config.options.enableArithAbort

The config.options.enableArithAbort setting is a configuration option for Microsoft SQL Server, which determines whether to abort a transaction when an arithmetic overflow or divide-by-zero error occurs.

Overview

When executing a transaction, if an arithmetic operation attempts to divide by zero or results in an overflow error, the default behavior in SQL Server is to raise an error message, terminate the statement, and roll back the transaction. However, the config.options.enableArithAbort setting can be used to control this behavior.

Usage

The config.options.enableArithAbort setting can be specified within the SQL Server configuration, such as in the system registry or via the server properties dialog box. It can be set to one of three values:

• 0: Disables the feature of aborting the transaction on arithmetic errors. Instead, a message is returned as a warning and the transaction continues.
• 1: Enables the feature of aborting the transaction on arithmetic errors, with a warning message returned.
• 2: Enables the feature of aborting transaction even when there is a TRY...CATCH statement present to handle the error.

Best Practices

• The default value of config.options.enableArithAbort is 1, which is recommended in most cases. This ensures that transactions abort on arithmetic errors, which can prevent unexpected results or data inconsistencies.
• Setting config.options.enableArithAbort to 0 is not recommended as it can cause unexpected behavior and lead to data inconsistencies.
• Setting config.options.enableArithAbort to 2 is rarely necessary and should be used only in specific cases where it is known that a TRY...CATCH statement cannot handle the error, and the transaction must be aborted immediately.

Conclusion

The config.options.enableArithAbort setting is a valuable tool for controlling the behavior of arithmetic errors in SQL Server. By default, transactions are aborted on arithmetic errors, but this behavior can be disabled or altered as needed. Best practices dictate leaving the default setting of 1 wherever possible, but understanding the other settings can help developers diagnose and troubleshoot potential issues.