Find maimum length of a varchar database column

[Sick0Fant]

I have a database which has a column of type VARCHAR(30). I want to insert a string into this column using ADO .net. I first want to make sure that the string will be able to fit into the column in the database. If it can fit, I will insert the whole string. If not, I will truncate the string so that it will fit.

If I read the desired table into an SqlDataAdapter and then fill a dataTable, there is a property in dataTable.Columns.Item("Column") called MaxLength, but it always returns -1.

I want to use some method that will return 30. Any ideas?

[Plater]

Inserting a string that is too long will automatically truncate it. Unless you want special rules for truncating?

[Sick0Fant]

Inserting a string that is too long will automatically truncate it. Unless you want special rules for truncating?

Then I guess I'd only need to know if it *was* truncated. Is there anyway of checking that without querying the db again to see if what was inserted is the same as what I tried to insert?

Also, why does MaxLength return -1?

[Plater]

http://forums.asp.net/p/306971/306971.aspx

According to them, maxlength is -1 on integer fields, but should work fine for text fields(varchar() )