Hello,

I have a question regarding external tables.
Why is the Timestamp field value padded with 'zero' when it is combined
with
(var)char fields?

When I create a table with a field of char only (case 1) or timestamp
only (case
2) , the field values are as I expected, but when they are combined
(case 3)
extra zero's are inserted.

case 1:
CREATE TABLE EXT_CHAR_21 EXTERNAL 'C:\TEMP\EXT_CHAR_21.TXT' (
F1 CHAR(21)
);

INSERT INTO EXT_CHAR_21 (F1) VALUES ('A string');

Hexdump of external table:

41 20 73 74 72 69 6E 67 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20
20 20 20 20 20

case 2:
CREATE TABLE EXT_TIMESTAMP EXTERNAL 'C:\TEMP\EXT_TIMESTAMP.TXT' (
F1 TIMESTAMP
);

INSERT INTO EXT_TIMESTAMP (F1) VALUES ('14-SEP-2009 09:44:55');

Hexdump of external table:

30 D7 00 00 70 12 EB 14

case 3:
CREATE TABLE EXT_CHAR_21_TIMESTAMP EXTERNAL
'C:\TEMP\EXT_CHAR_21_TIMESTAMP.TXT'
(
F1 CHAR(21),
F2 TIMESTAMP
);

INSERT INTO EXT_CHAR_21_TIMESTAMP (F1,F2) VALUES ('A
string','14-SEP-2009
09:44:55');

Hexdump of external table:

41 20 73 74 72 69 6E 67 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20
20 20 20 20 20 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 30 D7 00 00
-- -- -- -- -- -- --
70 12 EB 14

Kind regards,
Bert



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