Informix Error -9610: Illegal attempt to use collection host variable.

Cause and resolution

Illegal attempt to use collection host variable.

You attempted to calculate the cardinality of a data type that is not a collection, incorrectly used a collection host variable by using an untyped collection without assigning a value to it, or used incorrect syntax to create a collection derived table.

Check your manual to determine the correct usage of collections in this context.

Oninit® Troubleshooting Guidance

Reasons / Common Causes

-9610 fires when a collection host variable is used incorrectly — per the official guidance.

Calculating cardinality on a data type that isn't a collection, per the official guidance — the first named cause.
Using an untyped collection host variable without assigning it a value, per the official guidance — the second named cause.
Incorrect syntax creating a collection-derived table, per the official guidance — the third named cause.

Solutions / Resolution

Check the manual to determine the correct usage of collections in this context, per the official guidance.

Examples

Calculating cardinality on a non-collection

SELECT CARDINALITY(customer_name) FROM customer;   -- -9610: customer_name isn't a collection

Diagnostic Checks

Identify which collection host-variable operation triggered the error (cardinality, untyped assignment, derived table), and check its correct syntax in the manual.

Related Errors / Related Topics

-9602 — "Illegal attempt to convert a collection type into another type." A related collection host-variable error, on type conversion specifically rather than cardinality/assignment/derived-table syntax.

A collection host variable was used incorrectly — check the manual for the correct syntax for the specific operation attempted.