Data Extension Error Messages

Specify a name

This error occurs when you try to save the data extension when the Name field for the data extension is NULL. Correct this error by entering a value in the Name field for the data extension.

An object named <object name> already exists.

This error occurs when you try to save a data extension (new or modified) with a value in the Name field that matches the name of a data extension that already exists. Correct this error by using a different data extension name.

An object with external key <external key> already exists.

This error occurs when try to save the data extension when the value in the External Key field for the data extension is the same as the External Key for a data extension that already exists. Correct this error by using a different external key value.

Field name cannot be blank.

This error occurs when you try to save the data extension when the Name field for one of the columns is NULL. Correct this error by entering a name for the field or deleting the column from the data extension.

A field named <column name> already exists on object <object name>.

This error occurs when you create a column in a data extension with the same name as a column that already exists. Correct this error by changing the field name.

A text field with no length specified cannot be used as primary key.

This error occurs when you select the Primary Key checkbox for a column whose Data type is Text and whose Length field is NULL. Correct this error by taking one of these steps:

• Specify a maximum length for the Data Type field in the primary key.
• Clear the Primary Key checkbox for the text field.
• Change the Data type of the text field to a different value.

A primary key field cannot be nullable.

This error occurs when you try to save the data extension when both the Primary Key checkbox and the Nullable checkbox are selected for a column. Correct this error by taking one of these actions:

• Clear the Primary Key checkbox for the column.
• Clear the Nullable checkbox for the column.
• Clear both the Primary Key checkbox and the Nullable checkbox for the column.

Cannot contain illegal characters:

This error occurs when you try to save the data extension and the name contains one of these characters:

• !
• @
• #
• $
• %
• ^
• *
• (
• )
• _
• =
• {
• }
• [
• ]
• \
• .
• <
• >
• ?
• /
• '

Correct this error by removing the illegal character.

The external key cannot be longer than 36 characters.

This error occurs when you try to save the data extension and the length of the value in the External Key field is greater than 36 characters. Correct this error by reducing the number of characters in the External Key value to 36 or fewer.

The data extension name cannot be longer than 128 characters.

This error occurs when you try to save the data extension when the length of the value in the Name field is greater than 128 characters. Correct this error by reducing the number of characters in the Name field to 128 or fewer.

The data extension name cannot be blank.

This error occurs when you try to save the data extension when the Name field is NULL. Correct this error by entering a name value in the Name field.

The data extension name cannot begin with an underscore.

This error occurs when you try to save the data extension when the first character in the value in the Name field is _. Correct this error by entering a number or letter as the first character in the name.

The data extension name cannot consist entirely of numbers.

This error occurs when you try to save the data extension when the value in the Name field includes only numbers. Correct this error by entering a letter in the value.

Field name cannot be blank.

This error occurs when you try to save the data extension when the Name field for the column is NULL. Correct this error by entering a value in the Name field for the column.

Field name cannot begin with an underscore.

This error occurs when you try to save the data extension when the first character in the value for the field name is _. Correct this error by entering a number or letter as the first character in the name.

Field name cannot consist entirely of numbers.

This error occurs when you try to save the data extension when the value in the Name field includes only numbers. Correct this error by entering a letter in the value.

Field name cannot be longer than 128 characters.

This error occurs when you try to save the data extension when the length of the field name value is greater than 128 characters. Correct this error by reducing the number of characters in the Name field to 128 or fewer.

The length of an existing Text field cannot be decreased.

This error occurs when you try to modify a previously saved data extension by reducing the character length of a text-type field. This change could result in the loss of data. Correct this error by entering a character length for the field that is the same or greater than it was at the time the data extension was previously saved.

This error occurs when you try to import into a data extension and your default file location is modified.

The default settings are:

• Name: ExactTarget Enhanced FTP Import
• External Key: ExactTarget Enhanced FTP Import
• Description: Enhanced FTP Import Directory
• Location Type: Enhanced FTP Site Import Directory