PRB: Invalid Precision Value Err w/ Character Field Parameters (132960)

The information in this article applies to:

The Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC), when used with:
- Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, 16-bit edition 1.5
- Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, 16-bit edition 1.51
- Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, 16-bit edition 1.52
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions 2.0
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions 2.1
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions 2.2
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions 4.0
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions 4.1
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Enterprise Edition 4.2
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Professional Edition 4.2
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Enterprise Edition 4.2b
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Professional Edition 4.2b
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Enterprise Edition 5.0
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Professional Edition 5.0
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Enterprise Edition 6.0
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Professional Edition 6.0
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Learning Edition 6.0

This article was previously published under Q132960

SYMPTOMS

Parameterizing a recordset using one or more character fields may result in an error message similar to the following being returned by an ODBC driver:

   Invalid precision value
   State:S1104,Native:76,Origin:[Microsoft][ODBC dBase Driver]

CAUSE

If an application does not specify the maximum length of a character field parameter in the recordset's DoFieldExchange() function, a default value of 255 is used. Some data sources have a maximum character field length of less than 255.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, include a fourth parameter in the RFX_Text() function call equal to the size of the character field that is being bound. For example, to bind a parameter to an eight-character field in a database, call the RFX_Text() function as follows:

   pFX->SetFieldType(CFieldExchange::param);
   RFX_Text(pFX, "FIELD1Param", m_strFIELD1Param, 8);

MORE INFORMATION

The exception being thrown is generated in the RFX_Text() function by the following code:

   AFX_SQL_SYNC(::SQLBindParameter(pFX->m_hstmt, (UWORD)nField,
   SQL_PARAM_INPUT, SQL_C_CHAR,
               (SWORD)nColumnType,
               nMaxLength, 0, pvParam, 0, plLength));

The ODBC Programmer[ASCII 146]s Reference states the following for the SQLBindParameter() S1104 error:

   S1104 - Invalid precision value The value specified for the argument
   cbColDef was outside the range of values supported by the data source
   for a column of the SQL data type specified by the fSqlType argument.

If no nMaxLength is passed into the RFX_Text(), nMaxLength defaults to 255. If the data source does not support text fields of 255, the S1104 error occurs. The Microsoft dBASE and FoxPro drivers, for example, have a maximum character field length of 254. They exhibit the behavior described in this article.

REFERENCES

For more information, please see SQLBindParameter in the ODBC 2.x Programmer's Reference.

Modification Type:	Major	Last Reviewed:	12/2/2003
Keywords:	kbDatabase kberrmsg kbinterop kbprb KB132960