<p>The INTERVAL value supplied to CREATE EVENT or ALTER EVENT is zero, negative, or exceeds the maximum allowed range.</p>
<p>MySQL Error 1542: ER_EVENT_INTERVAL_NOT_POSITIVE_OR_TOO_BIG occurs when an EVENT schedule includes an INTERVAL that is zero, negative, or larger than 99,999,999. Supply a positive INTERVAL within this range or switch to a more suitable schedule expression to resolve the issue.</p>
INTERVAL is either not positive or too big
MySQL throws error code 1542 with condition name ER_EVENT_INTERVAL_NOT_POSITIVE_OR_TOO_BIG when an INTERVAL defined in a CREATE EVENT or ALTER EVENT statement is invalid. The server validates that the interval value is strictly positive and does not exceed 99999999 seconds in its internal representation.
Because MySQL events run inside the event scheduler, an incorrect INTERVAL blocks the event from being created or modified. Fixing the definition immediately is essential to keep scheduled tasks running and to avoid data processing gaps.
The error appears when the interval literal is 0 or negative. It also triggers when the resulting number of seconds is larger than MySQL’s upper limit of 99,999,999. The check is applied during statement parsing, so the event never reaches the scheduler.
Using expressions or variables that evaluate to non-positive or overly large numbers can unintentionally break otherwise valid event definitions, especially in deployment scripts that reuse parameters across environments.
Confirm the intended frequency, then supply a positive, realistically sized INTERVAL. When schedules need long delays, switch from EVERY INTERVAL syntax to ON SCHEDULE AT or create multiple chained events. Test the corrected statement in a staging database before promoting.
Galaxy’s SQL editor highlights invalid literals and shows inline linting so you can catch out-of-range intervals before executing. Saved queries and version control make future audits effortless.
CI pipelines sometimes set INTERVAL 0 SECOND during feature-flag deploys, immediately triggering the error. Adjust the flag logic so disabled events are dropped, not set to zero.
Large data-warehouse refresh jobs might mistakenly use INTERVAL 3650 DAY to approximate ten years. Break the task into yearly batches or use a static timestamp with AT instead.
Validate all interval parameters in application code before generating SQL. Add unit tests that attempt to create events with edge-case values, catching failures early.
Monitor the MySQL error log for 1542 entries. Automatic alerts let teams correct misconfigured events quickly, preventing processing backlogs.
Error 1518 ER_EVENT_SAME_NAME throws when an event name is duplicated. Rename the event or drop the existing one first.
Error 1539 ER_EVENT_INVALID_INTERVAL occurs when the interval unit is misspelled. Use supported units such as MINUTE, HOUR, or DAY.
Supplying INTERVAL 0 SECOND or a computed negative value directly violates the scheduler’s positivity check.
Using a huge numeric literal like INTERVAL 100000000 SECOND surpasses MySQL’s 99,999,999-second ceiling.
CI/CD templates that default to zero or a very large number when variables are unset inadvertently generate invalid statements.
Raised when another event with the same name already exists. Drop or rename the existing event.
Occurs when ALTER or DROP EVENT references a nonexistent event. Verify the event name and database.
Triggered by an unsupported interval unit or malformed value. Correct the unit spelling or format.
Yes. After unit conversion, the interval cannot exceed 99,999,999 seconds. Anything larger triggers error 1542.
No. An INTERVAL of zero is invalid. Use ALTER EVENT ... DISABLE instead to pause execution safely.
MariaDB shares similar constraints but uses a different internal limit. Test the statement on the target server to confirm.
Galaxy’s editor flags invalid INTERVAL literals in real time and offers AI fixes, preventing faulty event schedules from reaching production.
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