| title |
Data Type Limitations | Microsoft Docs |
| ms.custom |
|
| ms.date |
01/19/2017 |
| ms.prod |
sql |
| ms.prod_service |
connectivity |
| ms.reviewer |
|
| ms.technology |
connectivity |
| ms.topic |
conceptual |
| helpviewer_keywords |
ODBC desktop database drivers [ODBC], data types |
data types [ODBC], desktop database drivers |
desktop database drivers [ODBC], data types |
|
| ms.assetid |
81c4eab7-1f6b-47a0-b940-89d6c6a14dae |
| author |
David-Engel |
| ms.author |
v-daenge |
The Microsoft ODBC Desktop Database Drivers impose the following limitations on data types:
| Data type |
Description |
| All data types |
Type conversion failures might result in the affected column being set to NULL. |
| BINARY |
Creating a zero-length BINARY column actually returns a 255-byte BINARY column. |
| DATE |
The DATE data type cannot be converted to another data type (or itself) by the CONVERT function. |
| DECIMAL (Exact Numeric) |
Not supported. |
| Floating-Point Data Types |
The number of decimal places in a floating-point number may be limited by the number format set in the International section of the Windows Control Panel. |
| NUMERIC |
Supports maximum precision and a scale of 28. |
| TIMESTAMP |
The TIMESTAMP data type cannot be converted to itself by the CONVERT function. |
| TINYINT |
TINYINT values are always unsigned. |
| Zero-Length Strings |
When a dBASE, Microsoft Excel, Paradox, or Textdriver is used, inserting a zero-length string into a column actually inserts a NULL instead. |