| Previous | Next |
| DB_E_MAXPENDCHANGESEXCEEDED | DB_E_PENDINGCHANGES |
DB_E_BADORDINAL
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 this result is a failure HRESULT. Its facility is 4 (FACILITY_ITF) and its low code is 3669 (0x0E55). These fields identify an interface-defined result family; they do not identify the provider instance, method, object generation or partial effects.
Contract boundary
OLE DB distinguishes numeric ordinals, DBID-based column identifiers and per-column status. 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 this result should start with the current command result, rowset or row object and the metadata generation from which the column reference came. Capture it before ADO, ATL,.NET or a database abstraction layer replaces the native HRESULT with a generic exception.
Conditions that specifically lead to the result
- Cause 1 for it: an ordinal is zero where only real columns are accepted.
- Cause 2 for it: the ordinal exceeds the current column or parameter count.
- Cause 3 for it: cached ordinals came from a different projection or command text.
Evidence to collect
A useful it event records provider CLSID and version, process architecture, interface IID and method, object correlation ID, transaction state and the immediately preceding HRESULT. When recording it 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 it: the rejected ordinal and method.
- Evidence 2 for it: current IColumnsInfo or parameter metadata.
- Evidence 3 for it: command or schema generation used to build the binding.
Diagnostic sequence
- Capture raw
0x80040E55and symbolic it at the native call boundary. - Identify the exact failing stage for it: a binding or parameter operation references a numeric ordinal that is not present in the current metadata.
- Retrieve all OLE DB error records for it before another COM call replaces thread error information.
- Compare the live object state and provider-granted capabilities with the input that produced it.
- Reduce the operation to the smallest case that preserves the same column contract.
- Apply one evidence-backed correction for it and verify that the result is not merely replaced by a neighboring HRESULT.
Corrective actions
- Action 1 for it: rebuild ordinal mappings from current metadata.
- Action 2 for it: distinguish bookmark ordinal zero from ordinary columns.
- Action 3 for it: invalidate bindings when the result shape changes.
Retry and recovery
Retry rule for it: retry after replacing the ordinal with one reported by the current object. A it retry is safe only when the relevant input, object generation, capability or external state has changed. Before replaying a modifying call that returned it, determine whether rows, schema objects or URL resources were partially created or changed.
Do not turn it into an unbounded retry loop. Preserve cancellation for it 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 it. Keeping it 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 it rejects a numeric position. Telemetry and remediation for it should keep these outcomes distinct.
Developer and operations guidance
Code handling it 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 it, opaque values such as HACCESSOR, HROW, HCHAPTER, DBID components and provider handles must remain scoped to the object that issued them.
Operational dashboards for it should group by provider version, interface, method and normalized failure stage. A it event must not expose passwords, tokens, full connection strings, unrestricted command text or raw row contents.
Official Microsoft references
Looking for a different code? Search another status or error code.