new Microsoft Apps FAQ update

PostgreSQL 7.2 introduces a new problem with Microsoft apps like Access
that falls under the existing entry:

Why do I get 'Write Conflict - This record has been changed by another user
since you
                                started editing it' in Access 2000 and above?

Namely, the new PostgreSQL timestamp data type defaults to microsecond
precision.  This means that timestamp values are stored like 2002-05-22
09:00:00.123456-05.  However, Access does not support the extra precision,
so the value that Access uses is 2002-05-22 09:00:00-05.  When one tries to
update a record, one gets the error message above because the value that
Access uses in its UPDATE query does not match the value in the PostgreSQL
table, similar to the NULL vs. empty string conflict that is already
reported in this FAQ entry.

The simple fix is to use timestamp(0) rather than timestamp.  Otherwise,
one must make sure that all timestamp values entered into the PostgreSQL
table have zero fractional second value.

Incidentally, this problem occurs in Access 97 as well as Access 2000.


Sam Hokin ......................................... mailto:sam@ims.net
Senior Developer ................... tel 608.662.9990 fax 608.662.9996
IMS ............................................... http://www.ims.net