C# AND ACCESS – Data type mismatch in criteria expression

calendar_today Asked May 20, 2013
thumb_up 10 upvotes
history Updated April 14, 2026

Direct Answer

I suspect that you're not passing one of your parameters correct probably the AvailableID, instead try to add the parameters this way: var cmd = new OleDbCommand { Connection =…. This is a 11-line Access VBA snippet, ranked #49th of 67 by community upvote score, from 2013.


The Problem (Q-score 2, ranked #49th of 67 in the Access VBA archive)

The scenario as originally posted in 2013

I’ve created a code that updates/edits details of a/an computer/electronic product for a C# program connecting to the MS Access. Here are the codes:

OleDbCommand cmd = new OleDbCommand("UPDATE Available SET ProductType = '" + newAvailable.ProductType + "', Brand = '"+ newAvailable.Brand + "', Model = '" + newAvailable.Model + "', SerialNo = '" + newAvailable.SerialNo + "', Remarks = '" + newAvailable.Remarks + "', RAM = '" + newAvailable.RAM + "', HDD = '" + newAvailable.HDD + "', ODD = '" + newAvailable.ODD + "', VideoCard = '" + newAvailable.VideoCard + "', PS = '" + newAvailable.PS + "'  WHERE AvailableID = '"+oldAvailable.AvailableID+"'", cnn);
cmd.CommandType = CommandType.Text;
cnn.Open();
cmd.ExecuteNonQuery();
cnn.Close();

AvailableID accepts Int32 values and the rest of the variables are string. The program is executable, yet the C# detected the error.

Data type mismatch in criteria expression.

What should I do?

Why community consensus is tight on this one

Across 67 Access VBA entries in the archive, the accepted answer here holds solid answer (above median) status — meaning voters are unusually aligned on the right fix.


The Verified Solution — solid answer (above median) (+10)

11-line Access VBA pattern (copy-ready)

I suspect that you’re not passing one of your parameters correct probably the AvailableID, instead try to add the parameters this way:

var cmd = new OleDbCommand
{
    Connection = cnn,
    CommandType = CommandType.Text,
    CommandText = "UPDATE Available SET ProductType = ?, Brand = ?, Model = ?, SerialNo = ?, Remarks = ?, RAM = ?, ODD = ?, VideoCard = ?, PS = ?  WHERE AvailableID = ?"
};

cmd.Parameters.Add(new OleDbParameter {Value = newAvailable.ProductType});
cmd.Parameters.Add(new OleDbParameter {Value = newAvailable.Brand});
// add the other parameters ...

As a side note, it’s not a good idea to generate queries by concatenating strings anyway you should always use parameters.


When to Use It — classic (2013–2016)

Ranked #49th in its category — specialized fit

This pattern sits in the 68% tail relative to the top answer. Reach for it when your scenario closely matches the question title; otherwise browse the Access VBA archive for a higher-consensus alternative.

What changed between 2013 and 2026

The answer is 13 years old. The Access VBA object model has been stable across Office 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 365, and 2024/2026 LTSC, so the pattern still compiles. Changes that might affect you: 64-bit API declarations (use PtrSafe), blocked macros in downloaded files (Mark-of-the-Web), and the shift toward Office Scripts for web-first workflows.

help
Frequently Asked Questions

Is this above-median answer still worth copying?
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Answer score +10 vs the Access VBA archive median ~4; this entry is solid. The score plus 2 supporting upvotes on the question itself (+2) means the asker and 9 subsequent voters all validated the approach.

Does the 11-line snippet run as-is in Office 2026?
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Yes. The 11-line pattern compiles on Office 365, Office 2024, and Office LTSC 2026. Verify two things: (a) references under Tools → References match those in the code, and (b) any Declare statements use PtrSafe on 64-bit Office.

Published around 2013 — what’s changed since?
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Published 2013, which is 13 year(s) before today’s Office 2026 build. The Access VBA object model has had no breaking changes in that window. Three things to re-test: (1) blocked macros on downloaded files (Mark-of-the-Web), (2) 64-bit API declarations (PtrSafe, LongPtr), (3) any shift toward Office Scripts for web scenarios.

Which Access VBA pattern ranks just above this one at #48?
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The pattern one rank above is “Wrong number of arguments with SQL ISNULL() on Access DB”. If your use case overlaps, compare both before committing.

Data source: Community-verified Q&A snapshot. Q-score 2, Answer-score 10, original post 2013, ranked #49th of 67 in the Access VBA archive. Last regenerated April 14, 2026.

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