ErrorToEnglish ( ErrorNum )

Translate FileMaker error codes to the English language description. Updated for 17. Includes legacy codes.
Average rating: 3.6 (108 votes) Log in to vote
Jeremiah Small
Soliant Consulting, Inc.
https://www.soliantconsulting.com
Sample input:
ErrorToEnglish ( 6 )
Sample output:
File is read-only
Function definition: (Copy & paste into FileMaker's Edit Custom Function window)
/**
 * Returns descriptions for error codes from FileMaker help text. Updated for
 * FileMaker 17.
 *
 * Previous version update was from FileMaker 12. Changes from 12-17 include revised
 * wording, punctuation, case of existing descriptions. Also includes new codes, and
 * includes some legacy error codes no longer documented in official 17 documentation.
 *
 * See https://fmhelp.filemaker.com/help/17/fmp/en/index.html#page/FMP_Help%2Ferror-codes.html%23
 *
 * Changed wording, punctuation or case:
 *   3, 16, 20, 115, 116, 117, 131, 207, 217, *218, 307, 406, 412, 416, 417, *418,
 *   504, 505, 506, *513, 706, 708, 726, 727, 729, 730, 731, 735, 736, *738, 803, 806,
 *   807, 811, 813, 820, 822, 823, 824, 850, 851, 852, 905, 906, 920, 951, 954, 955,
 *   956, 957, 958, 959, 960, 1204, *1210, 1214, 1216, 1223, 1224, 1225, 1400, 1414,
 *   1450, *1501, 1502, 1503, *1504, 1505, 1506, 1507, *1550, 1551, 1626, 1627, 1628,
 *   *1629, 1630, 1631
 *
 *   * Starred code description has potential clarification or change in meaning
 *
 * Clarifying details removed (but still included in this function):
 *   802
 *
 * Added to this function since prior version:
 *   21, 118, 308, 812, 826, 827, 853, 952, 953, 1301, 1552, 1553, 1554, 1555, 1556, 1557,
 *   1558, 1559, 1632, 1633, 1634, 1635
 *
 * Removed from documentation (but still included in this function):
 *   26, 213, 403, 709, 710, 902, 2021, 2046, 2047, 2048, 2056, 3000, 3001, 3002, 3003,
 *   3004, 3005, 3219, 3220, 3316, 3317, 3956, 3957, 4103, 4104, 4106, 4107, 4603,
 *   7100, 8404, 8213, 8498, 8499, 20413, 20605
 *
 */

Case(
ErrorNum = -1; "Unknown error";
ErrorNum = 0; "No error";
ErrorNum = 1; "User canceled action";
ErrorNum = 2; "Memory error";
ErrorNum = 3; "Command is unavailable (for example, wrong operating system or mode)";
ErrorNum = 4; "Command is unknown";
ErrorNum = 5; "Command is invalid (for example, a Set Field script step does not have a calculation specified)";
ErrorNum = 6; "File is read-only";
ErrorNum = 7; "Running out of memory";
ErrorNum = 8; "Empty result";
ErrorNum = 9; "Insufficient privileges";
ErrorNum = 10; "Requested data is missing";
ErrorNum = 11; "Name is not valid";
ErrorNum = 12; "Name already exists";
ErrorNum = 13; "File or object is in use";
ErrorNum = 14; "Out of range";
ErrorNum = 15; "Can't divide by zero";
ErrorNum = 16; "Operation failed; request retry (for example, a user query)";
ErrorNum = 17; "Attempt to convert foreign character set to UTF-16 failed";
ErrorNum = 18; "Client must provide account information to proceed";
ErrorNum = 19; "String contains characters other than A-Z, a-z, 0-9 (ASCII)";
ErrorNum = 20; "Command/operation canceled by triggered script";
ErrorNum = 21; "Request not supported (for example, when creating a hard link on a file system that does not support hard links)";
ErrorNum = 26; "The file path specified is not a valid file path";
ErrorNum = 100; "File is missing";
ErrorNum = 101; "Record is missing";
ErrorNum = 102; "Field is missing";
ErrorNum = 103; "Relationship is missing";
ErrorNum = 104; "Script is missing";
ErrorNum = 105; "Layout is missing";
ErrorNum = 106; "Table is missing";
ErrorNum = 107; "Index is missing";
ErrorNum = 108; "Value list is missing";
ErrorNum = 109; "Privilege set is missing";
ErrorNum = 110; "Related tables are missing";
ErrorNum = 111; "Field repetition is invalid";
ErrorNum = 112; "Window is missing";
ErrorNum = 113; "Function is missing";
ErrorNum = 114; "File reference is missing";
ErrorNum = 115; "Menu set is missing";
ErrorNum = 116; "Layout object is missing";
ErrorNum = 117; "Data source is missing";
ErrorNum = 118; "Theme is missing";
ErrorNum = 130; "Files are damaged or missing and must be reinstalled";
ErrorNum = 131; "Language pack files are missing";
ErrorNum = 200; "Record access is denied";
ErrorNum = 201; "Field cannot be modified";
ErrorNum = 202; "Field access is denied";
ErrorNum = 203; "No records in file to print, or password doesn't allow print access";
ErrorNum = 204; "No access to field(s) in sort order";
ErrorNum = 205; "User does not have access privileges to create new records; import will overwrite existing data";
ErrorNum = 206; "User does not have password change privileges, or file is not modifiable";
ErrorNum = 207; "User does not have privileges to change database schema, or file is not modifiable";
ErrorNum = 208; "Password does not contain enough characters";
ErrorNum = 209; "New password must be different from existing one";
ErrorNum = 210; "User account is inactive";
ErrorNum = 211; "Password has expired ";
ErrorNum = 212; "Invalid user account and/or password; please try again";
ErrorNum = 213; "User account and/or password does not exist";
ErrorNum = 214; "Too many login attempts";
ErrorNum = 215; "Administrator privileges cannot be duplicated";
ErrorNum = 216; "Guest account cannot be duplicated";
ErrorNum = 217; "User does not have sufficient privileges to modify administrator account";
ErrorNum = 218; "Password and verify password do not match";
ErrorNum = 300; "File is locked or in use";
ErrorNum = 301; "Record is in use by another user";
ErrorNum = 302; "Table is in use by another user";
ErrorNum = 303; "Database schema is in use by another user";
ErrorNum = 304; "Layout is in use by another user";
ErrorNum = 306; "Record modification ID does not match";
ErrorNum = 307; "Transaction could not be locked because of a communication error with the host";
ErrorNum = 308; "Theme is locked and in use by another user";
ErrorNum = 400; "Find criteria are empty";
ErrorNum = 401; "No records match the request";
ErrorNum = 402; "Selected field is not a match field for a lookup";
ErrorNum = 403; "Exceeding maximum record limit for trial version of FileMaker Pro";
ErrorNum = 404; "Sort order is invalid";
ErrorNum = 405; "Number of records specified exceeds number of records that can be omitted";
ErrorNum = 406; "Replace/reserialize criteria are invalid";
ErrorNum = 407; "One or both match fields are missing (invalid relationship)";
ErrorNum = 408; "Specified field has inappropriate data type for this operation";
ErrorNum = 409; "Import order is invalid";
ErrorNum = 410; "Export order is invalid";
ErrorNum = 412; "Wrong version of FileMaker Pro Advanced used to recover file";
ErrorNum = 413; "Specified field has inappropriate field type";
ErrorNum = 414; "Layout cannot display the result";
ErrorNum = 415; "One or more required related records are not available";
ErrorNum = 416; "A primary key is required from the data source table";
ErrorNum = 417; "File is not a supported data source";
ErrorNum = 418; "Internal failure in INSERT operation into a field";
ErrorNum = 500; "Date value does not meet validation entry options";
ErrorNum = 501; "Time value does not meet validation entry options";
ErrorNum = 502; "Number value does not meet validation entry options";
ErrorNum = 503; "Value in field is not within the range specified in validation entry options";
ErrorNum = 504; "Value in field is not unique, as required in validation entry options";
ErrorNum = 505; "Value in field is not an existing value in the file, as required in validation entry options";
ErrorNum = 506; "Value in field is not listed in the value list specified in validation entry option";
ErrorNum = 507; "Value in field failed calculation test of validation entry option";
ErrorNum = 508; "Invalid value entered in Find mode";
ErrorNum = 509; "Field requires a valid value";
ErrorNum = 510; "Related value is empty or unavailable";
ErrorNum = 511; "Value in field exceeds maximum field size";
ErrorNum = 512; "Record was already modified by another user";
ErrorNum = 513; "No validation was specified but data cannot fit into the field";
ErrorNum = 600; "Print error has occurred";
ErrorNum = 601; "Combined header and footer exceed one page";
ErrorNum = 602; "Body doesn't fit on a page for current column setup";
ErrorNum = 603; "Print connection lost";
ErrorNum = 700; "File is of the wrong file type for import";
ErrorNum = 706; "EPS file has no preview image";
ErrorNum = 707; "Graphic translator cannot be found";
ErrorNum = 708; "Can't import the file, or need color monitor support to import file";
ErrorNum = 709; "QuickTime movie import failed";
ErrorNum = 710; "Unable to update QuickTime reference because the database file is read-only";
ErrorNum = 711; "Import translator cannot be found";
ErrorNum = 714; "Password privileges do not allow the operation";
ErrorNum = 715; "Specified Excel worksheet or named range is missing";
ErrorNum = 716; "A SQL query using DELETE, INSERT, or UPDATE is not allowed for ODBC import";
ErrorNum = 717; "There is not enough XML/XSL information to proceed with the import or export";
ErrorNum = 718; "Error in parsing XML file (from Xerces)";
ErrorNum = 719; "Error in transforming XML using XSL (from Xalan)";
ErrorNum = 720; "Error when exporting; intended format does not support repeating fields";
ErrorNum = 721; "Unknown error occurred in the parser or the transformer";
ErrorNum = 722; "Cannot import data into a file that has no fields";
ErrorNum = 723; "You do not have permission to add records to or modify records in the target table";
ErrorNum = 724; "You do not have permission to add records to the target table";
ErrorNum = 725; "You do not have permission to modify records in the target table";
ErrorNum = 726; "Source file has more records than the target table; not all records were imported";
ErrorNum = 727; "Target table has more records than the source file; not all records were updated";
ErrorNum = 729; "Errors occurred during import; records could not be imported";
ErrorNum = 730; "Unsupported Excel version; convert file to the current Excel format and try again";
ErrorNum = 731; "File you are importing from contains no data";
ErrorNum = 732; "This file cannot be inserted because it contains other files";
ErrorNum = 733; "A table cannot be imported into itself";
ErrorNum = 734; "This file type cannot be displayed as a picture";
ErrorNum = 735; "This file type cannot be displayed as a picture; it will be inserted and displayed as a file";
ErrorNum = 736; "Too much data to export to this format; data will be truncated";
ErrorNum = 738; "The theme you are importing already exists";
ErrorNum = 800; "Unable to create file on disk";
ErrorNum = 801; "Unable to create temporary file on System disk";
ErrorNum = 802; "Unable to open file. This error can be cause by one or more of the following: Invalid database name; File is closed in FileMaker Server; Invalid permission.";
ErrorNum = 803; "File is single-user, or host cannot be found";
ErrorNum = 804; "File cannot be opened as read-only in its current state";
ErrorNum = 805; "File is damaged; use Recover command";
ErrorNum = 806; "File cannot be opened with this version of a FileMaker client";
ErrorNum = 807; "File is not a FileMaker Pro Advanced file or is severely damaged";
ErrorNum = 808; "Cannot open file because access privileges are damaged";
ErrorNum = 809; "Disk/volume is full";
ErrorNum = 810; "Disk/volume is locked";
ErrorNum = 811; "Temporary file cannot be opened as FileMaker Pro Advanced file";
ErrorNum = 812; "Exceeded host's capacity";
ErrorNum = 813; "Record synchronization error on network";
ErrorNum = 814; "File(s) cannot be opened because maximum number is open";
ErrorNum = 815; "Couldn't open lookup file";
ErrorNum = 816; "Unable to convert file";
ErrorNum = 817; "Unable to open file because it does not belong to this solution";
ErrorNum = 819; "Cannot save a local copy of a remote file";
ErrorNum = 820; "File is being closed";
ErrorNum = 821; "Host forced a disconnect";
ErrorNum = 822; "FileMaker Pro Advanced files not found; reinstall missing files";
ErrorNum = 823; "Cannot set file to single-user; guests are connected";
ErrorNum = 824; "File is damaged or not a FileMaker Pro Advanced file";
ErrorNum = 825; "File is not authorized to reference the protected file";
ErrorNum = 826; "File path specified is not a valid file path";
ErrorNum = 827; "File was not created because the source contained no data or is a reference";
ErrorNum = 850; "Path is not valid for the operating system";
ErrorNum = 851; "Cannot delete an external file from disk";
ErrorNum = 852; "Cannot write a file to the external storage";
ErrorNum = 853; "One or more containers failed to transfer";
ErrorNum = 900; "General spelling engine error";
ErrorNum = 901; "Main spelling dictionary not installed";
ErrorNum = 902; "Could not launch the Help system";
ErrorNum = 903; "Command cannot be used in a shared file";
ErrorNum = 905; "Command requires a field to be active";
ErrorNum = 906; "Current file is not shared; command can be used only if the file is shared";
ErrorNum = 920; "Cannot initialize the spelling engine";
ErrorNum = 921; "User dictionary cannot be loaded for editing";
ErrorNum = 922; "User dictionary cannot be found";
ErrorNum = 923; "User dictionary is read-only";
ErrorNum = 951; "An unexpected error occurred (returned by WPE or Data API)";
ErrorNum = 952; "Invalid FileMaker Data API token (returned by WPE or Data API)";
ErrorNum = 953; "Exceeded limit on data the FileMaker Data API can transmit (returned by WPE or Data API)";
ErrorNum = 954; "Unsupported XML grammar (returned by WPE or Data API)";
ErrorNum = 955; "No database name (returned by WPE or Data API)";
ErrorNum = 956; "Maximum number of database sessions exceeded (returned by WPE or Data API)";
ErrorNum = 957; "Conflicting commands (returned by WPE or Data API)";
ErrorNum = 958; "Parameter missing (returned by WPE or Data API)";
ErrorNum = 959; "Custom Web Publishing technology is disabled";
ErrorNum = 960; "Parameter is invalid";
ErrorNum = 1200; "Generic calculation error";
ErrorNum = 1201; "Too few parameters in the function";
ErrorNum = 1202; "Too many parameters in the function";
ErrorNum = 1203; "Unexpected end of calculation";
ErrorNum = 1204; "Number, text constant, field name, or \"(\" expected";
ErrorNum = 1205; "Comment is not terminated with \"*/\"";
ErrorNum = 1206; "Text constant must end with a quotation mark";
ErrorNum = 1207; "Unbalanced parenthesis";
ErrorNum = 1208; "Operator missing, function not found, or \"(\" not expected";
ErrorNum = 1209; "Name (such as field name or layout name) is missing";
ErrorNum = 1210; "Plug-in function or script step has already been registered";
ErrorNum = 1211; "List usage is not allowed in this function";
ErrorNum = 1212; "An operator (for example, +, -, *) is expected here";
ErrorNum = 1213; "This variable has already been defined in the Let function";
ErrorNum = 1214; "Average, Count, Extend, GetRepetition, Max, Min, NPV, StDev, Sum, and GetSummary: expression found where a field alone is needed";
ErrorNum = 1215; "This parameter is an invalid Get function parameter";
ErrorNum = 1216; "Only summary fields are allowed as first argument in GetSummary";
ErrorNum = 1217; "Break field is invalid";
ErrorNum = 1218; "Cannot evaluate the number";
ErrorNum = 1219; "A field cannot be used in its own formula";
ErrorNum = 1220; "Field type must be normal or calculated";
ErrorNum = 1221; "Data type must be number, date, time, or timestamp";
ErrorNum = 1222; "Calculation cannot be stored";
ErrorNum = 1223; "Function referred to is not yet implemented";
ErrorNum = 1224; "Function referred to does not exist";
ErrorNum = 1225; "Function referred to is not supported in this context";
ErrorNum = 1300; "The specified name can't be used";
ErrorNum = 1301; "A parameter of the imported or pasted function has the same name as a function in the file";
ErrorNum = 1400; "ODBC client driver initialization failed; make sure ODBC client drivers are properly installed";
ErrorNum = 1401; "Failed to allocate environment (ODBC)";
ErrorNum = 1402; "Failed to free environment (ODBC)";
ErrorNum = 1403; "Failed to disconnect (ODBC)";
ErrorNum = 1404; "Failed to allocate connection (ODBC)";
ErrorNum = 1405; "Failed to free connection (ODBC)";
ErrorNum = 1406; "Failed check for SQL API (ODBC)";
ErrorNum = 1407; "Failed to allocate statement (ODBC)";
ErrorNum = 1408; "Extended error (ODBC)";
ErrorNum = 1409; "Error (ODBC)";
ErrorNum = 1413; "Failed communication link (ODBC)";
ErrorNum = 1414; "SQL statement is too long";
ErrorNum = 1450; "Action requires PHP privilege extension (returned by WPE or Data API)";
ErrorNum = 1451; "Action requires that current file be remote";
ErrorNum = 1501; "SMTP authentication failed";
ErrorNum = 1502; "Connection refused by SMTP server";
ErrorNum = 1503; "Error with SSL";
ErrorNum = 1504; "SMTP server requires the connection to be encrypted";
ErrorNum = 1505; "Specified authentication is not supported by SMTP server";
ErrorNum = 1506; "Email message(s) could not be sent successfully";
ErrorNum = 1507; "Unable to log in to the SMTP server";
ErrorNum = 1550; "Cannot load the plug-in, or the plug-in is not a valid plug-in";
ErrorNum = 1551; "Cannot install the plug-in; cannot delete an existing plug-in or write to the folder or disk";
ErrorNum = 1552; "Returned by plug-ins; see the documentation that came with the plug-in";
ErrorNum = 1553; "Returned by plug-ins; see the documentation that came with the plug-in";
ErrorNum = 1554; "Returned by plug-ins; see the documentation that came with the plug-in";
ErrorNum = 1555; "Returned by plug-ins; see the documentation that came with the plug-in";
ErrorNum = 1556; "Returned by plug-ins; see the documentation that came with the plug-in";
ErrorNum = 1557; "Returned by plug-ins; see the documentation that came with the plug-in";
ErrorNum = 1558; "Returned by plug-ins; see the documentation that came with the plug-in";
ErrorNum = 1559; "Returned by plug-ins; see the documentation that came with the plug-in";
ErrorNum = 1626; "Protocol is not supported";
ErrorNum = 1627; "Authentication failed";
ErrorNum = 1628; "There was an error with SSL";
ErrorNum = 1629; "Connection timed out; the timeout value is 60 seconds";
ErrorNum = 1630; "URL format is incorrect";
ErrorNum = 1631; "Connection failed";
ErrorNum = 1632; "The certificate has expired";
ErrorNum = 1633; "The certificate is self-signed";
ErrorNum = 1634; "A certificate verification error occurred";
ErrorNum = 1635; "Connection is unencrypted";
ErrorNum = 2021; "plug-ins configuration disallowed";
ErrorNum = 2046; "This command or action cannot be performed because that functionality is no longer supported";
ErrorNum = 2047; "Bento 2 (or later) is not presented on the system";
ErrorNum = 2048; "The selected work book is not excel 2007/2008 format";
ErrorNum = 2056; "This script step cannot be performed because this window is in a modal state.";
ErrorNum = 3000; "Action never occurred because script was triggered";
ErrorNum = 3001; "Set when a step returns but is not really finished (probably due to having to switch threads and keep engine thread running)";
ErrorNum = 3002; "The external file can not be deleted from disk. Do you want to delete the reference to the file anyway?";
ErrorNum = 3003; "Cannot write file to the external storage.";
ErrorNum = 3004; "Directory Can't Edit";
ErrorNum = 3005; "Directory Can't Delete";
ErrorNum = 3219; "Convert Global To Remote Warning";
ErrorNum = 3220; "Directory Not Accessible Warning";
ErrorNum = 3316; "Warning before clearing out existing find requests";
ErrorNum = 3317; "Warning before attempting to restore files from hibernation";
ErrorNum = 3956; "The total size of all base directory paths cannot exceed ^1 bytes.";
ErrorNum = 3957; "At least one filter must remain.";
ErrorNum = 4103; "File path is invalid or cannot be resolved during file transfer";
ErrorNum = 4104; "File i/o issue during file transfer";
ErrorNum = 4106; "The target base directory \1770 is not valid.";
ErrorNum = 4107; "The target base directory \1770 could not be created.";
ErrorNum = 4603; "Spell Export Complete";
ErrorNum = 7100; "Data Deferred";
ErrorNum = 8404; "An installed OnTimer script could not be found or could not be run with current access privileges";
ErrorNum = 8213; "Too many temporary objects created, can't create any more.";
ErrorNum = 8498; "Stale Import Order To Be Updated";
ErrorNum = 8499; "Import Match May Be Invalid";
ErrorNum = 20413; "Too Many Files";
ErrorNum = 20605; "No network connection is available";
ErrorNum = 20606; "Fail to resolve network address";
ErrorNum = 20650; "Page doesn't have enough footer size for encryption (new to FileMaker Pro 14)";
"English description of error " & ErrorNum & " not available."
)
This is an easy way to simplify error handling. Simply pass the trapped error to this function and it returns something a human can (sort of) understand. Great for simplifying account management scripts or other complex scripts where you need to trap for errors often.
Comments

		Jeremiah, Los Angeles Apr 14, 2009
On 2009-04-14 I Added FM 10 Error Codes. (Actually, I just re-parsed the entire listing from the FM 10 help text as shown here http://www.filemaker.com/help/html/error_codes.html#1027502 ) Jeremiah
		Ralph Nusser, Switzerland Apr 14, 2011
FileMaker Knowledgebase FileMaker Server Event Log Messages Last Updated: Apr 12, 2011 04:03 PM PDT http://filemaker.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/filemaker.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=7275
		Jeremiah, Los Angeles Aug 13, 2012
Updated for FileMaker 12. http://help.filemaker.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/10790/~/filemaker-pro-12-error-code-reference-guide
		Jeremiah Small, Soliant Consulting, Inc. Aug 16, 2012
As of now, http://help.filemaker.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/10790/~/filemaker- pro-12-error-code-reference-guide is missing at least two errors: ErrorNum = 959; "Custom Web Publishing technology disabled (CWP)"; ErrorNum = 960; "Parameter is invalid (CWP)"; These have just been added to the function.
		kala cesario, Los Angeles Feb 13, 2016
my business was needing USPS PS 1583 earlier today and encountered an online platform with an online forms database . If people want USPS PS 1583 too , here's a http://pdf.ac/1DOLB2
		Jeremiah Small, Soliant Consulting, Inc. Aug 20, 2018
This function has been updated for FileMaker 17. See function docblock for change log.
Note: these functions are not guaranteed or supported by BrianDunning.com. Please contact the individual developer with any questions or problems.