Unable to update an Always Encrypted char/varchar column when sendStringParameterAsUnicode=false

[tkyc]

Driver version

All driver versions since AE and sendStringParametersAsunicode support.

SQL Server version

SQL Servers that support AE.

Client Operating System

Discovered on Windows 10.

JAVA/JVM version

Discovered on JDK 21

Table schema

Bug/issue applies to char/varchar types

CREATE TABLE [dbo].[YOUR-TABLE-NAME](
	[c1] [char](30) COLLATE Latin1_General_BIN2 ENCRYPTED WITH (COLUMN_ENCRYPTION_KEY = [YOUR-CEK-NAME], ENCRYPTION_TYPE = Deterministic, ALGORITHM = 'AEAD_AES_256_CBC_HMAC_SHA_256') NULL
) ON [PRIMARY]

Problem description

When updating an existing encrypted value on a char or varchar column and while sendStringParameterAsUnicode=false, the update fails. This works when sendStringParameterAsUnicode=true.

Expected behavior

The row update should succeed, and the new value should be in the table.

Actual behavior

Errors outs with the following message: The string is not in a valid hex format.

     [java] 			com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerException: The string is not in a valid hex format.
     [java] 				at com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerException.makeFromDriverError(SQLServerException.java:233)
     [java] 				at com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.ParameterUtils.hexToBin(ParameterUtils.java:21)
     [java] 				at com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.AppDTVImpl$SetValueOp.execute(dtv.java:2043)
     [java] 				at com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.DTV.executeOp(dtv.java:1661)
     [java] 				at com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.AppDTVImpl.setValue(dtv.java:2296)
     [java] 				at com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.DTV.setValue(dtv.java:149)
     [java] 				at com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.Column.updateValue(Column.java:371)
     [java] 				at com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerResultSet.updateValue(SQLServerResultSet.java:3172)
     [java] 				at com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerResultSet.updateString(SQLServerResultSet.java:3486)
     [java] 				at BugFixTests.AE_update_varchar8000_value_longer_than8000(BugFixTests.java:364)
     [java] 				at BugFixTests.test_AE_update_varchar8000_value_longer_than8000(BugFixTests.java:85)
     [java] 				at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.DirectMethodHandleAccessor.invoke(DirectMethodHandleAccessor.java:103)
     [java] 				at java.base/java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:580)
     [java] 				at CVariation.execute(CVariation.java:68)
     [java] 				at CTestItem.Execute(CTestItem.java:208)
     [java] 				at TestDriver.runItem(TestDriver.java:106)
     [java] 				at TestDriver.runItem(TestDriver.java:112)
     [java] 				at TestDriver.runItem(TestDriver.java:112)
     [java] 				at TestDriver.run(TestDriver.java:81)
     [java] 				at TestDriver.main(TestDriver.java:253)

Repro code

The connection string needs sendStringParameterAsUnicode=false.

            try (Statement queryStmt = con.createStatement(ResultSet.TYPE_SCROLL_SENSITIVE, ResultSet.CONCUR_UPDATABLE, con.getHoldability());
                    ResultSet rs = queryStmt.executeQuery("SELECT * FROM " + tableName3)) {

                rs.next();
                rs.updateString(1, "NEW STRING");
                rs.updateRow();
            }

Remarks

Found during development while trying to catch the scenario where users try to insert Unicode data into a non-Unicode AE database column. Not reported by any customers.