[dba-SQLServer] varchar vs char

Jim Lawrence accessd at shaw.ca
Mon Jan 22 20:43:01 CST 2007


Hi John:

To my understanding there are real fixed length fields. Sizes can be fixed
to a maximum like varchar(4000) but only the amount of space that is
actually being used is being allocated. The defining of field types is more
for display format, structure, management, relationship and functionality
... Internally, as far as I know, all the field/objects have variable
length.

Jim      

-----Original Message-----
From: dba-sqlserver-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:dba-sqlserver-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of JWColby
Sent: Monday, January 22, 2007 5:36 PM
To: dba-sqlserver at databaseadvisors.com
Subject: [dba-SQLServer] varchar vs char

Is there a rule of thumb for where it is better to use a fixed width rather
than a variable width field?  Something like... "if a field may be more than
5 characters"?
 
John W. Colby
Colby Consulting
www.ColbyConsulting.com
 
_______________________________________________
dba-SQLServer mailing list
dba-SQLServer at databaseadvisors.com
http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/dba-sqlserver
http://www.databaseadvisors.com




More information about the dba-SQLServer mailing list