Passing NULL value into parameterized delphi SQL server query

Question

I am trying to pass in a null value to a TSQLDataset parameter. The query has the form:

Query_text:='MERGE INTO [Table] 
             USING (VALUES (:A,:B)) AS Source (Source_A, Source_B)
             ....
             WHEN MATCHED THEN 
             UPDATE SET A = :A
             WHEN NOT MATCHED THEN
             INSERT(A, B) VALUES (:A,:B);

SQL_dataset.CommandType:=ctQuery; 
SQL_dataset.CommandText:=Query_text;

SQL_dataset.ParamByName('A').AsString:='A';  
SQL_dataset.ParamByName('B').AsString:={ COULD BE NULL, OR A STRING };    

SQL_dataset.ExecSQL;

Parameter B is nullable, but is also a foreign key. If the user enters something in this field, then B must be validated against values in another table. If it is blank then I want it to be ignored. I was passing in '', but this obviously produces a FK violation error.

I tried:

SQL_dataset.ParamByName('B').Value:=Null;

..but then I get a "dbexpress driver does not support the tdbxtypes.unknown data type" error.

I also tried:

SQL_dataset.ParamByName('B').DataType:=ftVariant;
SQL_dataset.ParamByName('B').Value:=Null;

..but then got "dbexpress driver does not support the tdbxtypes.variant data type" error.

Not sure what I am doing wrong, any help would be appreciated. I am currently drawing up a parameter list based on whether the string is populated or not, and this works well; it's just a bit clunky (in my actual query) as there are quite a few parameters to validate.

I am using Delphi XE4 and SQL server 2012.

Update:

Thanks for all the help, your suggestions were right all along, it was something else that produced that 'dbexpress driver' error. I was creating a 'flexible' parameter list in an effort to get around my problem, and this caused the exception:

Parameter_string:='';

If B<>'' then Parameter_string:='B = :B,'

Query_text:='MERGE ...'
            '...'
            'UPDATE SET A = :A, '+Parameter_string+' C = :C' ....

... the idea being that if B is blank then the parameter won't be 'listed' in the query.

This doesn't work, or my implementation of it doesn't work (not sure why, I'm obviously missing a step somewhere).

Anyway, the working code:

Query_text:='MERGE ...'
            '...'
            'UPDATE SET A = :A, B = :B, C = :C' ....

SQL_dataset.CommandType:=ctQuery; 
SQL_dataset.CommandText:=Query_text;

If B<>'' then
begin
  SQL_dataset.ParamByName('B').AsString:='B';
end
else
begin
  SQL_dataset.ParamByName('B').DataType:=ftString;
  SQL_dataset.ParamByName('B').Value:=Null;
end;

score 3 · Answer 1 · answered Jun 11 '13 at 17:14

3

what about:

SQL_dataset.ParamByName('B').Clear;

answered Jun 11 '13 at 17:14

pf1957

997
1
5
20

I had read that suggestion elsewhere, but I get the "dbExpress driver does not support the TDBXTypes.UNKNOWN data type. Vendor error message:" error when I try that. Am I doing something else wrong? – Alex Jun 12 '13 at 09:42
Strange... currently I'm migrating from FIB+ to FireDAC and I tested it on both connectivities and it is possible to use either Clear or Value := null assignment. And I'd expect that it works on each dataset. At least I've never met a problem with this, but I never used dbExpress. – pf1957 Jun 12 '13 at 11:13

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 11 '13 at 11:36

2

If I recall correctly, the db-null equivalent in Delphi is Variants.Null

answered Jun 11 '13 at 11:36

souplex

981
6
16

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Jun 11 '13 at 12:05

Usual approach would be using parameters once per query and assign the appropriate datatype. Value may be assigned to NULL.

var
 Query_text:String;
begin
  Query_text:='Declare @A varchar(100) ' // or e.g. integer
       +#13#10'Declare @B varchar(100)'  
       +#13#10'Select @A=:A'
       +#13#10'Select @B=:B'
       +#13#10'Update Adressen Set Vorname=@A,Strasse=@B where Name=@B';
  SQL_dataset.CommandType := ctQuery;
  SQL_dataset.CommandText := Query_text;
  SQL_dataset.Params.ParseSQL(SQL_dataset.CommandText,true);
  Showmessage(IntToStr(SQL_dataset.Params.Count));
  SQL_dataset.ParamByName('B').DataType := ftString;
  SQL_dataset.ParamByName('B').Value := 'MyText';
  SQL_dataset.ParamByName('A').DataType := ftString;  // or e.g. ftInteger
  SQL_dataset.ParamByName('A').Value := NULL;
  SQL_dataset.ExecSQL;
end;

Thanks, I tried this, get same error as noted above in comment to @pf1957. Mayve I have something else that's casung this error? — Alex, Jun 12 '13 at 10:05

Passing NULL value into parameterized delphi SQL server query

3 Answers3

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