Binary string long values are normally generated by client applications by reading input channels, like image files. But sometimes, you may need to enter some short binary strings as literals. Binary string literals are entered as a string of bytes expressed in HEX numbers and prefixed with (0x). Input strings will be truncated or padded to fit the storage size of fixed length binary string data type. The padding bytes will be the zero byte: 0x00. The tutorial exercise shows you good examples of truncating and padding fixed length binary strings:

-- Size matches

DECLARE @x BINARY(8);

SET @x = 0x2605260626402642;

PRINT @x;

GO

0x2605260626402642

-- Truncated

DECLARE @x BINARY(4);

SET @x = 0x2605260626402642;

PRINT @x;

GO

0x26052606

-- Padded

DECLARE @x BINARY(12);

SET @x = 0x2605260626402642;

PRINT @x;

GO

0x260526062640264200000000

-- No padding on variable length data type

DECLARE @x VARBINARY(8);

SET @x = 0x; -- Empty binary string

PRINT @x;

GO

0x

-- Padding on fixed length data type

DECLARE @x BINARY(8);

SET @x = 0x; -- Empty binary strings

PRINT @x;

GO

0x0000000000000000