What does HRESULT 0x80040E55 (DB_E_BADORDINAL) mean?

 
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DB_E_MAXPENDCHANGESEXCEEDED DB_E_PENDINGCHANGES

DB_E_BADORDINAL

Column does not exist

Exact value and result class

DB_E_BADORDINAL has unsigned value 2147749461 (0x80040E55) and signed 32-bit value -2147217835. AllStat describes it as “Column does not exist”. In this result, a binding or parameter operation references a numeric ordinal that is not present in the current metadata.

The high bit is set, so DB_E_BADORDINAL is a failure HRESULT. Its facility is 4 (FACILITY_ITF) and its low code is 3669 (0x0E55). For DB_E_BADORDINAL, these fields identify an interface-defined result family; they do not identify the provider instance, method, object generation or partial effects.

Contract boundary

For DB_E_BADORDINAL, OLE DB distinguishes numeric ordinals, DBID-based column identifiers and per-column status. For DB_E_BADORDINAL, metadata from IColumnsInfo or a row object is authoritative for the current result shape; cached identifiers can become invalid after command, schema or projection changes.

Investigation of DB_E_BADORDINAL should start with the current command result, rowset or row object and the metadata generation from which the column reference came. Capture DB_E_BADORDINAL before ADO, ATL, .NET or a database abstraction layer replaces the native HRESULT with a generic exception.

Conditions that specifically lead to this result

  • Cause 1 for DB_E_BADORDINAL: an ordinal is zero where only real columns are accepted.
  • Cause 2 for DB_E_BADORDINAL: the ordinal exceeds the current column or parameter count.
  • Cause 3 for DB_E_BADORDINAL: cached ordinals came from a different projection or command text.

Evidence to collect

A useful DB_E_BADORDINAL event records provider CLSID and version, process architecture, interface IID and method, object correlation ID, transaction state and the immediately preceding HRESULT. When recording DB_E_BADORDINAL data involving column names, row values and query projections, use types, lengths, hashes or redacted identifiers rather than secrets or complete business data.

  • Evidence 1 for DB_E_BADORDINAL: the rejected ordinal and method.
  • Evidence 2 for DB_E_BADORDINAL: current IColumnsInfo or parameter metadata.
  • Evidence 3 for DB_E_BADORDINAL: command or schema generation used to build the binding.

Diagnostic sequence

  1. Capture raw 0x80040E55 and symbolic DB_E_BADORDINAL at the native call boundary.
  2. Identify the exact failing stage for DB_E_BADORDINAL: a binding or parameter operation references a numeric ordinal that is not present in the current metadata.
  3. Retrieve all OLE DB error records for DB_E_BADORDINAL before another COM call replaces thread error information.
  4. Compare the live object state and provider-granted capabilities with the input that produced DB_E_BADORDINAL.
  5. Reduce the DB_E_BADORDINAL operation to the smallest case that preserves the same column contract.
  6. Apply one evidence-backed correction for DB_E_BADORDINAL and verify that the result is not merely replaced by a neighboring HRESULT.

Corrective actions

  • Action 1 for DB_E_BADORDINAL: rebuild ordinal mappings from current metadata.
  • Action 2 for DB_E_BADORDINAL: distinguish bookmark ordinal zero from ordinary columns.
  • Action 3 for DB_E_BADORDINAL: invalidate bindings when the result shape changes.

Retry and recovery

Retry rule for DB_E_BADORDINAL: retry after replacing the ordinal with one reported by the current object. A DB_E_BADORDINAL retry is safe only when the relevant input, object generation, capability or external state has changed. Before replaying a modifying call that returned DB_E_BADORDINAL, determine whether rows, schema objects or URL resources were partially created or changed.

Do not turn DB_E_BADORDINAL into an unbounded retry loop. Preserve cancellation for DB_E_BADORDINAL and use a fresh provider object when the failed call may have left local state ambiguous.

Practical scenario

A SELECT list changes but an accessor cache still binds the old final ordinal; rebuilding the map prevents DB_E_BADORDINAL. Keeping DB_E_BADORDINAL with the method and object state makes this scenario diagnosable instead of reducing it to “database error”.

Difference from nearby HRESULT values

DB_E_NOCOLUMN rejects an invalid DBID, while DB_E_BADORDINAL rejects a numeric position. Telemetry and remediation for DB_E_BADORDINAL should keep these outcomes distinct.

Developer and operations guidance

Code handling DB_E_BADORDINAL should release COM objects in ownership order, retain per-row, per-column or per-property statuses, and log granted capabilities rather than only requested options. While handling DB_E_BADORDINAL, opaque values such as HACCESSOR, HROW, HCHAPTER, DBID components and provider handles must remain scoped to the object that issued them.

Operational dashboards for DB_E_BADORDINAL should group by provider version, interface, method and normalized failure stage. A DB_E_BADORDINAL event must not expose passwords, tokens, full connection strings, unrestricted command text or raw row contents.

Official Microsoft references

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