FIX: Negative 0 (zero) Causes ODBC SQL Server Driver Error (235281)

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft SQL Server 7.0
Microsoft ODBC Driver for SQL Server 3.7

This article was previously published under Q235281

SYMPTOMS

If a SQL Server query returns a negative zero, and the client application binds the results as a SQL_C_DOUBLE, the following error is reported to the client:

[Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver]Invalid character value for cast specification

CAUSE

SQL Server is returning a negative zero, and the SQL Server driver is reporting this as an error. To reproduce the error run the following query:

SELECT 0.0 * -1

When you fetch the resulting column from this query you receive the error. In a more complex scenario the following query also causes the error:

SELECT col1 * -1 FROM mytable

WORKAROUND

Either bind the column as a SQL_C_CHAR or SQL_C_LONG to avoid the error. You can also check that the resulting data does not contain a negative zero.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in SQL Server 7.0. This problem has been corrected in U.S. Service Pack 2 for Microsoft SQL Server 7.0. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

254561 INF: How to Obtain Service Pack 2 for Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 and Microsoft Data Engine (MSDE) 1.0

For more information, contact your primary support provider.

Modification Type:	Major	Last Reviewed:	3/14/2006
Keywords:	kbBug kbfix kbSQLServ700sp2fix KB235281