BUG: Error Message: "The colv1 parameter is shorter..." Occurs When Replicated Column is Updated (817843)

SYMPTOMS

When you try to modify a column in a table with SQL Server Enterprise Manager or SQL Query Analyzer, you may receive an error message similar to the following:

SQL Server Enterprise Manager

[Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver][SQL Server]INITCOLVS: The colv1 parameter is shorter than the minimum required size.
[Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver][SQL Server]The statement has been terminated.'

SQL Query Analyzer

Server: Msg 21512, Level 16, State 5, Procedure upd_3EE07881CAB246AD8434F5EDB0FE54AF, Line 60
INITCOLVS: The colv1 parameter is shorter than the minimum required size.
Server: Msg 3621, Level 16, State 1, Procedure upd_3EE07881CAB246AD8434F5EDB0FE54AF, Line 60
The statement has been terminated.
The statement has been terminated.

This problem occurs for the merge replicated publisher when you change the tracking option from row-level to column-level, and then try to modify the column of the merge replicated table.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, follow these steps:

Generate the SQL script of the subscribers.
Delete the subscriptions, and then delete the publication. For more information about how to delete a subscription, visit the Microsoft Web sites:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/howtosql/ht_replctem_3z55.asp?frame=true
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/howtosql/ht_replctem_6ht5.asp?frame=true"
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/howtosql/ht_replctem_8y7d.asp
Re-create the publication with default tracking level as column-level tracking. For more information about column-level tracking, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/howtosql/ht_replctem_2b6x.asp
Re-create the subscriptions.

Steps to Reproduce the Behavior

Set up merge replication.

Note Do not synchronize the Publisher and the Subscriber.
At the Subscriber, insert data in the merge replicated table.
At the Publisher, change the tracking option from row-level to column-level.
Synchronize the Publisher and the Subscriber.
At the Publisher, update the merge replicated table.

REFERENCES

For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

315642 INF: Information That PSS Needs to Troubleshoot SQL Server Replication