How to diagnose and fix the 22010 invalid_indicator_parameter_value error code in Postgres.

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The 22010 error code in PostgreSQL, labeled as invalid_indicator_parameter_value, indicates that an invalid value has been used in a context where an indicator parameter is expected. An indicator parameter is often used in the context of handling NULL values in certain database interfaces, such as ODBC or JDBC, where a separate “indicator” variable is used to denote whether the subsequent value is NULL or not.

To diagnose and fix an invalid_indicator_parameter_value error in PostgreSQL, you typically need to ensure that the indicator parameter is being used correctly according to the interface or driver’s requirements. However, this error is less common in direct SQL usage within PostgreSQL and more often encountered in application code interfacing with the database.

Here are general steps to diagnose and fix this error:

  1. Check the Application Code: If you’re working with an application that interfaces with PostgreSQL through ODBC, JDBC, or a similar database connectivity solution, look at the code to see how it handles NULL values and indicator parameters.
  2. Review Indicator Parameter Values: The indicator parameter should generally be set to a special value (often SQL_NULL_DATA in ODBC) when the corresponding data value is NULL. Ensure that this parameter is not set to an invalid value or an out-of-range value.
  3. Update the Interface Code: If the indicator parameter is not being set correctly, update the code to handle NULL values as expected by the interface or driver.

Here are some hypothetical examples of how you might encounter and address an invalid_indicator_parameter_value in application code:

Example 1: Incorrect ODBC Indicator Parameter

SQLINTEGER nullIndicator = -1; // This should be set to SQL_NULL_DATA for NULL values
SQLExecDirect(hstmt, "INSERT INTO my_table (my_column) VALUES (?)", SQL_NTS);
SQLBindParameter(hstmt, 1, SQL_PARAM_INPUT, SQL_C_CHAR, SQL_CHAR, 0, 0, myValue, 0, &nullIndicator);

If myValue is supposed to be NULL, nullIndicator should be set to SQL_NULL_DATA instead of -1. Correcting this would involve setting nullIndicator to the appropriate constant defined by the ODBC API.

Example 2: JDBC PreparedStatement with Incorrect Null Handling

PreparedStatement pstmt = connection.prepareStatement("INSERT INTO my_table (my_column) VALUES (?)");
if (value == null) {
    pstmt.setNull(1, Types.NULL); // Incorrect use of Types.NULL
} else {
    pstmt.setString(1, value);
}
pstmt.executeUpdate();

In JDBC, Types.NULL is not a valid argument for setNull. Instead, you should use the appropriate SQL type constant for the column, such as Types.VARCHAR for a string column:

if (value == null) {
    pstmt.setNull(1, Types.VARCHAR); // Corrected to use the appropriate SQL type
} else {
    pstmt.setString(1, value);
}

Since this error is specific to the use of indicator parameters with database interfaces, the exact solution will depend on the API and the programming language you are using. Always refer to the documentation for the specific database connectivity solution you are working with, such as ODBC or JDBC, for guidance on handling NULL values and indicator parameters. For more information on PostgreSQL error codes, you can refer to the PostgreSQL documentation on error codes.

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