text type handling

Hello pgsql-jdbc--

I am working on a project where my organization would like to migrate a load of existing Oracle databases to PostgreSQL. There is a requirement, however, that we be able to continue to write reports against the databases using Crystal Reports / Crystal Enterprise. This seems to be largely possible from our Linux servers through the use of your JDBC drivers, with the one exception that postgres text datatypes appear to Crystal as String fields of length -1, which confuses the software and prohibits their use. This is particularly problematic given postgresql's proclivity for casting the results of concatenations, unions, etc. to text on-the-fly.

I see a long thread related to this topic from about a year ago here: http://archives.postgresql.org/pgsql-jdbc/2007-12/msg00145.php , but it seems to have run its course without coming to any specific conclusions. Can anyone please update me on the status of this issue? It seems a small stumbling block, but could prove to be a show-stopper if we can't get around it somehow...

Thanks,

--Ken Boss
Minnesota DNR