title: SQL Loader with utf8
body: <p>I am getting following error while loading Japanese data using SQL*Loader. My Database is UTF8 (NLS parameters) and my OS supports UTF8.</p>
  
  <pre><code>Record 5: Rejected - Error on table ACTIVITY_FACT, column METADATA.
  ORA-12899: value too large for column METADATA (actual: 2624, maximum: 3500)
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>My Control file:</p>
  
  <pre><code>load data
  characterset UTF8
  infile '../tab_files/activity_fact.csv' "STR ';'"
  APPEND
  into tableactivity_fact
  fields terminated by ',' optionally enclosed by '~'
  TRAILING NULLCOLS
  (metadata CHAR(3500))
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>My table</p>
  
  <pre><code>create table actvuty_facr{
  metadata varchar2(3500 char)
  }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Why SQL Loader is throwing the wrong exception, <code>(actual: 2624, maximum: 3500)</code>. 2624 is less than 3500.</p>