I'm cheking a code I use to know some features of MS-SQL Server 2000:

SQLEXEC(lnConnHandle,"SELECT @@VERSION as cData","cSQL")
?cSQL.cData

It works fine in VFP6 SP5, but in VFP7 SP1 & VFP8b I have to use the STRCONV() function:

SQLEXEC(lnConnHandle,"SELECT @@VERSION as cData")
?STRCONV(cSQL.cData,6)

Of course I can use casting in SQLServer & finally works in all versions:

SQLEXEC(lnConnHandle,"SELECT CAST(@@VERSION as TEXT) as cData","cSQL")
?cSQL.cData

The Question is: Why this change between versions?, Or how can I avoid casting?