Using VFP9 sp1 remote view ODBC linked updateable cursors - of data from tables in an Enterprise SQL 2K database on a W2K3 server - to update certain VarChar type data fields.

Even when the VFP code includes commands such as RTRIM(...) or ALLTRIM(...) or PADR(...) to the exact length of the data, this method leaves a padded result of the data in the destination SQL table which the related Windows Application GUI does not like.

How can I avoid this padding occurring so that I do not have to follow up running Query Analyser to remove the padding? What VFP or SQL settings may be the root of the problem here?

Example:

* create an updateable remote view of the SERHIST table
CREATE SQL VIEW SERHIST REMOTE ;   
   CONNECTION Connect1 SHARE ;
   AS ;
   SELECT ;
      Serhist.SERHIST_ID,; 
      Serhist.SERIAL_NO,;
      Serhist.DOC_NO,;
      Serhist.DOC_TYPE,;
      Serhist.USER_ID,;
      Serhist.ASSIGNED_DATE,;
      Serhist.AREA_CODE;
   FROM ;
      dbo.SERHIST Serhist;
   WHERE ;
      Serhist.ASSIGNED_DATE >= ( '01/01/2006' );
   ORDER BY ;
      Serhist.SERHIST_ID

   * more code here defines the view in detail *

* now open the remote view cursor
USE SERHIST IN 0 EXCLUSIVE

* now update the 'serial_no' field - we are increasing the effective 'value' of existing data by 341
* note: 'serial_no' used below is a varchar field 
UPDATE serhist ;
   SET serial_no = ALLTRIM(STR((INT(VAL(serial_no)) + 341), 7)) ; 
   WHERE doc_no = '80904' AND ;
         doc_type = 13 AND ;
         User_id  = '490' AND ;
         assigned_date = DATE(2006,10,26)

= TABLEUPDATE(.T.)

The result of the above is a correct increase in the effective 'value' of serial_no BUT the data is now showing padding in raw data table content when now viewed in Enterprise Manager where un-updated or unchanged data shows no padding of any kind. Why?

Your suggestions for resolution here will be gratefully received. TIA. /psb