String data does not display properly when the string field, or column, is
preceded by an integer in the OLE DB Provider Host Column Description (HCD)
file that describes the record layout of the mainframe file.
This can occur, for example, when you create a Host Column Description
(HCD) file for an MVS QSAM file, an MVS PDS file, or an MVS VSAM KSDS file
using the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in, where the first
field is a short integer (halfword integer) and the second field is a
string. In the column properties of the integer, the Host type is set to
"Short" and the Local Type is left to the default of "DBTYPE_STR."
Using a Visual Basic consumer and ActiveX Data Objects to display the
recordset returned from the mainframe reveals that the string data does not
display. Regardless of this, the integer displays properly. The Visual
Basic program can not display the data returned from the mainframe because
the OLE DB Provider does not convert it properly.
Similar results occur when a long integer (fullword integer) replaces the
short integer of the first field.
Change the Local Type for the integer field to "DBTYPE_I2" or "DBTYPE_I4"
depending on whether the integer is short or long, respectively.
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft OLE DB Provider
for AS/400 and VSAM version 1.00 included with SNA Server version 4.0.
This problem was corrected in the latest SNA Server version 4.0 U.S.
Service Pack. For information on obtaining this Service Pack, query on
the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces):
S E R V P A C K