Bug #34052 Patch http://lists.mysql.com/commits/37203 for Bug#27959 needs better docs.
Submitted: 25 Jan 2008 9:09 Modified: 15 Jul 2008 16:10
Reporter: Tonci Grgin Email Updates:
Status: Closed Impact on me:
None 
Category:Connector / NET Documentation Severity:S2 (Serious)
Version: OS:Any
Assigned to: MC Brown CPU Architecture:Any

[25 Jan 2008 9:09] Tonci Grgin 
Description:
Looking into patch source one can see a problem as reporter described in last comment in Bug#27959: "GetValue() on a field tinyint(1) returning a Boolean is causing a bug in our software where we expect an int object returned."

Part of patch:
         public IMySqlValue GetValueObject()
         {
-            return GetIMySqlValue(Type);
+            IMySqlValue v = GetIMySqlValue(Type);
+            if (v is MySqlByte && ColumnLength == 1)
+            {
+                MySqlByte b = (MySqlByte)v;
+                b.TreatAsBoolean = true;
+                v = b;
+            }
+            return v;
         }

How to repeat:
mysql> CREATE TABLE bug27959 (f_bool BOOLEAN);
Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.09 sec)

mysql> SHOW CREATE TABLE bug27959\G
*************************** 1. row ***************************
       Table: bug27959
Create Table: CREATE TABLE `bug27959` (
  `f_bool` tinyint(1) default NULL
) ENGINE=MyISAM DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8
1 row in set (0.00 sec)

and

mysql> CREATE TABLE bug27959_1 (f_tint TINYINT(1));
Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.05 sec)

mysql> SHOW CREATE TABLE bug27959_1\G
*************************** 1. row ***************************
       Table: bug27959_1
Create Table: CREATE TABLE `bug27959_1` (
  `f_tint` tinyint(1) default NULL
) ENGINE=MyISAM DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8
1 row in set (0.00 sec)

Suggested fix:
Please modify the patch and/or add a note to manual that TINYINT fields should be defined at least as TINYINT(2) so not to be treated as BOOLEAN fields (explicitly).
[25 Jan 2008 9:21] Tonci Grgin 
After considering http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/numeric-type-overview.html I've decided that it would be enough for MC to add link from c/NET pages to the above one along with previously proposed text. Changing the synopsis.
[6 Feb 2008 18:29] Bugs System 
A patch for this bug has been committed. After review, it may
be pushed to the relevant source trees for release in the next
version. You can access the patch from:

  http://lists.mysql.com/commits/41806
[6 Feb 2008 18:30] Reggie Burnett 
Fixed in 5.1.5 and 5.2+
[15 Jul 2008 16:10] Tony Bedford 
The .NET connector documentation has been updated to include the new 'Treat Tiny As Boolean' connection string option.

An entry has also been added to the 5.1.5 and 5.2.0 changelogs:

Performing GetValue() on a field TINYINT(1) returned a BOOLEAN. While not a bug, this caused problems in software that expected an INT to be returned. A new connection string option Treat Tiny As Boolean has been added with a default value of true. If set to false the provider will treat TINYINT(1) as INT.