ok, to be more precise:
If you use the 'dbmcli -i' input file option in combination with the background server, you must set the '-wait' option for the 'background_server_get_reply' command.
Due to a bug, the '-wait' option does not work as expected in MaxDB 7.8, so you indeed have to split the commands in several input files or upgrade to MaxDB 7.9.
Here is an example:
Input script 1 and MaxDB 7.9
background_server_start myserver
background_server_execute myserver db_state
background_server_get_reply myserver
background_server_execute myserver db_state
background_server_get_reply myserver
background_server_exit myserver
-> -24652,ERR_BGS_STATE: Background DBM server myserver is in state "command available", but state "ready" is required
Input script 2 and MaxDB 7.9
background_server_start myserver
background_server_execute myserver db_state
background_server_get_reply myserver -wait
background_server_execute myserver db_state
background_server_get_reply myserver -wait
background_server_exit myserver
-> works as expected
Thorsten