SET TEXTSIZE (Transact-SQL)

Applies to: SQL Server Azure SQL Database Azure SQL Managed Instance Azure Synapse Analytics Analytics Platform System (PDW)

Specifies the size, in bytes, of varchar(max), nvarchar(max), varbinary(max), text, ntext, and image data returned to the client by a SELECT statement.

Important

ntext, text, and image data types will be removed in a future version of Microsoft SQL Server. Avoid using these data types in new development work, and plan to modify applications that currently use them. Use nvarchar(max), varchar(max), and varbinary(max) instead.

Transact-SQL syntax conventions

Syntax

SET TEXTSIZE { number }   

Arguments

number
Is the length of varchar(max), nvarchar(max), varbinary(max), text, ntext, or image data, in bytes. number is an integer with a maximum value of 2147483647 (2 GB). A value of -1 indicates unlimited size. A value of 0 resets the size to the default value of 4 KB.

The SQL Server Native Client (10.0 and higher) and ODBC Driver for SQL Server automatically specify -1 (unlimited) when connecting.

Drivers older than SQL Server 2008: The SQL Server Native Client ODBC driver and SQL Server Native Client OLE DB Provider (version 9) for SQL Server automatically set TEXTSIZE to 2147483647 when connecting.

Remarks

Setting SET TEXTSIZE affects the @@TEXTSIZE function.

The setting of set TEXTSIZE is set at execute or run time and not at parse time.

Permissions

Requires membership in the public role.

See Also

@@TEXTSIZE (Transact-SQL)
Data Types (Transact-SQL)
SET Statements (Transact-SQL)