Thank you, Martin and Mike.

That tidbit about not running ipcs -m as root was an interesting one;
I have never encountered an informix server with invisible SHM
segments. Normally, even when owned by root, I can see the segments in
the ipcs -m output.

Martin,

yes, I found all those 0-length files under /INFORMIXTMP, with names
like VP.${INFORMIXSERVER}.010101s (the most recent such file, time-
stamped 17:07). When I put the engine down, all these files with
this server name were gone.

I bring it up into quiescent mode and I find:
May 14 17:22 .inf.${INFORMIXSERVER}_shm (228 bytes)
May 14 17:22 VP.${INFORMIXSERVER}.010100s (0-bytes)

Bring it on-line and I get the same files, no change in time stamp.

While not exactly fascinating, it is rather interesting.

I might guess what those digits stand for and guess at the 's' suffix
they all have.

But my question is basically answered.

Thanks much.

-- J

On May 14, 5:21 am, Martin Fuerderer <MARTI...@de.ibm.com> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> you can look in /INFORMIXTMP directory. (No environment
> variable in this name.)
>
> Also, make sure that when looking for SHM segments ("ipcs -m")
> you do that as user root. Depending on OS configuration you
> will simply not see SHM segments of an IDS instance if you are
> not user root ...
>
> Regards,
> Martin
> --
> Martin Fuerderer
> IBM Informix Development Munich, Germany
> Information Management
>
> IBM Deutschland GmbH
> Chairman of the Supervisory Board: Hans Ulrich Märki
> Board of Management: Martin Jetter (Chairman), Rudolf Bauer, Christian
> Diedrich, Christoph Grandpierre, Matthias Hartmann, Thomas Fell, Michael
> Diemer
> Corporate Seat: Stuttgart, Germany; Reg.-Gericht: Amtsgericht Stuttgart,
> HRB-Nr.: 14 562 WEEE-Reg.-Nr. DE 99369940
>
> informix-list-boun...@iiug.org wrote on 13.05.2007 19:38:55:
>
> > Hi Family.
>
> > I have a problem I have encountered before, years ago!
>
> > Reasons aside (relating to a failed restore) when I tried to bring up
> > the engine, it failed. No shared memory segments exist for the
> > server. However, when I tried to demonstrate the down state of the
> > engine with a dbacces connection, I get the message:
> > -27002 No connections are allowed in quiescent mode.
> > Poor engine! It thinks it is asleep and does not realize it's dead!
>
> > I recall there is a file someplace under $INFORMIXDIR that gives the
> > current state of the server. The bogus "quiescent" status is coming
> > from there. All I need to do is delete (OK, rename; Sheesh!
> > Paranoia! ;-) that file the server will know it is dead.
>
> > Anyone recall what that file is? I found $INFORMIXDIR/etc/.conf.
> > {INFORMIXSERVER}, a binary data file, but don't know if this is the
> > one. (Please, no suggestions to delete oninit! ;-)
> > Advice, anyone?
>
> > Thanks much.
>
> > -- J