Extract process SQL changing values to "-"

[zagzebski]

Been using Qlik a long time and have never experienced this. I have simple select * pull from SQL. For two particular fields it is randomly setting the value of two fields to " - ".  This "-" is selectable in the app and differentiates between which " - " I select. It only does it for a small portion of the values in these two fields and there is nothing unique about which values it sets to " - ". (Note: Both fields circled below are the first field in the SQL view it is pulling from)

[Or]

This isn't a null value. It's likely a standard string dash '-', either because that's what in the database, or it's being returned by a function, or it's something that's being mis-communicated by the ODBC/OLEDB driver (perhaps non-standard characters that don't carry over?).

I'd suggest trying to further investigate this field - try pulling just this field in a new app and see if it works, check the len() to see if there are unseen characters (maybe line feeds/carriage returns), etc.

[zagzebski]

There are no values like this in the SQL and there are no functions around these values. So it would have to be a "mis-communication". Any ideas on how to fix or trouble shoot that?

[Or · Accepted solution]

As I suggested, try further investigating this field (ideally in a new app just to reduce any potential interference) - the length, whether it works when other fields are not present, whether modifying this at the SQL server using e.g. convert to varchar works, etc. Given that the values are available to select, it can't be a null, so my first guess would be "invisible" characters like whitespace, line feed / carriage return, or non-unicode characters that for whatever reason can't be displayed.

[zagzebski]

Thanks for the feedback!  I will work with that. Is it a coincidence that these two fields are both the first in their respective tables?

[Or]

I would say that is an odd coincidence...  but it might be coincidence. That's why I always recommend trying to test in a clean app with just this select (and even just this one field) to minimize noise.