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Datatype Property

This feature will be removed in a future version of Microsoft SQL Server. Avoid using this feature in new development work, and plan to modify applications that currently use this feature.

The Datatype property exposes the data type name for the referenced column.

Syntax

object.Datatype [=value]

Parts

  • object
    An expression that evaluates to an object in the Applies To list

  • value
    A text string that identifies a Microsoft SQL Server system or user-defined data type

Data Type

String

Modifiable

Read/write before column creation. Read-only when referencing an existing column.

Prototype (C/C++)

HRESULT GetDatatype(SQLDMO_LPBSTR pRetVal);
HRESULT SetDatatype(SQLDMO_LPCSTR NewValue);

Note

SQL Distributed Management Objects (SQL-DMO) strings are always returned as OLE BSTR objects. A C/C++ application obtains a reference to the string. The application must release the reference using SysFreeString.

Remarks

The Datatype property may not completely define the data type of a column. Columns requiring width specification, such as varchar, or specification of scale and precision, such as decimal, are defined using the Datatype property in concert with Length, NumericPrecision, and NumericScale properties.

Use the AlterDataType method to change the data type of an existing column.

Applies To:

Column Object