DOCUMENT:Q247758 23-AUG-2001 [odbc] TITLE :INFO: No Padding of Parameters Done by SQL Driver Prior Ver 3.7x PRODUCT :Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) PROD/VER::2.5,2.6,3.7 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS:kbODBC kbGrpDSVCDB kbGrpDSMDAC kbDSupport kbMDAC250 kbMDAC260 kbmdac270 ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft ODBC Driver for SQL Server, version 3.7 - Microsoft Data Access Components versions 2.5, 2.6, 2.7 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY ======= SQLBindParameter() in the SQL Server ODBC driver version 3.7x behave differently from previous releases of the driver. With SQL Server ODBC drivers prior to version 3.7x, parameter values specified with SQLBindParameter() are not padded with spaces even when the SQL data type is SQL_CHAR. MORE INFORMATION ================ Behavior of SQL Server ODBC driver version 3.7.x ------------------------------------------------ SQLBindParameter() with SQL data type of "SQL_CHAR": When you bind a parameter with SQLBindParameter() and the column size specified is greater than the actual length of the parameter value, the value is padded with spaces if the SQL data type is SQL_CHAR. This causes a query like "select * from table1 where field1 like 'F%' " to return "No Data Found" even though there are matching values in the table. This is because the LIKE clause value is padded with as many spaces to match the column size specified. SQLBindParameter() with SQL data type of "SQL_VARCHAR": No padding is done as expected and correct results are obtained. Behavior of older drivers (prior to 3.7x) ----------------------------------------- No padding is done in either case (SQL_CHAR or SQL_VARCHAR). So, the earlier query example gives the matching results irrespective of SQL data type being SQL_CHAR or SQL_VARCHAR with SQL Server ODBC driver version 3.6x and lower. Additional query words: ====================================================================== Keywords : kbODBC kbGrpDSVCDB kbGrpDSMDAC kbDSupport kbMDAC250 kbMDAC260 kbmdac270 Technology : kbSQLServSearch kbAudDeveloper kbODBCSearch kbMDACSearch kbMDAC250 kbMDAC260 kbODBCSQLServ370 kbMDAC270 Version : :2.5,2.6,3.7 Issue type : kbinfo ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2001.