今天最火軟件站小編在寫一個PHP小東西的時候遇到了一個問題，設計數據庫類型的時候提示：xxxx used in key specification without a key length，百思不得其解，後來在網上找到關於這個問題的答案。
原來Mysql數據庫對於BLOB/TEXT這樣類型的數據結構只能索引前N個字符。所以這樣的數據類型不能作為主鍵，也不能是UNIQUE的。所以要換成VARCH,但是VARCHAR類型的大小也不能大於255，當VARCHAR類型的字段大小如果大於255的時候也會轉換成小的TEXT來處理。所以也同樣有問題。
官方的英文解釋如下：
- The error happens because MySQL can index only the first N chars of a BLOB or TEXT column. So The error mainly happen when there is a field/column type of TEXT or BLOB or those belongs to TEXT or BLOB types such as TINYBLOB, MEDIUMBLOB, LONGBLOB, TINYTEXT, MEDIUMTEXT, and LONGTEXT that you try to make as primary key or index. With full BLOB or TEXT without the length value, MySQL is unable to guarantee the uniqueness of the column as it’s of variable and dynamic size. So, when using BLOB or TEXT types as index, the value of N must be supplied so that MySQL can determine the key length. However, MySQL doesn’t support a key length limit on TEXT or BLOB. TEXT(88) simply won’t work.
- The error will also pop up when you try to convert a table column from non-TEXT and non-BLOB type such as VARCHAR and ENUM into TEXT or BLOB type, with the column already been defined as unique constraints or index. The Alter Table SQL command will fail.
- The solution to the problem is to remove the TEXT or BLOB column from the index or unique constraint, or set another field as primary key. If you can’t do that, and wanting to place a limit on the TEXT or BLOB column, try to use VARCHAR type and place a limit of length on it. By default, VARCHAR is limited to a maximum of 255 characters and its limit must be specified implicitly within a bracket right after its declaration, i.e VARCHAR(200) will limit it to 200 characters long only.
- Sometimes, even though you don’t use TEXT or BLOB related type in your table, the Error 1170 may also appear. It happens in situation such as when you specify VARCHAR column as primary key, but wrongly set its length or characters size. VARCHAR can only accepts up to 256 characters, so anything such as VARCHAR(512) will force MySQL to auto-convert the VARCHAR(512) to a SMALLTEXT datatype, which subsequently fail with error 1170 on key length if the column is used as primary key or unique or non-
