Reading a Java BLOB object stored a database using .NET

Question

Hi All,

I have an xml file which is stored in an "image" column in an MSSQL database. This field is being set by a java program i do not have access to. I have been told its just a standard Java "blob" object.

Is there anyway for me to read this field from the db in .NET and decode it into a readable string?

I have close to no Java knowledge but signigicant .NET knowledge if that helps.

Thanks

Answer 1

It should just be a byte[]. Have you tried reading it as such?

Answer 2

There seems to be a workable example for reading the blob as bytes here:

http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10878%5F11-5766889.html

As far as a "standard Java "blob" object", that sounds like a mythical beast, unless he means a Java object serialized into a blob field. You could probably look into the spec for Java serialization and figure it out, but meantime it sounds to me like you've been given a standard Java object task by a standard glib manager.

Come to think of it here's a pretty neat suggestion. See the comment by the fellow regarding deserializing Java objects into .NET:

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/29505/deserialize-in-a-different-language