SQL Server Examples using the Chilkat ActiveX

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Chilkat ActiveX Downloads ActiveX for 32-bit and 64-bit Windows

Creating Objects

Instances of Chilkat ActiveX components can be created using the sp_OACreate system stored procedure. Here is an example showing how to create an instance of the Zip component:

	DECLARE @hr int
	DECLARE @zip int
	EXEC @hr = sp_OACreate 'Chilkat.Zip', @zip OUT
	IF @hr <> 0
	BEGIN
		PRINT 'Failed to create ActiveX component'
		RETURN
	END

Calling Methods

Methods are called by calling sp_OAMethod. Methods returning a success status return 1 for success and 0 for failure. If a method returns an object, an error is indicated by returning a NULL object reference. Methods returning a string may return an empty string or NULL reference to indicate an error. Check the reference documentation (http://www.chilkatsoft.com/refdoc)

    DECLARE @hr int
    
    -- Instantiate a MailMan object
    DECLARE @mailman int
    EXEC @hr = sp_OACreate 'Chilkat.MailMan', @mailman OUT
    IF @hr <> 0
    BEGIN
        PRINT 'Failed to create ActiveX component'
        RETURN
    END

    -- Call the UnlockComponent method.
    DECLARE @success int
    EXEC sp_OAMethod @mailman, 'UnlockComponent', @success OUT, '30-day trial'
    IF @success <> 1
      BEGIN
        PRINT 'Component unlock failed'
        RETURN
      END

SQL Server Methods that Return Long Strings

Some ActiveX methods return strings that are too long for local string variables. See the information at this web page to learn how to handle methods returning long strings in SQL Server.

Important - Do not use NVARCHAR(MAX)

Do not declare local variables as nvarchar(max) for the purpose of receiving the string return value of a function, or for getting an ActiveX object's property. Using nvarchar(max) does not work with ActiveX. Instead, declare local string variables as nvarchar(4000). If the returned string is likely to exceed 4000 chars in length, then use temp tables instead of local variables

Setting Properties

Set properties by calling sp_OASetProperty:

    EXEC sp_OASetProperty @ftp, 'Port', 990
    EXEC sp_OASetProperty @ftp, 'Hostname', 'ftp.chilkatsoft.com'

Getting Properties

Properties are retrieved by calling sp_OAGetProperty. Local variables can hold a maximum of 4000 characters. To fetch property values that may contain longer strings, such as LastErrorText or SessionLog, use a temporary table, as shown below:

	DECLARE @iTmp0 int
	DECLARE @sTmp0 nvarchar(4000)

	EXEC sp_OAGetProperty @mailman, 'SmtpPort', @iTmp0 OUT
	PRINT @iTmp0

	EXEC sp_OAGetProperty @mailman, 'SmtpHost', @sTmp0 OUT
	PRINT @sTmp0

	-- Fetch a longer property string into a temp table:
	DECLARE @tmp TABLE (sessionLog ntext)
	INSERT INTO @tmp EXEC sp_OAGetProperty @ftp, 'SessionLog'

Last Error Information

When a method call returns with a failure status, information about the error is available in the LastErrorText property. This property also contains information about the method call on success, allowing you to visually verify that an operation proceeded as you expected. (For example, was SSL actually used for an IMAP connection?)

    EXEC sp_OAMethod @ftp, 'PutFile', @success OUT, 'localFilename.txt', 'remoteFilename.txt'
    IF @success <> 1
      BEGIN
        EXEC sp_OAGetProperty @ftp, 'LastErrorText', @sTmp0 OUT
        PRINT @sTmp0
      END