folks my table CREATE TABLE pblfield ( id_ integer NOT NULL, value_field bytea, name character varying(128), osset integer, length integer, version_ integer, inst_class_ character varying(128), CONSTRAINT pblfield_pkey PRIMARY KEY (id_) ) insert into pblfield( id_ , value_field ) values( 1 , encode(E'\\000\\001', 'escape') ) ; insert into pblfield( id_ , value_field ) values( 2 , encode(E'\\000\\002', 'escape') ) ; etc... now, i want to recover value_field in text form some thing like.. select id_ , decode(value_field) from pblfield ; WRONG WRONG ... decode has text parameter ...!!!!! Ok ,next try . select id_ , decode(value_field ::text ) from pblfield. WRONG WRONG ... bytea not cast to string ...!!!!! so, how do that ??? I think solution is: CREATE TABLE pblfield ( id_ integer NOT NULL, value_field text , /*!!!! here text field */ name character varying(128), osset integer, length integer, version_ integer, inst_class_ character varying(128), CONSTRAINT pblfield_pkey PRIMARY KEY (id_) ) insert into pblfield( id_ , value_field ) values( 1 , encode('\\000\\001', 'escape')::text ) ; insert into pblfield( id_ , value_field ) values( 2 , encode(E'\\000\\002', 'escape') ::text ) ; select id_ , value_field from pblfield ; works and select id_ , decode(value_field ,'escaped' ) from pblfield ; works too!!! folks thanks for your time and responses. best regards Last cuestion , when bytea field ( type) is usable? for storage to external files??? __________________________________________________ Preguntá. Respondé. Descubrí. Todo lo que querías saber, y lo que ni imaginabas, está en Yahoo! Respuestas (Beta). ¡Probalo ya! http://www.yahoo.com.ar/respuestas