@Entity
public class MyEntity implements Serializable {
    private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
    @Id
    private Long id;
    
    // a plain String without any size constraints
    private String plainString;
    
    // a String limited to a max. length of 32
    @Column(length = 32)
    private String stringSize32;

    // a String limited to a max. length of 128
    @Column(length = 128)
    private String stringSize128;

    // note that Informix has an upper limit of 255 for varchar 
    // a String limited to a max. length of 256
    @Column(length = 256)
    private String stringSize256;

    // a String annotated with @Lob
    @Lob
    private String lobString;

[EL Info]: 2012-07-03 13:27:20.48--ServerSession(398388903)--EclipseLink, version: Eclipse Persistence Services - 2.3.2.v20111125-r10461
[EL Info]: 2012-07-03 13:27:22.876--ServerSession(398388903)--file:/C:/Users/pjl.VADOM/Documents/NetBeansProjects/test/test-informix-strings/target/classes/_TEST_PU login successful
[EL Warning]: 2012-07-03 13:27:22.993--ServerSession(398388903)--Exception 

[EclipseLink-4002] (Eclipse Persistence Services - 2.3.2.v20111125-r10461): org.eclipse.persistence.exceptions.DatabaseException
Internal Exception: java.sql.SQLException: Maximum varchar size has been exceeded.
Error Code: -650

Call: CREATE TABLE MYENTITY (ID NUMERIC(19) NOT NULL, LOBSTRING TEXT, PLAINSTRING VARCHAR(255), STRINGSIZE128 VARCHAR(128), STRINGSIZE256 VARCHAR(256), STRINGSIZE32 VARCHAR(32), PRIMARY KEY (ID))

Query: DataModifyQuery(sql="CREATE TABLE MYENTITY (ID NUMERIC(19) NOT NULL, LOBSTRING TEXT, PLAINSTRING VARCHAR(255), STRINGSIZE128 VARCHAR(128), STRINGSIZE256 VARCHAR(256), STRINGSIZE32 VARCHAR(32), PRIMARY KEY (ID))")

[EL Info]: 2012-07-03 13:27:23.107--ServerSession(398388903)--file:/C:/Users/pjl.VADOM/Documents/NetBeansProjects/test/test-informix-strings/target/classes/_TEST_PU logout successful