MySQL error 2036 (CR_UNSUPPORTED_PARAM_TYPE) occurs when a client library sends a prepared-statement parameter with a buffer type that the server connector cannot interpret.
MySQL Error 2036: CR_UNSUPPORTED_PARAM_TYPE means the client attempted to bind a value with an unsupported buffer type. Check your connector version, cast the parameter to a supported MySQL type, or upgrade the client library to resolve the issue.
Using unsupported buffer type: %d (parameter: %d)
The MySQL client prints error 2036 with the message "Using unsupported buffer type: %d (parameter: %d)" when it cannot map a bound parameter’s C-level buffer type to a valid MySQL data type. The failure happens before the query reaches the server, so you will not see it in the server error log.
The error is client-side and most common in C, C++, PHP, Python, or Java connectors that use the MySQL client library underneath.
Fixes therefore revolve around correct parameter binding and library compatibility.
Unsupported native type constants such as MYSQL_TYPE_GEOMETRY or custom structs trigger the error because the client library has no handler for them.
Compiled connectors mismatching the server library version may lose support for types added later, producing error 2036 when newer type IDs appear.
Driver bugs or ORM abstractions sometimes mis-detect the parameter type, especially for NULL, bool, or large integers, sending an invalid buffer ID.
First confirm the parameter’s host-language type.
Cast or convert it to a primitive MySQL type (INT, BIGINT, DOUBLE, VARCHAR, BLOB) before binding.
Next, upgrade both the MySQL client library (libmysqlclient or Connector/C) and the language-specific driver so they share a compatible major version with the server.
If you build the connector from source, include the full MySQL headers and enable all supported native types during compilation.
Python users may see the error in mysqlclient when passing bytearray.
Convert to bytes or str before execute().
PHP’s mysqli::bind_param will raise the error on objects. Export the object property to a scalar variable and bind the scalar.
In C/C++, using MYSQL_BIND with buffer_type = (enum_field_types)252 on an older libmysqlclient triggers the error. Update the library or change buffer_type to MYSQL_TYPE_STRING.
Always validate and coerce application variables to standard SQL types before query execution. Avoid driver-level automatic type inference when possible.
Standardize connector versions across development and production.
Lock to a specific major.minor to prevent silent ABI changes.
Use parameterized queries consistently and unit-test them with edge-case values to catch buffer mismatches early.
Error 2031 (CR_DATA_TRUNCATED) indicates type mismatch that reached the server. Resolve by widening column or casting the parameter.
Error 2055 (CR_SERVER_LOST) may appear after repeated 2036 issues if the client aborts. Fix the root buffer type mismatch to prevent disconnects.
Error 1210 (ER_CREATE_SELECT_NOT_ALLOWED) differs because it is server-side and relates to privilege, not parameter type.
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Binding complex or driver-specific objects instead of primitive int, float, str, or bytes causes the client to emit an unsupported buffer type ID.
Using an outdated libmysqlclient or Connector/C with newer enum_field_types means recent buffer IDs are unknown, triggering error 2036.
Bugs in ORM or language wrappers can misclassify special values such as None or bool and assign an invalid buffer type.
Disabling certain native types at compile time removes their enum IDs from the client library, so binding those types fails at runtime.
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The client library shows the 0-based parameter index so you can locate which bound value uses an unsupported type.
No. Error 2036 is generated entirely by the client connector before any network traffic is sent to the server.
Altering the table rarely helps because the failure occurs before schema validation. Focus on the client-side parameter type instead.
Galaxy’s SQL editor validates parameter types against the active connection and flags mismatches early, reducing the chance of sending unsupported types.
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