# odbc_binmode

(PHP 4, PHP 5, PHP 7)

odbc_binmode — Handling of binary column data

### Description

odbc_binmode ( resource `$result_id` , int `$mode` ) : bool

Controls handling of binary column data. ODBC SQL types affected are `BINARY`, `VARBINARY`, and `LONGVARBINARY`. The default mode can be set using the uodbc.defaultbinmode php.ini directive.

When binary SQL data is converted to character C data (`ODBC_BINMODE_CONVERT`), each byte (8 bits) of source data is represented as two ASCII characters. These characters are the ASCII character representation of the number in its hexadecimal form. For example, a binary `00000001` is converted to `"01"` and a binary `11111111` is converted to `"FF"`.

While the handling of `BINARY` and `VARBINARY` columns only depend on the binmode, the handling of `LONGVARBINARY` columns also depends on the longreadlen as well:

LONGVARBINARY handling
binmode | longreadlen | result
--- | --- | ---
`ODBC_BINMODE_PASSTHRU` | 0 | passthru
`ODBC_BINMODE_RETURN` | 0 | passthru
`ODBC_BINMODE_CONVERT` | 0 | passthru
`ODBC_BINMODE_PASSTHRU` | >0 | passthru
`ODBC_BINMODE_RETURN` | >0 | return as is
`ODBC_BINMODE_CONVERT` | >0 | return as char

If odbc_fetch_into() is used, passthru means that an empty string is returned for these columns. If odbc_result() is used, passthru means that the data are sent directly to the client (i.e. printed).

### Parameters

`result_id`

  The result identifier.

  If `result_id` is `0`, the settings apply as default for new results.

`mode`

  Possible values for `mode` are:

  - `ODBC_BINMODE_PASSTHRU`: Passthru BINARY data
  - `ODBC_BINMODE_RETURN`: Return as is
  - `ODBC_BINMODE_CONVERT`: Convert to char and return

  > Note: Handling of binary long columns is also affected by odbc_longreadlen().

### Return Values

Returns `TRUE` on success or `FALSE` on failure.