sqlserver 2008 varchar(max) returned as binary via EasySoft odbc driver #35
Description
Swapping the FreeTDS odbc driver for the EasySoft driver on ubuntu 9.04 with RoR and sqlserver 2008 caused fields typed as varchar(max) to be interpreted as binary.
EasySoft support response:
The problem is that your application is taking the large size of the
field and assuming it is a BLOB type. FreeTDS is working because they
do not support VARCHAR(MAX) to its limit - they only return a subset
of the data. In your ODBC data source try adding / amending :-
VarMaxAsLong = Yes
If that does not work try :-
DisguiseLong = Yes
LimitLong = size - Where size is a byte value of the maximum size of
the field.
Setting all three attributes as suggested in /etc/odbc.ini file made
the problem did go away. The varchar(max) data displays correctly as
text.