Index of length xx exceeds the maximum length

Hi,
my program inserts data into a table and it's throwing an exception (below).
I'm not a SQL Server bod so can anyone tell me if there is an alter statemen
t
to increase the size allocated to the index or otherwise what I should do.
The index entry of length 1235 bytes for the index 'ixPDM_ActionDescription'
exceeds the maximum length of 900 bytes.Nope, 900 is max, maybe you should look at Full Text Search if you need
bigger sizes than 900 bytes
Denis the SQL Menace
http://sqlservercode.blogspot.com/|||The maximum length of any index is 900 bytes per row. There's no way around
that. When I say "no way", I'm not entirely truthful - in SQL 2005
'nonessential' columns (i.e. not part of a constraint enforced by the index)
that would cause the index to be larger than 900 bytes (and thus preventing
data from being inserted) can still be included in the index.
Look up INCLUDE in Books Online.
In SQL 2000 you'd have to re-think the fact that you need indexes on columns
larger than 900 bytes.
What version are you using? What's the table DDL? What's the business
requirement? Why do these large columns need to be indexed?
ML
http://milambda.blogspot.com/|||Thank you for your replies. I think I might just drop the index as to my
knowledge I don't think the field is used in a join anywhere just the creato
r
of the db went a bit over the top with indexing.
"ML" wrote:

> The maximum length of any index is 900 bytes per row. There's no way aroun
d
> that. When I say "no way", I'm not entirely truthful - in SQL 2005
> 'nonessential' columns (i.e. not part of a constraint enforced by the inde
x)
> that would cause the index to be larger than 900 bytes (and thus preventin
g
> data from being inserted) can still be included in the index.
> Look up INCLUDE in Books Online.
> In SQL 2000 you'd have to re-think the fact that you need indexes on colum
ns
> larger than 900 bytes.
> What version are you using? What's the table DDL? What's the business
> requirement? Why do these large columns need to be indexed?
>
> ML
> --
> http://milambda.blogspot.com/