# Length of text fields

**URL:** <https://forum.servoy.com/t/length-of-text-fields/1761>\
**Category:** Classic Servoy\
**Created:** [April 21, 2004, 9:03pm UTC](https://forum.servoy.com/t/length-of-text-fields/1761 "2004-04-21T21:03:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Morley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7cd45c/32.png) [@Morley](https://forum.servoy.com/u/Morley)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2004, 9:03pm UTC](https://forum.servoy.com/t/length-of-text-fields/1761/1 "2004-04-21T21:03:22Z")

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I notice that once a text field is defined of a particular length it can’t be changed.

Do you have “best practice” recommendations for choosing field lengths?

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**Author:** ![jcompagner](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/forum.servoy.com/jcompagner/32/4889_2.png) [@jcompagner](https://forum.servoy.com/u/jcompagner)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2004, 9:08pm UTC](https://forum.servoy.com/t/length-of-text-fields/1761/2 "2004-04-21T21:08:37Z")

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look where it is for.  
And what the max length would be for youre data.

for example if you want to store lastnames then 50 should be enough for most names…

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**Author:** ![bcusick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@bcusick](https://forum.servoy.com/u/bcusick)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2004, 5:30am UTC](https://forum.servoy.com/t/length-of-text-fields/1761/3 "2004-04-24T05:30:02Z")

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> Morley:  
> I notice that once a text field is defined of a particular length it can’t be changed.
> 
> Do you have “best practice” recommendations for choosing field lengths?

Morley,

You can’t change it in the SERVOY interface - but you CAN change it using a backend editor to “talk” to the database directly.

For example, if you’re using Sybase, then download “Sybase Central” (part of the Developer Studio) - and you can change column names, change data types, change data lengths, etc.

Bob Cusick

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**Author:** ![Kurt\_Wiedenhoeft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8edcca/32.png) [@Kurt\_Wiedenhoeft](https://forum.servoy.com/u/Kurt_Wiedenhoeft)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 6:02pm UTC](https://forum.servoy.com/t/length-of-text-fields/1761/4 "2006-01-13T18:02:03Z")

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I followed Bob Cusick’s advice from an old topic about changing the length of a text column in the back end database (MS SQL), but I can’t get Servoy to see the new length. I did it once by creating a new column, moving text to it, and deleting the old, but there’s got to be a better way.

Thanks,

Kurt

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**Author:** ![Harjo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/forum.servoy.com/harjo/32/4873_2.png) [@Harjo](https://forum.servoy.com/u/Harjo)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 6:25pm UTC](https://forum.servoy.com/t/length-of-text-fields/1761/5 "2006-01-13T18:25:24Z")

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Did you restart developer or server?  
Else it does not see the changes to the backend.

Hope this helps

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**Author:** ![Kurt\_Wiedenhoeft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8edcca/32.png) [@Kurt\_Wiedenhoeft](https://forum.servoy.com/u/Kurt_Wiedenhoeft)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 8:43pm UTC](https://forum.servoy.com/t/length-of-text-fields/1761/6 "2006-01-18T20:43:19Z")

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That’s so obvious it didn’t even occur to me! ![:oops:]( "Embarassed") When I quit developer and reopen it, it sees the new length.

Thanks,

Kurt