Informix Error -4402: In this type of statement, subscripting may be applied only to array variables to select individual array elements.

Reasons / Common Causes

-4402 fires when a name followed by square brackets isn't an array variable, in a statement context where only array subscripting (not substring notation) is valid — per the official guidance, check the punctuation and spelling; if a character substring was intended, the program will need revising.

1. A non-array name subscripted in a context that only supports array subscripting, per the official guidance — the direct, only cause.

Solutions / Resolution

1. Check the punctuation of the statement and the spelling of all names, per the official guidance.
2. If a character substring was intended, revise the program, per the official guidance, since this statement type doesn't support substring notation.

Examples

Subscripting a non-array name

DEFINE qty INTEGER
LET x = qty[1]
-- -4402: qty is not an array variable

Corrected

DEFINE items ARRAY[10] OF INTEGER
LET x = items[1]

Diagnostic Checks

1. Check the declaration of the subscripted name, and confirm it's genuinely an array variable.

Related Errors / Related Topics

• -4159 — "Subscripting cannot be applied to the expression because it is not a character or array reference." A related subscripting error, about a broader statement context that also accepts substring notation.
• -4344 — "The variable variable-name cannot be used with substrings because it is not a character variable." A related error covering the substring side of this same general restriction.

A non-array name is subscripted in a context that only supports array subscripting — check its declaration.