Reliability: SQL Blob; ActiveX Data objectsl; streams and Files

[lameid]

I wrote some procedures to 'download' and 'upload' files to a SQL server storing the data in an image datatype using streams and the Active X data objects.

I thought everything was working great but I have had an instance of file corruption. Specifically I had an Accde runtime file come out and retrieve 'null' text to an unbound form using DAO Recordsets from ODBC linked tables instead of null values (finite hours, mandatory migration to SQL). Unfortunately I did not realize soon enough to figure out whether the server side version of the file was bad or if it happened in the 'download'. This feels to me like a bit flag for the ODBC call in the compiled code got to flipped but ultimately I am filing it under some things are easier to fix than to explain.

I am hoping someone has enough experience to tell me if file corruption is likely or if I won the improbable bit flip lottery?

 

[vbajock]

I gave up on SQL file storage, I just had too many bugs, database size issues and proprietary format issues. Now I just store just the disk path of the file in the SQL table, and and use one of these methods to open the file using VBA:

http://www.erlandsendata.no/english/index.php?d=envbafoldersfileopen

Storing these files on the file system itself has also paid off in the .net and php apps I've written where I have embedded Google stacks into my web pages.

 

[lameid]

Out of curiosity what kinds of issues did you have? All I am doing is reading files in and out from the client box for install purposes.

It took over a month to get a data reader user group created and added to the SQL Server.... So I took the road less travelled .

Turns out my issue was code... Another developer in order to concatenate parameters into a SQL statement changed the values to the text "null" rather than wrap them with say NZ... <I've seen a smiley face hitting its forehead on a brick wall in posts here but don't see it in the emoticons.>

Best I can figure a user inadvertantly clicked a button (failed to report it as part of the issue) or changed the data before I saw it to test. In any case I was more relieved it was a code problem than a file transfer problem.