFINE statement for the parameter.

Examples

A parameter defined twice

FUNCTION save(order_id)
  DEFINE order_id INTEGER
  DEFINE order_id INTEGER
  -- -4338: order_id is already defined above
END FUNCTION

Corrected

FUNCTION save(order_id)
  DEFINE order_id INTEGER
END FUNCTION

Diagnostic Checks

Check every function parameter for more than one DEFINE statement inside the function body, and remove the duplicate.

Related Errors / Related Topics

-4336 — "The parameter variable-name has not been defined within the function or report." The mirror-image error, about a parameter with no DEFINE at all rather than more than one.
-4319 — "The symbol variable-name has been defined more than once." A related general duplicate-definition error, of which this is the parameter-specific case.

A function parameter is defined more than once — remove the duplicate DEFINE.