Hi,

Sorry, my title is not exact.
Exact is:
"PROBLEM: i want use == on comparison of strings"

If i define on SQL Server a field F1 CHAR(2) and insert a string like 'A ',
SQL Server not found 'A'.
Example:

CREATE TABLE #mytable (f1 char(2) )
INSERT INTO #mytable VALUES ('A ')
SELECT * FROM #mytable WHERE f1='A' && <-- return empty rowset
DROP TABLE #mytable 

I supposed that in SELECT command, SQL Server type CHAR(nn) he was much similar one to VFP type C(nn), but is not true.

On VFP right blank spaces on character field is ignored on .

CREATE CURSOR myCur (f1 C(2))
INSERT INTO  myCur VALUES ('A ')
SELECT * FROM myCur WHERE f1=='A'
COUNT FOR f1=='A'
? _TALLY
...

Then, for VFP C(nn) fields, use RTRIM(fieldName) is useless on :
- INDEX with only a field.
- WHILE and FOR with only a field.
- WHERE with only a field.

REASON: Yes it explanation has one, because

INSERT INTO #mytable VALUES ('A ')

or

INSERT INTO #mytable VALUES ('A')

is identical.

But another problem is for LOOKUP()

SET EXACT OFF   
? LOOKUP(F1,'A'+SPACE(1000),F1) && <-- WITH EXACT OFF IT NOT FOUND
* for set soft you get a hard comparison
SET EXACT on
? LOOKUP(F1,'A'+SPACE(1000),F1) && <-- WITH EXACT ON IT FOUND 
* for set hard you get a soft comparison

* but if you define a INDEX
INDEX ON f1 tag TAG1
? LOOKUP(F1,'A'+SPACE(1000),F1) && <-- USE INDEX AND IT NOT FOUND 

and for this,REASON: is not valid.

Attention on:

DO WHILE !EOF() AND f1=='A'
  ...
  SKIP
ENDDO

and

SCAN FOR f1=='A'
....
ENDSCAN

are not equal.

To notice that VFP manipulates also the PADR()

SELECT * FROM myCur WHERE PADR(f1,2)=='A'

But then VFP remove any string space on the SELECT, also for the string literal and variables.

SELECT * FROM myCur WHERE 'A   '=='A'

SELECT * FROM myCur WHERE 'A'+SPACE(RAND(0)*1000)=='A'+SPACE(RAND(0)*1000)

v1='A '
v2='A'
SELECT * FROM myCur WHERE m.v1==m.v2 AND m.v2==m.v1

Yes, it is true, before any string comparison VFP RTRIM() any string.

Strong problem:
This problem occur also on MEMO fields, BINARY

If i put binary data on a Memo(binary), i cannot compare substrings of
this field on reliable mode.

A workaround is:

SELECT * FROM myCur WHERE f1+CHR(0)=='A'+CHR(0)

but then for Rushmore speed up you must define f1+CHR(0) on index expression,
and use this expression on any comparison.

Hovewer, for me this is a problem, also without SQL Server backend using.

You pardon to me if what I have written it is all mistaking.

Fabio