2201W
Read PG 18 manual ↗invalid_row_count_in_limit_clause
- SQLSTATE
- 2201W
- Condition name
- invalid_row_count_in_limit_clause
- Class
- Data Exception
- Source macro
- ERRCODE_INVALID_ROW_COUNT_IN_LIMIT_CLAUSE
- Evidence
- Source path confirmed
English SQLSTATE atlas: authored explanations and source/runtime evidence are separate from the manual definitions. View source ↗
At a glance
A LIMIT or FETCH row count fails a form-specific guard. Fixed paths report LIMIT must not be negative; the parser separately rejects a literal NULL row count in FETCH FIRST ... WITH TIES.
Representative messages
The representative guards use these primary texts:
| Path | Primary |
|---|---|
| ordinary LIMIT with a negative count | LIMIT must not be negative |
literal NULL in FETCH FIRST ... WITH TIES |
row count cannot be null in FETCH FIRST ... WITH TIES clause |
Meaning
The executor evaluates an ordinary LIMIT count: NULL is interpreted as no count (LIMIT ALL), zero is valid and returns no rows, and a negative value emits 2201W. The parser has a separate guard for an unadorned NULL constant in FETCH FIRST ... WITH TIES; it is not a blanket rule that every nullable LIMIT expression has the same behavior. OFFSET is handled by 2201X.
Diagnosis
Identify whether the message came from an ordinary LIMIT evaluation or the WITH TIES parser rule, then inspect the evaluated expression and its type. Keep NULL-without-ties, literal NULL-with-ties, zero, and negative values separate. A hidden expression can pass the parser’s narrow A_Const check, so classify the resulting behavior from the actual statement and message.
Response
For ordinary LIMIT, use a non-negative count or NULL when an unlimited result is intended. For WITH TIES, provide a non-NULL row count accepted by that syntax. If the negative-count or parser ERROR occurred inside an explicit transaction, roll back or roll back to the existing savepoint before retrying; autocommit can retry the corrected statement.
Versions
The locked catalogue records this condition from 8.4.0; the fixed source paths here are PostgreSQL 18.6. No natural runtime observation is claimed for this page.
Sources
The executor NULL/zero/negative handling is in src/backend/executor/nodeLimit.c#L347-405, and the literal WITH TIES NULL guard is in src/backend/parser/parse_clause.c#L1890-1907. The structured evidence record retains both primary roles; no natural runtime was run.
Source evidence
Evidence belongs to the frozen source and runtime versions listed here. It is not a runtime verification of the selected manual version.
2201W is invalid_row_count_in_limit_clause in SQLSTATE Class 22
Method: Read the fixed errcodes row and macro.
Fixed PostgreSQL 18.6 executor and parser paths distinguish ordinary LIMIT NULL/zero/negative values from the narrow literal NULL WITH TIES guard.
Method: Read complete source contexts for the representative guards.
Limits: Source confirmation is not a natural runtime observation.
The locked catalogue records 2201W from 8.4.0 without proving an exact implementation introduction date.
Method: Use catalogue presence and history boundaries.
- src/backend/utils/errcodes.txt · REL_18_6 ·
724edf9bde9d356724ad384a2e196edc3c9f80f7 - src/backend/executor/nodeLimit.c · REL_18_6 ·
724edf9bde9d356724ad384a2e196edc3c9f80f7 - src/backend/parser/parse_clause.c · REL_18_6 ·
724edf9bde9d356724ad384a2e196edc3c9f80f7
Message templates
ERROR · message.limit-negative
Primary
LIMIT must not be negative
ERROR · message.with-ties-null
Primary
row count cannot be null in FETCH FIRST ... WITH TIES clause
Reproduction & repair cases
No reproduction case is attached to this condition.
Recorded runtime evidence
No runtime observation is attached to this entry.
Definition snapshot: english-manuals:b890304bd60cded1b9cda91fdfb… · English manual source