DSXchange

What would be the following warning message,

DataStage Job 102 Phantom 20769
Program "JOB.122335461.DT.132456721.TRANS3": Line 1234, Variable previously undefined. Zero length string used.

Thanks
VS

Just what the message says - the program has referenced a variable before it was assigned a value. If you use an undeclared stage variable or similar in a derivation you will see this error. Check your transform variable usage - it may even show up in red in the designer.

Arnd, I thought you were on vacation! Didn't want to risk the slopes on Friday the thirteenth, eh?

Hi,
I too get the same warning msg some times.
When I change the input file, then I am not getting this sort of warning. I though it might be the issue with the data.
I have verified all the routiens, tranformation functions and stage variables. None of them are undeclared.
Is there any other reason for these panthom warning??

Thanks & Regards
Vijay Kumar

It's not undeclared so much as uninitialized.

When you create stage variables, make very sure that you always give them an initial value.

Of course it may not be a stage variable that's causing this message. It may (for example) be a variable within a routine that's not assigned, which may mean that there is a path through its code in which the variable named Ans is not assigned, or that there is some other variable name used where that variable was never assigned a value; this smacks of insufficient/incomplete testing of the Routine.