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Informix Error -4427: The COLUMN feature for the DISPLAY statement may be used only when displaying without screen or field destination.

Cause and resolution

The COLUMN feature for the DISPLAY statement may be used only when displaying without screen or field destination.

The COLUMN function returns a string of spaces long enough to reach a certain column in the display output. You may use it with unqualified DISPLAY and with DISPLAY AT, but it is not appropriate with DISPLAY TO or DISPLAY BY NAME.

Oninit® Troubleshooting Guidance

Reasons / Common Causes

-4427 fires when the COLUMN function is used with DISPLAY TO/DISPLAY BY NAME — per the official guidance, COLUMN returns spaces to reach a column position in display output, and it's only appropriate with unqualified DISPLAY or DISPLAY AT, not DISPLAY TO/DISPLAY BY NAME.

  1. COLUMN used with DISPLAY TO/DISPLAY BY NAME, per the official guidance — the direct, only cause.
Solutions / Resolution
  1. Use COLUMN only with unqualified DISPLAY or DISPLAY AT, per the official guidance, not with DISPLAY TO/DISPLAY BY NAME.
Examples
COLUMN used with DISPLAY TO
DISPLAY COLUMN 10, "Total" TO fld_label
-- -4427: COLUMN isn't valid with DISPLAY TO
Corrected
DISPLAY COLUMN 10, "Total"
Diagnostic Checks
  1. Check every use of COLUMN in a DISPLAY statement, and confirm it's not used with DISPLAY TO/DISPLAY BY NAME.
Related Errors / Related Topics
  • -4423 — "The CLIPPED and USING options for the DISPLAY statement may not be used when displaying to a form field." A related DISPLAY TO/DISPLAY BY NAME restriction, about CLIPPED/USING rather than COLUMN.

COLUMN is used with DISPLAY TO/DISPLAY BY NAME, which isn't supported — use unqualified DISPLAY or DISPLAY AT instead.