Bad (null) varchar() external representation - Mailing list pgsql-sql

Hi all,

I'm getting the following problem when trying to do a simple insert
statement...

"Bad (null) varchar() external representation"

WHY?

I'm running PostgreSQL 7.03 on Linux Mandrake 7.2 (using a specially
compiled version, not an RPM).

Here's the table :

foobar=# \d staff_details         Table "staff_details"  Attribute    |     Type     | Modifier
----------------+--------------+----------userid         | varchar(24)  | not nullpassword       | char(13)     |name
       | varchar(96)  |role           | smallint     |dob            | date         |phone_one      | varchar(14)
|phone_two     | varchar(14)  |phone_three    | varchar(14)  |address        | varchar(280) |status         | smallint
  |managers_notes | varchar(600) |
 
Index: staff_details_pkey
Constraints: (length(userid) < 25)            (length("password") < 14)            (length(name) < 97)
(length(phone_one)< 17)            (length(phone_two) < 17)            (length(phone_three) < 17)
(length(address)< 281)            (length(managers_notes) < 601)
 

foobar=# insert into staff_details values ('A', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL,
NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL);
ERROR:  Bad (null) varchar() external representation
foobar=# insert into staff_details (userid, password, name, role, dob,
phone_one) values ('0000111122223333', 'foobarbaz1234', 'Joshua', 1,
'1970-07-01', '(03) 9867 5432');
ERROR:  Bad (null) varchar() external representation
foobar=# insert into staff_details values ('0000111122223333',
encrypt('foo'), 'Joshua', 1, '1970-07-01', '(03) 9867 5432', '(041) 309
2819', NULL, '1 Blankety-Blank Way\nBazzville', NULL, NULL);
ERROR:  Bad (null) varchar() external representation


etc...

I've tried everything I can think of, also exported and reloaded the
database, etc.  This is a new table with nothing in it.

This is driving me nuts.  :-(

+ Justin Clift
Database Administrator