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DB_E_BADBOOKMARK
Meaning
Windows documents DB_E_BADBOOKMARK as “Bookmark is invalid”. Here, a bookmark-based rowset method receives bookmark bytes that are invalid for the current rowset.
Evidence to collect before changing the system
When it involves row values, bookmarks, keys and query parameters, record types, lengths, hashes or redacted identifiers instead of secrets or full business data.
- Evidence 1: the bookmark byte length and a safe hash of its contents.
- Evidence 2: the rowset identity and generation that produced it.
- Evidence 3: bookmark persistence properties and the operation that invalidated the rowset.
Relevant OLE DB contract
This result must be interpreted against this contract: OLE DB rowsets own HROW values, fetch position, granted properties and visibility rules; row handles, bookmarks, update state and navigation capabilities remain valid only under the lifetime and generation that produced them.
Specific conditions that produce it
- Cause 1: the bookmark came from another rowset instance.
- Cause 2: the bookmark buffer length is wrong or its bytes were truncated.
- Cause 3: the provider invalidated bookmarks after reexecution, transaction change or row deletion.
Corrective actions
- Action 1: keep bookmarks scoped to the rowset generation that created them.
- Action 2: store the exact bookmark length with the bytes.
- Action 3: refetch a bookmark after rowset reexecution or documented invalidation.
Practical incident
A UI serializes only part of a variable-length bookmark and later calls GetRowsAt; storing the full length and bytes prevents it.
Retry and recovery policy
Retry rule: retry only with a bookmark obtained from the current rowset under its supported persistence rules.
Difference from related HRESULT values
DB_E_BOOKMARKSKIPPED means the bookmark form is valid but no matching row is found, while DB_E_BADBOOKMARK means the bookmark itself is invalid.
Official Microsoft references
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