Error using setBinaryStream on parameter

I have the following code tha generates the error "InputStream Null". 
Now I have done everything I could to prove to myself that it is not 
NULL.. :-)
Yet...I keep getting the error message...the full error message is

Type: com.sun.sbdc.SQLException
Message: Invalid Argument in JDBC call: input stream is NULL

I am using Build 1.9.126 and this is an HSQLDB database.

Here is the code (it is the line     "oStmt.setBinaryStream( 1, 
oInputStream, l ) "   that generates the error )

function fnInsertImage( iID as Integer, oInputStream as Object, 
oConnection as Object, iImageSize as long ) as Integer
                       
    dim sSQL as String
    dim oStmt as Object
    dim l as long
    dim aImage() as integer
   
    l = iImageSize
   
    'sSQL = "INSERT INTO " & """" & "IMAGES" & """" & " ( " _
    '        & """" & "IMGID" & """" & ", " & """" & "IMAGE" & _
    '        """" & " ) VALUES ( ?, ? ) "
    sSQL = "UPDATE IMAGES SET IMAGE = ? WHERE IMGID = ?"
   
    oStmt = oConnection.prepareStatement( sSQL )
   
    oStmt.setInt( 2, iID )
   
    'Xray.Xray oInputStream
   
    oStmt.setBinaryStream( 1, oInputStream, l )
   
    oStmt.executeUpdate
   
    fnInsertImage = 0
   
end function

Here is the code where I open the stream

function fnOpenInputStream( sFileName as String ) as object
    dim oInputStream as object
    dim sURL as String
    dim oSFA as object
    dim oInpDataStream as object
   
    sUrl = ConvertToUrl(sFileName)

    oSFA = createUNOService ("com.sun.star.ucb.SimpleFileAccess")

    oInputStream = oSFA.openFileRead(sURL)

    oInpDataStream = createUNOService ("com.sun.star.io.DataInputStream")
   
    oInpDataStream.setInputStream(oInputStream)
   
    fnOpenInputStream = oInpDataStream

end function

Now - here is something that might be the clue..If i do something like 
this inside fnOpenInputStream:

    dim aImage() as integer
    dim l as long
    l = FileLen(sFileName)   
    aImage = Array( 100 )
    oInpDataStream.readBytes( aImage(), 100  )

as a test ..it works..and the array aImage holds 100 values. 
HOWEVER...if I do this:

    dim aImage() as integer
    dim l as long
    l = FileLen(sFileName)   
    aImage = Array( l )
    oInpDataStream.readBytes( aImage(), l - 1 )

I get the error "Inadmissable value or datatype, overflow "

Any ideas what I have done wrong?

Thanks for any help or suggestions on this

Drew Jensen