What size do you use for varchar(MAX) in your parameter declaration?

I normally set my column size when creating a parameter in ADO.NET.

But what size do I use if the column is of type `VARCHAR(MAX)`?

cmd.Parameters.Add("@blah", SqlDbType.VarChar, ?????).Value = blah;

In this case you use -1.

For those of us who did not see -1 by Michal Chaniewski, the complete line of code:

cmd.Parameters.Add("@blah",SqlDbType.VarChar,-1).Value = "some large text";

The maximum SqlDbType.VarChar size is 2147483647.

If you would use a generic **oledb connection** instead of sql, I found [here][1] there is also a LongVarChar datatype. Its max size is 2147483647.

cmd.Parameters.Add("@blah", OleDbType.LongVarChar, -1).Value = "very big string";



[1]:

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You do not need to pass the size parameter, just declare `Varchar` already understands that it is MAX like:

cmd.Parameters.Add("@blah",SqlDbType.VarChar).Value = "some large text";

If you do something like this:


cmd.Parameters.Add("@blah",SqlDbType.VarChar).Value = "some large text";

size will be taken from "some large text".Length

This can be problematic when it's an output parameter, you get back no more characters then you put as input.