BUG: "Invalid number" Error When Inserting Decimals into UNIX Version of Oracle

When using parameter binding in the Microsoft Oracle ODBC driver to insert decimal values into an Oracle server installed on UNIX, the following error is returned:
This error does not occur when inserting the same values into an Oracle server installed on Windows NT.

During connection, the Oracle driver determines the character to use as a decimal separator by issuing the following statement:

which should return ".99", and the first character is used as the decimal separator.

On UNIX platforms, " .9" is returned instead of the expected ".99", which causes a decimal such as "123.45" to be passed as "123 45". This generates the "Invalid number" error.

A supported fix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Apply it only to computers that are experiencing this specific problem. This fix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:NOTE: In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The typical support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

	Date	Time	Version	Size	File Name	Platform
MDAC 2.0	02/02/99	--	02.573.3802	136KB	Msorcl32.dll	--
MDAC 2.1	02/01/99	--	02.573.3801	139KB	Msorcl32.dll	--

This hotfix is engineered to work with Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) builds 2.0 and 2.1. The hotfix contains the MDAC 2.0 MSORACL32.DLL and MDAC 2.1 MSORACL32.DLL. See installation instructions below.

Installation Instructions

1. Place the self-extracting zip file (OraUnix.exe) into a temporary directory.
2. Unzip the file with the "-d" option, to preserve directory information. For example: "OraUnix.exe -d". Two subfolders - Mdac20 and Mdac21 - will be created.
3. Locate msorcl32.dll in the system folder.
4. Verify that no applications or services are using the driver.
5. Copy the new driver from the folder it was extracted to (choosing the appropriate version directory) into the system folder.
6. Register the new driver using the following:
   

   Regsvr32.exe msorcl32.dll
   						

   
   

NOTE: Due to file dependencies, the most recent hotfix or feature that contains the above files may also contain additional files.

Do not use parameter binding in your application; instead, just insert the values hard-coded into an INSERT statement. Install MDAC 2.1 SP2 or higher as the Oracle ODBC driver is updated with the fix in those versions.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.