Hi Sandra, >> Using the JDBC thin client causes unprintable characters to >> be inserted into the database that our application does not >> handle correctly. This usually happens when someone does a >> cut & paste. I've had experience of this. If the users are cutting and pasting from Word, for example, then make sure you turn OFF "SMART" quotes. Word insists on replacing a perfectly good double (") or single (') quote with some garbage fancy "slanted" double or single quotes. US7ASCII cannot cope with these quotes, and I'm pretty sure that WE8ISO8859P15 cannot either. >> the data. Our database character set is US7ASCII. See above. HTH Cheers, Norman. Information in this message may be confidential and may be legally privileged. If you have received this message by mistake, please notify the sender immediately, delete it and do not copy it to anyone else. We have checked this email and its attachments for viruses. But you should still check any attachment before opening it. We may have to make this message and any reply to it public if asked to under the Freedom of Information Act, Data Protection Act or for litigation. Email messages and attachments sent to or from any Environment Agency address may also be accessed by someone other than the sender or recipient, for business purposes. If we have sent you information and you wish to use it please read our terms and conditions which you can get by calling us on 08708 506 506. Find out more about the Environment Agency at www.environment-agency.gov.uk -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l