Informix Error -894

Reasons / Common Causes

-894 fires when a SET statement explicitly names a database object that doesn't exist — per the official guidance, the direct, only cause.

1. A misspelled object name in the SET statement — the most common, direct cause.
2. An object that was dropped since the SET statement was written, no longer present under that name.
3. The wrong object type assumed — naming an index when a constraint name was actually intended, or vice versa, if the SET statement's target type isn't obvious from context.

Solutions / Resolution

1. Review the spelling of the object name in the SET statement.
2. Query the appropriate system catalog for the object type being targeted, to confirm the exact current name:

   SELECT idxname FROM sysindexes WHERE tabid =
     (SELECT tabid FROM systables WHERE tabname = 'orders');
   
   SELECT constrname FROM sysconstraints WHERE tabid =
     (SELECT tabid FROM systables WHERE tabname = 'orders');
   

Examples

Checking the object's actual current name

SELECT idxname FROM sysindexes WHERE tabid =
  (SELECT tabid FROM systables WHERE tabname = 'orders');

Diagnostic Checks

1. Query the matching system catalog (sysindexes for indexes, sysconstraints for constraints) to confirm the object's exact current name before retrying the SET statement.

Related Errors / Related Topics

• -891 — "Temporary table objects can only be enabled." A related object-mode SET restriction, once the object is correctly found.
• -892 — "Cannot disable object object-name due to other active objects using it." A related object-mode SET restriction, about dependency ordering once the object is found.
• -893 — "Cannot activate/create object object-name because of its dependencies." A related object-mode restriction, the enable-side mirror of -892.

A straightforward name-not-found error — query the matching system catalog to confirm the object's exact current name.