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Informix Error -4376: The temporary file filename cannot be created for writing.

Cause and resolution

The temporary file filename cannot be created for writing.

Check that your account, on UNIX systems, has permission to create files in the /tmp directory or in the directory named in the DBTEMP environment variable if that is different. Look for other, more explicit, error messages from the operating system. Possibly the disk is full, or you have reached a limit on the number of open files.

Oninit® Troubleshooting Guidance

Reasons / Common Causes

-4376 fires when a 4GL temporary file can't be created — per the official guidance, on UNIX this is usually a write-permission issue on /tmp or the DBTEMP-named directory, a full disk, or an open-file limit.

  1. Insufficient write permission on /tmp or the DBTEMP directory, per the official guidance — the first named cause.
  2. A full disk, per the official guidance — the second named cause.
  3. An open-file limit reached, per the official guidance — the third named cause.
Solutions / Resolution
  1. Check write permission on /tmp/DBTEMP, per the official guidance.
  2. Look for more explicit operating-system error messages, per the official guidance.
  3. Check available disk space and the open-file limit, per the official guidance.
Examples
Checking DBTEMP and disk space
echo $DBTEMP
df -h /tmp
Diagnostic Checks
  1. Check /tmp/DBTEMP write permissions, disk space, and the open-file limit.
Related Errors / Related Topics
  • -3060 — "Operating system error. Cannot create a temporary file." A closely related temporary-file error in the ISQL/Form Runtime context, covering the same underlying causes.
  • -4377 — "The output file filename cannot be created or opened." A related file-creation error, about the report's output file rather than a temporary file.

A 4GL temporary file couldn't be created — check /tmp/DBTEMP permissions, disk space, and the open-file limit.