ASA Database Administration Guide
  Database Options
    Alphabetical list of options

DESCRIBE_JAVA_FORMAT option [ISQL]

Function 

Controls whether Java objects are interpreted as strings (for display) or as binary (for loading and unloading).

Allowed values 

varchar, binary

Default 

Varchar

Description 

When set to varchar, Interactive SQL converts all data fetched from the database to strings. The database server calls the toString() method on Java columns to provide formatted output for the Results tab in the Results pane.

When set to binary, Interactive SQL does no data conversion.