PRB: SQORA.DLL Does Not Allow Lengthy SQL Statements in VB 3.0

The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual Basic programming system for Windows, version 3.0 - Microsoft Access, version 1.1

SYMPTOMS

If the table and field names are long or the query is complex, executing a query or updating a record in an Oracle table results in the following error message:

   Statement was longer then allowable maximum 2000+ chars

CAUSE

This occurs because of a problem with SQORA.DLL, the Oracle ODBC driver.

RESOLUTION

Obtain and install the updated driver (instructions are provided in the More Information section below), or use queries to do updates rather than updating records with the Oracle table in Datasheet view. The query should yield only the columns to be updated. For complex queries, reduce both the number of tables or joins in the query and the number of fields used or shown in the query. This reduces the lengths of SQL statements.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Oracle ODBC driver shipped with Microsoft Access version 1.1 and the Professional Edition of Microsoft Visual Basic version 3.0. An updated driver that corrects this specific problem is available for owners of Microsoft Access version 1.1 or the Professional Edition of Microsoft Visual Basic version 3.0.

MORE INFORMATION

How to Obtain the Updated Driver

The updated Oracle ODBC driver (SQORA.DLL) is available for use by registered owners of:

• Microsoft Access version 1.1
• Professional Edition of Visual Basic version 3.0

The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Software Library:

 ~ Ora110.exe (size: 125490 bytes) 

   ARTICLE-ID: Q119591
   TITLE     : How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from
               Online Services

Contents of ORA110.EXE

README.TXT - a copy of this article ORACLE.TXT SQORA.DL_ SQORASTP.DL_ ODBC.INF SETUP.EXE

NOTE: The SETUP.EXE file is called by the ODBC control panel facility and will not run as a stand-alone file.

How to Install the Updated Driver

1. Start Windows if it is not running.

   - If you are running Windows 3.1, open Control Panel. - If you are running Windows 3.0 or NT, select the ODBC program group.

2. Double-click the ODBC icon.

3. From the Data Sources dialog, select the Drivers... button.

4. From the Drivers dialog, select Add...

5. Enter the drive letter and directory from which you are installing.

6. Select Oracle from the list of available drivers, and choose OK. ODBC setup will install the driver at this point. If an ODBC Oracle driver of the same version number or higher exists on the hard disk, ODBC setup will ask if you want to replace it. In most cases, you will want to stay with the most recent version.

7. Choose close, and you are finished.

What ODBC Setup Installed

The ODBC installation installed a new SQORA.DLL, a new SQORASTP.DLL, and a new ORACLE.TXT to your Window's system directory.

                          Old                     New
                -----------------------------------------------
SQORA.DLL       Version:  1.00.2816     Version:  1.00.3112
                   Size:  143,600 bytes    Size:  144,096 bytes
                   Date:  4/16/93          Date:  7/12/93

SQORASTP.DLL    Version:  1.00.2403     Version:  1.00.3106
                   Size:  9,328 bytes      Size:  9,632 bytes
                   Date:  5/7/93           Date:  7/6/93