Error trying to translate MySQL.longblob field into local file

vfp9sp2

screenshot: https://www.screencast.com/t/eY3GYNm4yu

I'm writing a new "self-updating" logic to check a table repository for a later version. Table is MySQL (MariaDB actually, version 10.0.30-MariaDB-0+deb8u2). Field in Setups table is called oSetup and it's a LongBlob field. I inserted my Inno installer setup (update) exe file in the MySQL table via FILETOSTR(myupdate.exe). However, when my "check for update" code runs, I grab the record conditionally and then try to do a STRTOFILE(..) but it fails since oSetup came into my cursor as a General field. Would CAST be my solution here?

tia, --Mike