PRB: Proper Handling of the Escape Sequence \<cr><lf>

ID: Q164291

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft SQL Server version 6.5

SYMPTOMS

Microsoft SQL Server identifies a Transact-SQL command containing the backslash (\) followed by the carriage return (0x0d) and line feed (0x0a) as an escape sequence.

The following example demonstrates the behavior:


   use pubs
   go
   drop table tblTest
   go
   create table tblTest
   (
      strData varchar(30)
   )
   go
   insert into tblTest values ("c:\ 
   X")
   go
   insert into tblTest values ("c:\\ 
   X")
   go
   select * from tblTest
   go


   strData
   ------------------------------
   c:X
   c:\ 
   X

The first insert contains the \<cr><lf> sequence, and when returned from SQL Server, is c:X. The escape sequence is scanned out by the SQL Server.

However, replacing the \<cr><lf> with \\<cr><lf><cr><lf>, as in the second insert, yields the expected results.

CAUSE

SQL Server sees the \<cr><lf> (\ + 0d + 0a) sequence as an escape sequence.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, correct the Transact-SQL string, replacing the \<cr><lf> with \\<cr><lf><cr><lf> before sending the query to the SQL Server.


Keywords          : SSrvProg 
Version           : 6.5
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: April 8, 1999