4000 varchar field - efficient if data is 6 char or 1000 char???

• Jason Carlson-261159

  Valued Member

  Points: 58

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  September 16, 2005 at 4:31 am

  #363684

  Using SQL 7

  Question: will the database automatically truncate the field to the size of the data stored in it, or will every entry/field have potentially 4000 empty characters and also have the potential to run slow when lots of data is stored and retrieved? 

  I'm storing data that could be 1-4000 characters and presumably most data will be much smaller than 4000 characters.  I just don't want to run into problems with speed and efficiency after a few thousand (tens of thousands?) records are entered, but obviously like having the flexibility of not limiting it to 300-500 characters or having multiple tables to deal with.

  Thanks in advance.

  Jason

   

• Farrell Keough

  SSCoach

  Points: 17414

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  September 16, 2005 at 10:04 am

  #590656

  Please don't cross post: http://www.sqlservercentral.com/forums/shwmessage.aspx?forumid=9&messageid=220556 

  People look at many forums. 

  Thanks

  I wasn't born stupid - I had to study.