The VARBINARY(Max) data type holds large, variable-length binary data.
Use this type when the data is expected to be very large and vary in length.
The maximum size for VARBINARY(Max) is 2GB.
The word VARBINARY stands for varying binary.
A table with a VARBINARY(Max) column.
CREATE TABLE DemoTable
(
Id INT IDENTITY,
FullName VARCHAR(100),
IsRegistered VARBINARY(Max)
);
GO
INSERT INTO DemoTable VALUES ('Harold Smith', 0);
INSERT INTO DemoTable VALUES ('Robert Johnson', 0);
INSERT INTO DemoTable VALUES ('Janice Lopez', 1);
INSERT INTO DemoTable VALUES ('Kelly Wilson', 1);
INSERT INTO DemoTable VALUES ('Grace Taylor', NULL);
GO
SELECT * FROM DemoTable;
GO
DROP TABLE DemoTable;
GO
| Id | FullName | IsRegistered |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harold Smith | 0x00 |
| 2 | Robert Johnson | 0x00 |
| 3 | Janice Lopez | 0x01 |
| 4 | Kelly Wilson | 0x01 |
| 5 | Grace Taylor | NULL |
In this example, a 0 value of IsRegistered is considered False, and 1 is True.
A more 'real-world' example would be to store very large binary data in this field.
Syntax of VARBINARY(Max).
VARBINARY(Max)
This type can hold a maximum of 231-1 bytes.
| ORDER |
|---|
| Id |
| OrderDate |
| OrderNumber |
| CustomerId |
| TotalAmount |
SELECT ProductName,
CAST(IsDiscontinued AS VARBINARY(Max)) AS 'IsDiscontinued'
FROM Product
This demonstrates a cast to a VARBINARY(Max) type.
| ProductName | IsDiscontinued |
|---|---|
| Chai | 0x00 |
| Chang | 0x00 |
| Aniseed Syrup | 0x00 |
| Chef Anton's Cajun Seasoning | 0x00 |
| Chef Anton's Gumbo Mix | 0x01 |
 |
|
