Re: _cipher vs SQL Encrypt

[Tom Liotta <qsrvbas@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Mike Cunningham wrote:

> Not sure why exactly the cast needs to be done as it is on the decrypt but it's the only code that works.

Mike:

From how I understand what happens (or more accurately 'how little 
I understand' and trying to keep even that small amount simplified) --

When accessing [BIT DATA], you still get the bytes but there is 
apparently no chance of it running through some CCSID conversion 
when the bytes/characters arrive in the job.

For encrypted bytes, you definitely want to avoid CCSID differences. 
By using [BIT DATA], the bytes/characters are handled as CCSID 65535 
and no conversion/translation mucks it up. If it was handled as 
basic [CHARACTER] data, a change in job CCSID might give different 
results to different users. This would seriously disrupt decryption.

So, I'd say that it was just a safeguard in SQL. Perhaps someday it 
won't be needed.

Tom Liotta