odbc_binmode

Handling of binary column data

&reftitle.description; `bool` `odbc_binmode` `resource` `statement` `int` `mode`

Controls handling of binary column data. ODBC SQL types affected are `BINARY`, `VARBINARY`, and `LONGVARBINARY`. The default mode can be set using the uodbc.defaultbinmode &php.ini; directive.

When binary SQL data is converted to character C data (`ODBC_BINMODE_CONVERT`), each byte (8 bits) of source data is represented as two ASCII characters. These characters are the ASCII character representation of the number in its hexadecimal form. For example, a binary `00000001` is converted to `"01"` and a binary `11111111` is converted to `"FF"`.

While the handling of `BINARY` and `VARBINARY` columns only depend on the binmode, the handling of `LONGVARBINARY` columns also depends on the longreadlen as well:

## LONGVARBINARY handling

binmode | longreadlen | result
`ODBC_BINMODE_PASSTHRU` | 0 | passthru
`ODBC_BINMODE_RETURN` | 0 | passthru
`ODBC_BINMODE_CONVERT` | 0 | passthru
`ODBC_BINMODE_PASSTHRU` | >0 | passthru
`ODBC_BINMODE_RETURN` | >0 | return as is
`ODBC_BINMODE_CONVERT` | >0 | return as char

If `odbc_fetch_into` is used, passthru means that an empty string is returned for these columns. If `odbc_result` is used, passthru means that the data are sent directly to the client (i.e. printed).

&reftitle.parameters;

`statement`

- The result identifier.

  If `statement` is `0`, the settings apply as default for new results.

`mode`

- Possible values for `mode` are:

  - `ODBC_BINMODE_PASSTHRU`: Passthru BINARY data

  - `ODBC_BINMODE_RETURN`: Return as is

  - `ODBC_BINMODE_CONVERT`: Convert to char and return

  Handling of binary long columns is also affected by `odbc_longreadlen`.

&reftitle.returnvalues;

&return.success;