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Q271852: BUG: MS Oracle ODBC Driver Truncates Spaces in Column Name

Article: Q271852
Product(s): Open Database Connectivity (ODBC)
Version(s): 2.5,2.6,2.7,Build 2.573.2927,Build 2.573.3513,Build 2.573.3711,Build 2.573.4202,Build
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbDatabase kbDriver kbODBC kbOracle kbGrpDSVCDB kbGrpDSMDAC kbDSupport kbMDAC250bug kbM
Last Modified: 11-SEP-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft ODBC for Oracle version 2.5, versions Build 2.573.2927, Build 2.573.3513, Build 2.573.3711, Build 2.573.4202, Build 2.573.4403, Build 2.573.5303, Build 2.573.6019, Build 2.573.6526, Build 2.573.7326, Build 2.573.7626, Build 2.573.7713.2 
- Microsoft Data Access Components versions 2.5, 2.6, 2.7 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you use Microsoft's Oracle ODBC driver with the ODBC SQLDescribeCol
function, incorrect values may be returned for the column name and column name
length.

CAUSE
=====

This problem occurs when you have a trailing space in the table's column name.
The Microsoft Oracle ODBC driver truncates any trailing spaces when the column
information is returned by the SQLDescribeCol function.

RESOLUTION
==========

You can work around this problem in either of the following ways:

- Use the SQLColumns ODBC API instead of SQLDescribeCol to retrieve the exact
  name of the column. SQLColumns returns the correct name, without truncating
  the trailing spaces.

  -or-

- You can also query the catalog information from Oracle to retrieve the column
  name. To do this, use the USER_TAB_COLUMNS table with the following SQL
  statement:

  Select COLUMN_NAME from USER_TAB_COLUMNS WHERE TABLE_NAME='TEST'

This statement returns the correct column name, including the trailing spaces.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the
beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Steps to Reproduce Behavior
---------------------------

1. Use the ODBC Test program (the Obdcte32.exe file that comes with the
  Microsoft Data Access Components Software Development Kit) to connect to any
  Oracle server.

2. Create a table by using the following commands and script. Call SQLExecDirect
  to execute the following SQL statement:

  Create table Test(" Col " VarChar2(10))

3. Call SQLExecDirect to execute the following SQL statement:

  Select * from Test

4. Call SQLDescribeCol for column number 1. The output window displays the
  following:

  SQLDescribeCol:
  ...
  Return:	SQL_SUCCESS=0
  Out: *ColumnName = " col", *NameLengthPtr = 4, *DataTypePtr = SQL_CHAR=1, *ColumnSizePtr = 10, *DecimalDigits = 0, *NullablePtr = SQL_NULLABLE=1

NOTE: We have created a column whose name is of length 5. SqlDescribeCol has
returned *NameLengthPtr = 4, instead of 5 as expected. Also note that the column
name is returned as " col" instead of as " col ". The trailing space has been
truncated by the driver.

Additional query words: msorcl32

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbDatabase kbDriver kbODBC kbOracle kbGrpDSVCDB kbGrpDSMDAC kbDSupport kbMDAC250bug kbMDAC260bug 
Technology        : kbAudDeveloper kbODBCSearch kbMDACSearch kbMDAC250 kbMDAC260 kbODBCOracle25732927 kbODBCOracle25733513 kbODBCOracle25733711 kbODBCOracle25734202 kbODBCOracle25734403 kbODBCOracle25736526 kbMDAC270 kbodbcOracle25737626 kbodbcoracle25735303 kbODBCOracle25736019 kbODBCOracle25737326 kbODBCOracle257377132 kbODBCOracle250Search
Version           : :2.5,2.6,2.7,Build 2.573.2927,Build 2.573.3513,Build 2.573.3711,Build 2.573.4202,Build 2.573.4403,Build 2.573.5303,Build 2.573.6019,Build 2.573.6526,Build 2.573.7326,Build 2.573.7626,Build 2.573.7713.2
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbpending

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