---
title: "setCharacterStream Method (int, java.io.Reader, long) | Microsoft Docs"
ms.custom: ""
ms.date: "01/19/2017"
ms.prod: sql
ms.prod_service: connectivity
ms.reviewer: ""
ms.technology: connectivity
ms.topic: conceptual
ms.assetid: cb6ac7f5-81ae-4cb7-87c8-cbee40d278c5
author: David-Engel
ms.author: v-daenge
---
# setCharacterStream Method (int, java.io.Reader, long)
[!INCLUDE[Driver_JDBC_Download](../../../includes/driver_jdbc_download.md)]

  Sets the designated parameter to the java.io.Reader object, which is the specified number of characters long.  
  
## Syntax  
  
```  
  
public final void setCharacterStream(int parameterIndex,  
                                    java.io.Reader reader,  
                                    long length)  
```  
  
#### Parameters  
 *parameterIndex*  
  
 An **int** that indicates the parameter number.  
  
 *reader*  
  
 The java.io.Reader object that contains the Unicode data.  
  
 *length*  
  
 A **long** that indicates the number of characters in the stream.  
  
## Exceptions  
 [SQLServerException](../../../connect/jdbc/reference/sqlserverexception-class.md)  
  
## Remarks  
 This setCharacterStream method is specified by the setCharacterStream method in the java.sql.PreparedStatement interface.  
  
 If the length of the stream is different than what is specified in the *length* parameter, the JDBC driver throws an exception when the row is updated or inserted.  
  
 If the length of the stream is unknown, the *length* parameter may be set to -1 to indicate that the driver should accept the stream regardless of its length. With sqljdbc4.jar, we recommend that you use the JDBC 4.0 method [setCharacterStream Method (int, java.io.Reader)](../../../connect/jdbc/reference/setcharacterstream-method-int-java-io-reader.md) when the application wants to update the column from a stream whose length is unknown.  
  
## See Also  
 [setCharacterStream Method (SQLServerPreparedStatement)](../../../connect/jdbc/reference/setcharacterstream-method-sqlserverpreparedstatement.md)   
 [SQLServerPreparedStatement Members](../../../connect/jdbc/reference/sqlserverpreparedstatement-members.md)