Error
Error Code:
1742
MariaDB Error 1742: Value Exceeds Column Length
Description
Error 1742 indicates that the data you are trying to insert or update into a database column is longer than the column's defined maximum length. This typically happens during `INSERT` or `UPDATE` statements when the input value exceeds the column's capacity, leading to data truncation or a failed operation.
Error Message
Data for column '%s' too long
Known Causes
3 known causesInput Data Exceeds Column Length
The length of the data value being provided for a column is greater than the maximum length or precision defined for that column in the table schema.
Insufficient Column Definition
The database column was defined with a maximum length that is too small to accommodate the expected or legitimate data values for that field.
Character Set Encoding Issues
Using a multi-byte character set can cause data to exceed column length, especially in columns defined with a byte-based length, if not enough bytes are allocated per character.
Solutions
3 solutions available1. Increase Column Length for Variable-Length Data Types medium
Modify the table schema to allow longer strings in the offending column.
1
Identify the table and column causing the error. The error message `Data for column '%s' too long` will explicitly name the column.
2
Determine the current data type and maximum length of the column. For `VARCHAR`, `VARBINARY`, `TEXT`, and `BLOB` types, you can check the schema.
SHOW CREATE TABLE your_table_name;3
If the column is a `VARCHAR` or `VARBINARY` and its current length is insufficient, alter the table to increase the maximum allowed length. Choose a length that accommodates your data, but avoid unnecessarily large values.
ALTER TABLE your_table_name MODIFY COLUMN your_column_name VARCHAR(new_length);4
If the column is a `TEXT` type (e.g., `TINYTEXT`, `TEXT`, `MEDIUMTEXT`, `LONGTEXT`), its capacity is already quite large. If you're encountering this error with a `TEXT` type, it might indicate data corruption or a misunderstanding of the data being inserted. Consider if a `BLOB` type might be more appropriate for binary data.
5
If the column is a `BLOB` type (e.g., `TINYBLOB`, `BLOB`, `MEDIUMBLOB`, `LONGBLOB`), you are likely inserting data that exceeds the maximum size for that specific `BLOB` type. You may need to switch to a larger `BLOB` type.
ALTER TABLE your_table_name MODIFY COLUMN your_column_name LONGBLOB;6
After altering the table, re-run the operation that caused the error.
2. Truncate or Sanitize Input Data easy
Shorten the data being inserted to fit the existing column length.
1
Examine the data that is being inserted into the problematic column. Identify the exact data that is too long.
2
Modify the application logic or the data source to truncate or sanitize the data before it's sent to the MariaDB server. For example, if it's a string, you can use string manipulation functions in your programming language.
SELECT SUBSTRING('your_very_long_string', 1, max_column_length);3
Ensure that truncating the data does not result in a loss of critical information. If it does, this is not a suitable solution and you should consider increasing the column length.
4
Re-run the operation with the sanitized data.
3. Use a Larger String/Blob Data Type medium
Replace the current data type with a more capacious one.
1
Identify the column and its current data type. For example, it might be `VARCHAR(255)` or `TEXT`.
DESCRIBE your_table_name;2
If the data consistently exceeds the current `VARCHAR` length, consider switching to a `TEXT` type. `TEXT` types offer significantly more storage. `LONGTEXT` can store up to 4GB.
ALTER TABLE your_table_name MODIFY COLUMN your_column_name LONGTEXT;3
If you are storing binary data and encountering this error with `BLOB` types, consider switching to a larger `BLOB` type like `LONGBLOB`.
ALTER TABLE your_table_name MODIFY COLUMN your_column_name LONGBLOB;4
Be aware that larger data types can consume more disk space and potentially impact query performance, especially for operations that scan or sort these columns.
5
Re-run the operation that previously failed.