Informix Error -4417

Reasons / Common Causes

-4417 fires when a report-only statement such as PRINT, SKIP, or NEED is used outside a report function — per the official guidance, these are only meaningful within a report function's body, where an implicit report listing exists to receive output.

1. A report-only statement (PRINT, SKIP, NEED, etc.) used outside a report function, per the official guidance — the direct, only cause.

Solutions / Resolution

1. Move the statement inside a report function's body, or use the equivalent non-report statement (e.g. DISPLAY instead of PRINT) if a report wasn't actually intended.

Examples

PRINT used outside a report

FUNCTION summary()
  PRINT "Total: ", grand_total
  -- -4417: PRINT is only valid inside a report function
END FUNCTION

Corrected

FUNCTION summary()
  DISPLAY "Total: ", grand_total
END FUNCTION

Diagnostic Checks

1. Check whether the flagged statement is inside a report function's body, and use the equivalent non-report statement if a report wasn't intended.

Related Errors / Related Topics

• -4342 — "PAGENO and LINENO are allowed only in reports." A closely related restriction, about specific report-only functions rather than statements.
• -4426 — "The PRINT statement can be used only within reports." A closely related, PRINT-specific version of this same restriction.

A report-only statement is used outside a report function — move it inside, or use the non-report equivalent.