The -6 parameter, when used in conjunction with either native format (-n) or character format (-c), uses Microsoft® SQL Server™ version 6.0 or 6.5 data types. Use this option when data files contain values using SQL Server 6.5 formats, such as data files generated by the bcp utility supplied with SQL Server 6.5 and earlier. For example, to bulk copy into SQL Server date formats supported by earlier versions of the bcp utility but no longer supported by ODBC, use the -6 parameter.
The -6 parameter must be used for data files generated by an earlier version of bcp because nulls are represented differently. Earlier versions of bcp represented null values as a length value of 0, whereas null is now stored as the length value -1. The value 0 now represents a zero-length column. Additionally, any date values formatted using DB-Library date formats can be read from a data file by bcp if -6 is specified.
Important When bulk copying data from SQL Server into a data file specifying -6:
The bcp utility adds an ASCII character to the beginning of each data file field equivalent to the length of the data in char or varchar fields. In a table with numeric data, the information is written to the data file in the SQL Server internal binary data format.
Note The -6 parameter is not applicable to the BULK INSERT statement.
| Copying Date and Money Values | Use6xCompatible Property |