I'm using ASP.NET with sql-server. I have an area where the user can enter text of a maximum amount. I encode this text as a good measure but the encoded length can be greater than this maximum amount when I try to insert it into the database.
Special characters are encoded on 3 characters. I can't show the user that he has exceeded the max amount of characters because from his perspective he hasn't. I also can't set the database field to the worst case scenario (being 3 times my max amount).
What would you do in this situation?