FreeTDS Development Group

["Lowden, James K" <LowdenJK AT bernstein.com>]

Bruce, 
 
Thanks for the research.  That coincides with Marketing stuff I heard at a
Microsoft presentation a few years ago, when they said that SQL Server 7.0
used ODBC as the "native protocol".  And I think somewhere in the docs it
says BCP uses ODBC.   Which explains why bcp works for all tables and all
datatypes (and why it doesn't connect to Sybase servers).  
 
Of course, the unclarity is intentional.  Microsoft's strategy is to own the
APIs; they make no bones about that.  So they add features to the API they
want you to use, and let the old one (the one compatible with Sybase) wither
on the vine.  (No special evil; Sybase does the same).  But it's very hard,
even reading their technical literature -- and that is where I fault them --
to distinguish between db-lib/ODBC and 4.2/7.0 issues.  They're *not* the
same, and if a graybeard like me can't divine what protocol, and thus what
limitations, db-lib is using, how are other competent people supposed to
make an intelligent choice.  
 
If Steve Balmer would require the technical documents to be clear and
truthful, instead of reformulated marketing glossies in another guise, he
would start a revolution.  Or impede the coming one.  
 
Regards, 
 
--jkl

-----Original Message-----
From: Tankleff, Bruce [mailto:Bruce.Tankleff AT hp.com]
Sent: November 19, 2002 8:32 AM
To: TDS Development Group
Subject: [freetds] RE: Output parameters (was: Strange things)



>There's a MS document somewhere that says dblib under windows will only do 

>TDS 4.2, a cursory (no pun intended) look doesn't turn it up, but I 

>remember it pretty vividly.

 

>From the Microsoft Knowledge Base article #244498:

"A DB-Library application generates an access violation (AV) when opening a
server-side cursor by means of the dbcursoropen function on a Transact-SQL
statement that returns more than 254 columns...

Due to a limitation in the Tabular Data Stream (TDS) 4.2 specification, a
maximum of 254 columns are allowed in a cursor...

If you must open a server-side cursor on 255 or more columns, you must
upgrade the application to use an API that can take advantage of the newer
TDS 7.0 specification, which does not have this limitation. DB-Library will
not be enhanced to support TDS 7.0 features..."

(complete text available at
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;q244498
<http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;q244498> )

 

Bruce A. Tankleff
program manager
scripting, tools, and automation
personal systems group
hp



 

---
You are currently subscribed to freetds as: [LowdenJK AT bernstein.com]
To unsubscribe, forward this message to
$subst('Email.Unsub') 



The information contained in this transmission may contain privileged and
confidential information and is intended only for the use of the person(s)
named above.  If you are not the intended recipient, or an employee or agent
responsible for delivering this message to the intended recipient, any
review, dissemination, distribution or duplication of this communication is
strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact
the sender immediately by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the
original message. Please note that we do not accept account orders and/or
instructions by e-mail, and therefore will not be responsible for carrying
out such orders and/or instructions.