Error: unable to retrieve column information from the data source

Question

Hi,
I am trying to set up a data flow task. The source is "SQL Command" which is
a stored procedure. The proc has a few temp tables that it outputs the final
resultset from. When I hit preview in the ole db source editor, I see the
right output. When I select the "Columns" tab on the right, the "Available
External Column List" is empty. Why don't the column names appear? What is
the work around to get the column mappings to work b/w source and
destination in this scenario.
In DTS previously, you could "fool" the package by first compiling the
stored procedure with hardcoded column names and dummy values, creating and
saving the package and finally changing the procedure back to the actual
output. As long as the columns remained the same, all would work.
Thats not working for me in SSIS.
Thanks in advance.
Asim.

Answer 1

I had a similar problem retrieving column information when calling a stored procedure which returned a table declared as a variable within the procedure. I used "Command SQL" as data access within the OLE DB Source Editor, and "exec <sproc_name> <param_list>" as text for the SQL command.
After a few trials and errors, I noticed when I removed the IF statement that validated the parameter passed to the sproc it worked, i.e. SSIS could retrieve the column information, otherwise it wouldn't.  Is it because of the IF, the BEGIN/END, or the RETURN? I do not know as I did not test further, but by removing the entire instruction block pasted below, it worked. Hope that it helps.
    if @Reel_Ou_Budgete not in ('B', 'R')
    begin
        print 'Le paramètre de cette procédure stockée doit être B ou R.'
        return -1
    end