SQLDescribeParam Returns Errors If the Query Involves an Outer Join

If you use Microsoft ODBC Driver for SQL Server 2000, and the ODBC API SQLDesribeParam function is used to describe the parameter marker of a query that involves an outer join, you receive the following error messages:

This problem is caused by a parsing error that occurs when the FROM clause of the query contains an "{oj ...}" escape sequence. For example, the following query returns these errors from the SQL Server Pubs database:

A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Only apply it to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) 2.7 service pack 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.

The English version of this fix has the file attributes (or later) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.

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

Steps to Reproduce the Behavior

1. Start the ODBC Test utility that is included with the MDAC software development kit (SDK).
2. On the Conn menu, click Full Connect.
3. Select a datasource name (DSN) to connect to your server that is running SQL Server, type the correct user ID and password, and then click OK.
4. On the Stmt menu, click SQLPrepare.
5. Add the following query to the Stmt box, and then click OK:
   SELECT a.authors, b.titleauthors FROM {oj authors a LEFT OUTER JOIN titleauthor b ON a.au_id = b.au_id} WHERE a.au_lname = ?
6. On the Stmt menu, click SQLDescribeParam, and then click OK.
   
   The output window contains the following error information:
   stmt: szSqlState = "07009", *pfNativeError = 0, *pcbErrorMsg = 59, *ColumnNumber = 1, *RowNumber = -2 MessageText = "[Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver]Invalid Descriptor Index" stmt: szSqlState = "42000", *pfNativeError = 0, *pcbErrorMsg = 67, *ColumnNumber = -1, *RowNumber = -1 MessageText = "[Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver]Syntax error or access violation"