Can TStringField be created with dynamic Size?

Question

I have Insufficient memory error with TClientDataset with TStringField fields. I need to use length of strings from 0 to 8000 - but don't know what length will be until I fill the TClientDataset.

So, can TStringField be created with dynamic Size?

P.S. The initial task is to copy TDBGrid to TClientDataset.

Answer 1

I have used the following solution. First, calculate maximum Sizes based on Length(aDBGrid.Columns[i].Field.DisplayText). Then create TStringFields with the calculated Sizes.

P.S. The initial task is to copy TDBGrid to TClientDataset.

Answer 2

What kind of data are you storing in those fields to need up to 8000 characters?

Imagine you do partial search on those fields using wildcards. I bet such search would take ages and could posibly even crash your database server.

Besides not all databases tables support 8192 character sized StringFields.

http://docwiki.embarcadero.com/Libraries/XE6/en/Data.DB.TStringField

TStringField encapsulates the fundamental behavior common to fields that contain string data. A value of a string field is physically stored as a sequence of up to 8192 characters. However, some table types may only support string fields of smaller dimensions.

So why don't you use TMemoFields instead since they alow to have dynamical size of their text? http://docwiki.embarcadero.com/Libraries/XE6/en/Data.DB.TMemoField