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davidcahanFlag for United States of America

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Pass Chinese Characters into Dynamic SQL Stored Procedure

I'm using dynamic sql to execute an update statement via a stored procedure.  I have my exec statement set to NVarChar(4000).  I have my input parameters for the fields that need to be foreign characters set to NVarChar().  I have my DB datatypes set to NVarChar for those columns.  Yet when i pass in chinese characters they end up as ????????? in my DB.

I DO NOT have the same issue with my Insert stored procedure which is not dynamic.  That inserts the foreign characters just fine.

I've attached my code.  I really really want to get this to work as dynamic sql.  
ALTER PROCEDURE [dbo].[UpdateMember] 
	(
	--input parameters
	@MemberID int,
	@MemberNumber varchar(50),
    @Hotel varchar(50),
	@FirstName nvarchar(255),
	@LastName  nvarchar(255),
	@DateofBirth  DateTime,
	@Spouse  varchar(100),
	@NoOfChildren  char(2),
	@Address1  nvarchar(255),
	@Address2  nvarchar(255),
	@City  nvarchar(255),
	@State  nvarchar(255),
	@Country  nvarchar(255),
	@Zip  nvarchar(255),
	@HomePhone  varchar(12),
	@AlternatePhone  varchar(12),
	@Fax  char(10),
	@Email  varchar(50),
	@Pwd  varchar(50),
	@LanguageCode varchar(20) = 'EN',
	@MemberTypeCode varchar(50) = 'CL'
	)
AS
 
 
 
 
	/* SET NOCOUNT ON */ 
 
-------------------------------------------------------------
-- this has to be NVarChar to support foreign characters
-------------------------------------------------------------
Declare @SQL NVarChar(4000)
Set @SQL = '
	update	dbo.Members
	set		FirstName = upper( ''' + @FirstName + '''),
			MemberNumber = ''' + @MemberNumber + ''',
			hotel= ''' + @hotel + ''',
			LastName = upper( ''' + @LastName + '''),
			DateOfBirth = ''' + Convert(Varchar(100),@DateOfBirth) + ''',
			Spouse = upper(''' + @Spouse + '''),
			NoOfChildren = ''' + @NoOfChildren + ''',
			Address1 = upper(''' + @Address1 + '''),
			Address2 = upper(''' + @Address2 + '''),
			City = upper(''' + @City + '''),
			State = upper(''' + @State + '''),
			Country = upper(''' + @Country + '''),
			Zip = ''' + @Zip + ''',
			HomePhone = ''' + @HomePhone + ''',
			AlternatePhone = ''' + @AlternatePhone + ''',
			Fax = ''' + @Fax + ''',
			Email = ''' + @Email + ''',
			Pwd = ''' + @Pwd +''',
			LanguageTypeID = (Select LanguageTypeID from dbo.LanguageTypes where Code = ''' + @LanguageCode + '''),
			MemberTypeID = (Select MemberTypeID from dbo.MemberTypes where Code =''' + @MemberTypeCode + ''') '
 
	If @MemberID <> 0
	Begin
		Set @SQL = @SQL + '	where MemberID = ' + Convert(varchar(100),@MemberID)
	End
	Else
	Begin
		Set @SQL = @SQL + '	where MemberNumber = ''' + @MemberNumber + ''' '
	End
 
EXEC (@SQL)

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Avatar of Rob Farley
Rob Farley
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A Unicode string should be specified with N before the string, like this:

SET @SQL = N'This is Unicode'

SET @SQL = 'This is NOT Unicde'

Even though @SQL is declared as Unicode, it will be doing all the concatenation without Unicode, and then converting it at the end. Try putting N in front of all your strings (like in the above example) to see if that solves it.

Rob
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Rob Farley
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Avatar of davidcahan

ASKER

it worked absolutely PERFECTLY once i used sp_executesql.  even though the syntax is a bit more verbose, in many ways it's a bunch easier.  no more having ot remember to use two or three sets of single apostrophes.  

I'm wondering though: normally when i create dynamic sql, i ofthen use the print statement to debug the sql.  I will pass in all the values for the parameters but instead of execute i do print.  then i copy and paste that into a new query window and debug from there.  how would i accomplish that sort of debugging using sp_executesql?  
Glad to help. Is this marked as answered now then?