Question

Stored procedure: Varchar input parameter limited on 256 chars?

Asked by: Otzi

I try to make procedure SQLScript (using Firebird 1.5, Linux) for executing multiple sql insert/update statements on low speed network.
Usage: execute procedure SQLSCRIPT('insert into aaa (1,2)|insert into bbb (3)|insert into aaa (99,34)')
In procedure I split input parameter by delimiter '|' on statements and execute them. The problem is when varchar input parameter is longer than 256 chars > 'string truncation error'. In documentation I didn't find any input parameter limitation for varchar.

The code:
CREATE PROCEDURE SQLSCRIPT (
  INPUTSQL VARCHAR(32000)
)
RETURNS (
  OUTPUTSQL VARCHAR(32000)
)
AS
DECLARE VARIABLE sqllength smallint;
DECLARE VARIABLE i smallint;
DECLARE VARIABLE querystart smallint;
DECLARE VARIABLE sqlstatement varchar(32000);

BEGIN

  sqllength = strlen(INPUTSQL);
  OUTPUTSQL = '';
  i = 1;
  querystart = 1;
  while (i < sqllength) do
  begin
    if (substr(INPUTSQL,i,i) = '|') then
    begin
      sqlstatement = substr(INPUTSQL,querystart,i-1);
      if (strlen(ltrim(rtrim(sqlstatement))) > 5) then execute statement sqlstatement;
      OUTPUTSQL = OUTPUTSQL||':'||sqlstatement;
      querystart = i+1;
    end
    i = i+1;
  end

  if (querystart < i) then
  begin
    sqlstatement = substr(INPUTSQL,querystart,i);
    if (strlen(ltrim(rtrim(sqlstatement))) > 5) then execute statement sqlstatement;
    OUTPUTSQL = OUTPUTSQL||':'||sqlstatement;
  end
  SUSPEND;
END
;

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Asked On
2007-09-18 at 00:59:42ID22835312
Tags

procedure

,

stored

,

varchar

,

parameter

,

input

Topic

Interbase / Firebird Database

Participating Experts
1
Points
50
Comments
4

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Answers

 

by: NickUpsonPosted on 2007-09-18 at 01:50:03ID: 19911150

the error is coming from ltrim & rtrim, they have a limit of 255 on their argument size.

I would change a couple of things, first as you are using execute procedure, you don't expect any output so the suspend is not required. Second rather than pass 1 big string you can have many parameters all of them a string for 1 insert.

 

by: OtziPosted on 2007-09-18 at 02:22:09ID: 19911278

Actually problem is also in substr although in ib_udf.sql is note: "This function is NOT limited to receiving and returning only 255 characters, rather, it can use as long as 32767 characters" which is not true or Am I doing something wrong.
If I try "select substr('insert into aaa (id, myval) values (0, 68598)|insert into aaa (id, myval) values (1, 97322)|insert into aaa (id, myval) values (2, 10322)|insert into aaa (id, myval) values (3, 69517)|insert into aaa (id, myval) values (4, 97931)|insert into aaa (id, myval) values (5, 34420)', 1, 50) from RDB$DATABASE" I get string truncation error.

Output was used just for testing.

 

by: OtziPosted on 2007-09-18 at 04:57:30ID: 19911917

Now I understand SUBSTR, LTRIM and RTRIM note. Correct declare statement for my problem is:
DECLARE EXTERNAL FUNCTION SUBSTR
  CSTRING(32100),
  SMALLINT,
  SMALLINT
RETURNS
  CSTRING(32100) FREE_IT
ENTRY_POINT 'IB_UDF_substr' MODULE_NAME 'ib_udf';

 

by: NickUpsonPosted on 2007-09-18 at 05:01:52ID: 19911937

use the builtin function "substring(value from startpos [for length])" instead

select substring('insert into aaa (id, myval) values (0, 68598)|insert into aaa (id, myval) values (1, 97322)|insert into aaa (id, myval) values (2, 10322)|insert into aaa (id, myval) values (3, 69517)|insert into aaa (id, myval) values (4, 97931)|insert into aaa (id, myval) values (5, 34420)' from 1 for 50) from RDB$DATABASE

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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