Thanks everyone, the actual syntax generated by the datawindow painter is:

1 EXECUTE dbaprod.ESS9982;0 :AN_A_ID, :AS_MIN_INJURY_DT, :AS_ERROR_MSG,:AN_SQLCODE,:AS_SQLMSG1,:AS_SQLMSG2,:AS_SP_RETURN_CODE,:AS_EXIT_POINT" arguments=(('AN_A_ID', number),('AS_MIN_INJURY_DT', string),('AS_ERROR_MSG', string),('AN_SQLCODE', number),('AS_SQLMSG1', string),('AS_SQLMSG2', string),('AS_SP_RETURN_CODE', string),('AS_EXIT_POINT', string))

So in the original question, you are stating that:

EXECUTE ESS9982 3158069, "2020-01-01" , "@", 0 , "@" , "@" ,"@" ,"@";

is automatically generated by datawindow designer?

Andreas.

Hi.

That's because in sql you normally enclose varchar in single quotes. That's the standard. You say:

select *
from cities
where city_name like 'NEW%';

not

select *
from cities
where city_name like "NEW%";

Double quotes are used for alias or to enclose column names or table names when there is a possibility they would be invalid.

Example:

select city name
from cities
where city name like 'NEW%';

The above statement is invalid because city name is not a valid column name (but some databases, like access, may allow it). In that case you have to enclose that column in double quotes:

select "city name"
from cities
where city name like 'NEW%';

Some query editors may allow you to change the behavior for both double and single quotes, but I don't believe this ok with sql standards.

Dates should be passed as strings in 'YYYY-MM-DD' format as you do. @ is a character, so the correct sql command is:

EXECUTE ESS9982 3158069, '2020-01-01' , '@', 0 , '@' , '@' ,'@' ,'@';

Andreas.

It the datawindow painter I use no quotes at all for the retrieval arguments and the call fails, PB crashes. If I just run an EXECUTE statement with the parameters in single quotes the call succceeds

If you do a retrieve from the datawindow painter, you should use no quotes at all.