Hello,

  I am trying to put a few lines in an SalDataProvider.  This works perfectly when I run it in a QUERY inside SQL Management Studio.

if col_length('dbo.VGN_SOAPBOX_SETTINGS', 'NAMETYPE') is null

ALTER TABLE VGN_SOAPBOX_SETTINGS ADD
[NAMETYPE] [int] NULL

UPDATE VGN_SOAPBOX_SETTINGS
SET [NAMETYPE] = 0 WHERE [NAMETYPE] IS NULL

  It executes just fine.  But when I run it in DNN as a script in the SQL section, I always get...

System.Data.SqlClient.SqlException: Invalid column name 'NAMETYPE'. at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.OnError(SqlException exception, Boolean breakConnection) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlInternalConnection.OnError(SqlException exception, Boolean breakConnection) at System.Data.SqlClient.TdsParser.ThrowExceptionAndWarning(TdsParserStateObject stateObj) at System.Data.SqlClient.TdsParser.Run(RunBehavior runBehavior, SqlCommand cmdHandler, SqlDataReader dataStream, BulkCopySimpleResultSet bulkCopyHandler, TdsParserStateObject stateObj) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.RunExecuteNonQueryTds(String methodName, Boolean async) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.InternalExecuteNonQuery(DbAsyncResult result, String methodName, Boolean sendToPipe) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.ExecuteNonQuery() at DotNetNuke.Data.SqlDataProvider.ExecuteADOScript(String SQL) at DotNetNuke.Data.SqlDataProvider.ExecuteScript(String Script, Boolean UseTransactions) if col_length('dbo.VGN_SOAPBOX_SETTINGS', 'NAMETYPE') is null ALTER TABLE VGN_SOAPBOX_SETTINGS ADD [NAMETYPE] [int] NULL UPDATE VGN_SOAPBOX_SETTINGS SET [NAMETYPE] = 0 WHERE [NAMETYPE] IS NULL

  I have tried numerous ways to test if the column is there, and I always get the same sort of error.  I just want to test for the column and then execute if it doesn't exist.  Why doesn't this work when I run it in DNN, but does work in SQL Management Studio?  Or can someone tell me how to test for a column in DNN that WILL work?  Thanks.

Thanks for replying Sebastian, but that didn't work.

It still tests for NAMETYPE and says it's not there.  Which is why I'm asking it to see if it's NULL, but instead it errors out.  Same piece of code works fine in SQL Management Console as a Query.  But does not work when run as a script.  I cannot figure out how to get this to work either here, or as part of a data provider as it just always throws an error.  I'm dumbfounded.

Ok, but beyond reading all this, is there a known simple way I can test for a column?  Everything I try throws errors.  How does everyone else do it?  I'm looking for a simple example, or should I create a new forum post?