Informix Error -8123

-8123 The PRINT FILE command is not allowed within the FIRST PAGE HEADER,

PAGE HEADER, or PAGE TRAILER clauses.

ACEPREP needs to know how many lines will be filled in header and trailer sections (otherwise, it does not know how many detail rows to put on the page). Because the size of a file cannot be predicted when the report is compiled, the PRINT FILE command is not allowed. You must use PRINT statements to produce the data.

Oninit® Troubleshooting Guidance

Reasons / Common Causes

-8123 fires when PRINT FILE is used inside FIRST PAGE HEADER, PAGE HEADER, or PAGE TRAILER — per the official guidance, ACEPREP needs a predictable header/trailer line count, and a file's size can't be predicted at compile time.

PRINT FILE used inside a header/trailer clause, per the official guidance — the direct, only cause.

Solutions / Resolution

Use PRINT statements to produce the data, per the official guidance, instead of PRINT FILE.

Examples

PRINT FILE inside a PAGE HEADER

PAGE HEADER
  PRINT FILE "logo.txt"
  -- -8123: PRINT FILE isn't allowed in headers/trailers

Corrected

PAGE HEADER
  PRINT "Order Report"

Diagnostic Checks

Check FIRST PAGE HEADER/PAGE HEADER/PAGE TRAILER clauses for PRINT FILE, and replace it with PRINT statements.

Related Errors / Related Topics

-8109 — "Wordwrap may not be used within PAGE HEADERS or TRAILERS." A related header/trailer restriction, about WORDWRAP rather than PRINT FILE.
-8122 — "NEED n LINES may not be used in PAGE HEADER or PAGE TRAILER clauses." A related header/trailer restriction, about NEED n LINES rather than PRINT FILE.

PRINT FILE is used inside a header/trailer clause — use PRINT statements instead.