All TECO error messages are of the form ?XXX Short text message and abort TECO's command execution. Typing a question mark (?) immediately after TECO's input prompt will print the erring command string up to and including the error point. Typing a slash (/) immediately after TECO's input prompt will print a longer explanation of the error.
1 – BNI
?BNI > not in iteration
There is a close angle bracket not matched by an
open angle bracket somewhere to its left. (Note:
an iteration in a macro stored in a Q-register must
be complete within the Q-register.)
2 – CPQ
?CPQ Can't pop Q-reg
A ] command has been executed and there is nothing
saved on the Q-register push down list.
3 – DTB
?DTB Delete too big
An nD command has been attempted which is not
contained within the current page.
4 – ERR
?ERR ID, text
Some system service call failed. The error
message ID and text explain the error.
5 – FNF
?FNF File not found "filespec"
The requested input file could not be located. If
this occurred within a macro the colon modified ER
or EB command may be necessary.
6 – IAA
?IAA Illegal A arg
The argument preceding a :A command is negative or
0.
7 – IEC
?IEC Illegal E character
An invalid E command has been executed. The E
character must be followed by an alphabetic to form
a legal E command (e.g., ER or EX).
8 – IFC
?IFC Illegal F character
An invalid F command has been executed.
9 – IIA
?IIA Illegal insert arg
A command of the form "nItext$" was attempted.
This combination of character and text insertion is
illegal.
10 – ILL
?ILL Illegal command
An attempt has been made to execute an invalid TECO
command.
11 – ILN
?ILN Illegal number
An 8 or 9 has been entered when the radix of TECO
is set to octal.
12 – IPA
?IPA Illegal P arg
The argument preceding a P or PW command is
negative or 0.
13 – IQC
?IQC Illegal " character
One of the valid " commands did not follow the ".
14 – IQN
?IQN Illegal Q-reg name
An illegal Q-register name was specified in one of
the Q-register commands.
15 – IRA
?IRA Illegal radix arg
The argument to a ^R radix command must be 8, 10,
or 16.
16 – ISA
?ISA Illegal search arg
The argument preceding a search command is 0. This
argument must not be 0.
17 – ISS
?ISS Illegal search string
One of the search string special characters (^Q,
^R, etc.) would have modified the search string
delimiter (usually ESCAPE).
18 – IUC
?IUC Illegal ^ character
The character following an ^ must have ASCII value
between 100 and 137 inclusive or between 141 and
172 inclusive.
19 – MEM
?MEM Memory overflow
Insufficient memory available to complete the
current command. Make sure the Q-register area
does not contain much unnecessary text. Breaking
up the text area into multiple pages might be
useful.
20 – MRP
?MRP Missing )
There is a right parenthesis that is not matched by
a corresponding left parenthesis.
21 – NAB
?NAB No arg before ^_
The ^_ command must be preceded by either a
specific numeric argument or a command that returns
a numeric value.
22 – NAC
?NAC No arg before ,
A command has been executed in which a , is not
preceded by a numeric argument.
23 – NAE
?NAE No arg before =
The =, ==, or === command must be preceded by
either a specific numeric argument or a command
that returns a numeric value.
24 – NAP
?NAP No arg before )
A ) parenthesis has been encountered and is not
properly preceded by a specific numeric argument or
a command that returns a numeric value.
25 – NAQ
?NAQ No arg before "
The " commands must be preceded by a single numeric
argument on which the decision to execute the
following commands or skip to the matching ' is
based.
26 – NAS
?NAS No arg before ;
The ; command must be preceded by a single numeric
argument on which the decision to execute the
following commands or skip to the matching > is
based.
27 – NAU
?NAU No arg before U
The U command must be preceded by either a specific
numeric argument or a command that returns a
numeric value.
28 – NFI
?NFI No file for input
Before issuing an input command, such as Y, it is
necessary to open an input file by use of a command
such as ER or EB.
29 – NFO
?NFO No file for output
Before issuing an output command such as N search
or P it is necessary to open an output file by use
of a command such as EW or EB.
30 – NYA
?NYA Numeric arg with Y
The Y command must not be preceded by either a
numeric argument or a command that returns a
numeric value.
31 – OFO
?OFO Output file already open "filespec"
A command has been executed which tried to create
an output file, but an output file currently is
open. It is typically appropriate to use the EC or
EK command as the situation calls for to close the
output file.
32 – PDO
?PDO Push-down list overflow
The command string has become too complex.
Simplify it.
33 – POP
?POP Pointer off page
A J, C or R command has been executed which
attempted to move the pointer off the page. The
result of executing one of these commands must
leave the pointer between 0 and Z, inclusive. The
characters referenced by a D or m,nX command must
also be within the buffer boundary.
34 – SNI
?SNI ; not in iteration
A ; command has been executed outside of an open
iteration bracket. This command may only be
executed within iteration brackets.
35 – SRH
?SRH Search failure "text"
A search command not preceded by a colon modifier
and not within an iteration has failed to find the
specified "text". After an S search fails the
pointer is left at the beginning of the buffer.
After an N or _ search fails the last page of the
input file has been input and, in the case of N,
output, and the buffer is cleared. In the case of
an N search it is usually necessary to close the
output file and reopen it for continued editing.
36 – STL
?STL String too long
A search or file name string is too long. This is
most likely the result of a missing ESCAPE after
the string.
37 – UTC
?UTC Unterminated command
This is a general error which is usually caused by
an unterminated insert, search, or filespec
argument, an unterminated ^A message, an
unterminated tag or comment (i.e., unterminated !
construct), or a missing ' character which closes a
conditional execution command.
38 – UTM
?UTM Unterminated macro
This error is the same as the ?UTC error except
that the unterminated command was executing from a
Q-register (i.e., it was a macro). (Note: An
entire command sequence stored in a Q-register must
be complete within the Q-register.)
39 – XAB
?XAB Execution aborted
Execution of TECO was aborted. This is usually due
to the typing of CTRL/C.
40 – YCA
?YCA Y command aborted
An attempt has been made to execute an Y or _
search command with an output file open, that would
cause text in the text buffer to be erased without
outputting it to the output file. The ED command
controls this check.