I think my confusion is that I only use VFP / SQL through the VFE framework and remote views. Our remote views that are the kind you create in a VFP DBC and can open with a USE command return varchar(max) data with either driver.

But we also have dynamic view params and SQL statements that are built on the fly to fill the view through SPT. If the connection class is based on the ODBC connection, we get memo data but if the connection is based on the SQL Native Client, there is no memo data returned.

IOW if I create a system DSN on a SQL Native client, my view that are built to use SPT don't get memos but if I use a system DSN based on the SQL Driver I get the data.

It is really the only testing I've done on the difference between the two and in fact the only difference I've noticed in my own apps. Otherwise have had no problem with either.

>>>Hmm my observation is just the reverse. The only reliable driver is OLEDB driver IMHO.
>>>Cetin
>>>
>>>>Be sure to use the ODBC driver rather than OLEDB (SQL Provider). VFP does not handle varchar(max) fields with the OLEDB driver. Just returns nothing.
>>
>>I found SQL Native Client does not return Varchar(max) to VFP memo fields using SPT where the ODBC driver does. Do you not get these results? (actually, I thought it was you who gave me this solution when I was having trouble with some SPT calls that were not returning data to my memo fields) When i use the ODBC driver I have no problems with varchar(max) and VFP memo fields.
>>
>>( or am I confused about which driver is the OLEDB - isn't that the SQL Native Client?)
>>
>>And now I just went back to a test program and I can't seem to reproduce the Memo field problem with SNAC so perhaps I am dreaming all this ?? <s>
>
>SQL Native Client wouldn't return varchar(max) to VFP using SPT because it is not used with SPT (it is an OLEDB driver and SPT use ODBC driver). No, I don't get those results. The results I get is that ODBC driver results are not intepreted correctly by VFP (and it is a VFP fault, non-VFP environments do not have that problem, ie: .Net). IMHO MS should provide service packs before 2015, because I see that as a bug.
>No I didn't give such a solution, there should be a misunderstanding in what I gave. What I say is to use OLEDB driver with ADO. I would like to see a sample code based on ODBC and doesn't have any problems with SQL server's varchar(max), xml, varbinary(max) ... IOW new datatypes (w/o casting during select).
>
>Yes I think you are confused. SQLNCLI10 is OLEDB driver and not used with SPT (SPT use ODBC).
>Cetin