bcquality/microsoft/knowledge/data-modeling/tablerelation-field-length-must-match-related-field.md

bc-version	domain	keywords	technologies	countries	application-area
all	data-modeling	tablerelation field-length code text conditional-relation lookup	al	w1	all

A TableRelation field's length must match the related field

Description

TableRelation points a field at another table, or at a specific field of it with Table.Field. The relation is also used to validate entries and to drive the lookup. A referencing field that is shorter than the related field compiles without a length diagnostic: verified with AL compiler 30.0 and the CodeCop, UICop and PerTenantExtensionCop analyzers. Compare AL0685, which does warn about an analogous length mismatch for a FlowField's CalcFormula target.

A shorter field compiles cleanly and works for every value that happens to fit. It fails only when a real related value is longer than the field. For example, a Code[10] field related to a table with a Code[20] key fails when a 15-character code is assigned or validated into it. The runtime error reads "The length of the string is N, but it must be less than or equal to M characters."

The length Business Central's own relation check expects depends on whether the field has an unconditional relation:

• At least one unconditional relation, either a plain TableRelation = X or an unconditional branch: the field must have the exact length of the longest related field and the same type.
• Only conditional relations (if (...) X else if (...) Y): the field must be at least as long as the longest related field. A longer field is accepted.

A where(...) filter on a relation doesn't make it conditional. For the type, the check requires the related field's type, or Text when the related fields mix Code and Text. Only under all-conditional relations, and only when the required type is Code, may the field be Text instead.

The check skips any field that sets ValidateTableRelation = false or TestTableRelation = false. The Base Application sets ValidateTableRelation = false on filter and totaling fields, which hold a filter expression rather than one key value. Such a field may be longer than the related field. A field that is shorter than the related field is still a defect even with either property set to false, because a real related value still overflows it at runtime.

The check is codeunit 134926 "Table Relation Test" in the BC test app. Its validation test is [Scope('OnPrem')], so it runs only on an on-premises test surface. It is not a compile-time guarantee. See table-relation-test-exclude-known-invalid-relations-via-event.md for how that check evaluates relations and how to exclude a known exception.

Best Practice

Before you add or change a TableRelation, read the declared type and length of every related field from its table definition. Lengths vary from table to table, so don't assume a typical Code[10] or Code[20]. Then size the field:

• For an unconditional relation, give it the same type and exact length as the related field, unless the field holds a filter expression and sets ValidateTableRelation = false.
• For an all-conditional relation, make it at least as long as the longest branch target.

When a tableextension adds a branch with modify(...), check the new target's length against the field's existing declaration too.

See sample: tablerelation-field-length-must-match-related-field.good.al.

Anti Pattern

A field whose declared Code/Text length is shorter than the field it relates to. One example is a Code[10] field with TableRelation to a table keyed on Code[20]. Another is a conditional relation where one branch targets a longer field than the declaration. Both compile without a diagnostic and fail at runtime once a real, longer value is used. This applies whether or not ValidateTableRelation or TestTableRelation is false. The Base Application has an instance: "Financial Report Schedule"."Excel Template Code" is Code[20] and relates, with a where filter, to "Fin. Report Excel Template".Code, which is Code[50].

A field that is longer than its related field under an unconditional relation, with neither ValidateTableRelation nor TestTableRelation set to false, is a lesser deviation. It holds every valid value, but it is rejected by codeunit 134926's check and accepts values that can never satisfy the relation.

See sample: tablerelation-field-length-must-match-related-field.bad.al.

Related: transferfields-mirrored-fields-must-match-type-and-length.md covers the same length-mismatch failure between fields that TransferFields connects.

Source

• TableRelation property: syntax <TableName>[.<FieldName>], conditional IF ... ELSE relations, and use of the relation to validate entries.
• Compiler Warning (future error) AL0685: the analogous FlowField length diagnostic, which warns that the mismatch "could result in a runtime error".
• BCApps src/Layers/W1/Tests/Misc/TableRelationTest.Codeunit.al: line 46 says "Fields must have the exact length of the largest field they relate to". Lines 48-49 skip a field unless both "Test Table Relation" and "Validate Table Relation" are true. Lines 68-84 apply Field.Len < MaxRelatedFieldLength when every relation is conditional and Field.Len <> MaxRelatedFieldLength otherwise. Line 15 is [Scope('OnPrem')].
• ValidateTableRelation property and TestTableRelation property: both default to true, and setting ValidateTableRelation to false should be paired with TestTableRelation = false.
• Deliberately longer filter fields with ValidateTableRelation = false in BCApps W1 Base Application:
  • src/Layers/W1/BaseApp/Warehouse/Request/WarehouseSourceFilter.Table.al lines 44-49: "Variant Code Filter" Code[100] relates to "Item Variant".Code (Code[10]).
  • src/Layers/W1/BaseApp/Finance/Analysis/AnalysisViewFilter.Table.al lines 49-54: "Dimension Value Filter" Code[250] relates to "Dimension Value".Code (Code[20]).
  • src/Layers/W1/BaseApp/Projects/Project/Job/JobTask.Table.al lines 290-295: Totaling Text[250] relates to "Job Task"."Job Task No." (Code[20]).
• BCApps src/Layers/W1/BaseApp/Finance/FinancialReports/FinancialReportSchedule.Table.al lines 48-51: "Excel Template Code" Code[20] relates to FinReportExcelTemplate.Table.al field Code (Code[50], line 33), an instance of the shorter-field anti-pattern.
• BCApps src/Apps/W1/Subcontracting/Test/Tests/SubcCommentsAttachmentTest.Codeunit.al line 295 asserts the runtime text "The length of the string is 101".