Error - Invalid zero-length device name. Reissue the BACKUP statement with a valid device name.

Question

User1979860870 posted

Hi

   In below code i am getting above error

	DECLARE @path NVARCHAR(256) -- path for backup files  
	DECLARE @fileName NVARCHAR(256) -- filename for backup  
	DECLARE @fileDate NVARCHAR(20) -- used for file name
 
	-- specify database backup directory
	SET @path = 'c:\Backup\'  
	SELECT @fileDate = CONVERT(VARCHAR(20),GETDATE(),112) 
 
	BEGIN   
	   SET @fileName = @path + @name + '_' + @fileDate + '.BAK'  
	   BACKUP DATABASE Test TO DISK = @fileName  
	END   

Thanks

Answer 1

User753101303 posted

Hi,

I suspect @name (not even declared, you didn't show this part of the code?) could be NULL causing @filename to be  NULL which seems to match an error message such as an "invalid zero length device name".

Don't just read the code but also see what it does especially here as it seems the only problem could be the value stored in @filename.