Importing text files
Author Nigel Rivett
Author Nigel Rivett
This process will import text files that arrive in a directory into a table. It will process every file in the directory with the correct filemask and move the file to an archive directory on completion. It can be used in conjunction with an ftpget SP to import files from a ftp server (see ftp). /* Create the directories c:/Transfer/Archive/ Create these text files in c:/transfer/ bcp1.txt aaammm0120030101 bbbnnn0220030102 cccooo0320030103 bcp2.txt abcxyz5320030104 defhhh1020030105 cdezzz1120030106 fsajku9920030107 Create the table create table BCPData ( fld1 varchar(20) , fld2 varchar(20) , fld3 int , fld4 datetime ) Now run the import exec ImportFiles 'c:/Transfer/' , 'c:/Transfer/Archive/' , 'bcp*.txt', 'MergeBCPData' You can now move the files back from the archive directory to the transfer directory and import again. If this SP call is scheduled then it will import and archive any files that arrive in the transfer directory with the corect file mask. Enhancements The import should be logged to a table in ImportFiles The filename should have the datetime appended to it when archived if you wish to be able to import files with the same name The MergeData SP should log the number of records imported */ if exists (select * from dbo.sysobjects where id = object_id(N'[dbo].[ImportFiles]') and OBJECTPROPERTY(id, N'IsProcedure') = 1) drop procedure [dbo].[ImportFiles] GO create procedure ImportFiles @FilePath varchar(1000) = 'c:/Transfer/' , @ArchivePath varchar(1000) = 'c:/Transfer/Archive/' , @FileNameMask varchar(1000) = 'bcp*.txt' , @MergeProc varchar(128) = 'MergeBCPData' AS set nocount on declare @ImportDate datetime select @ImportDate = getdate() declare @FileName varchar(1000) , @File varchar(1000) declare @cmd varchar(2000) create table ##Import (s varchar(8000)) create table #Dir (s varchar(8000)) /*****************************************************************/ -- Import file /*****************************************************************/ select @cmd = 'dir /B ' + @FilePath + @FileNameMask delete #Dir insert #Dir exec master..xp_cmdshell @cmd delete #Dir where s is null or s like '%not found%' while exists (select * from #Dir) begin select @FileName = min(s) from #Dir select @File = @FilePath + @FileName select @cmd = 'bulk insert' select @cmd = @cmd + ' ##Import' select @cmd = @cmd + ' from' select @cmd = @cmd + ' ''' + replace(@File,'"','') + '''' select @cmd = @cmd + ' with (FIELDTERMINATOR=''|''' select @cmd = @cmd + ',ROWTERMINATOR = ''' + char(10) + ''')' truncate table ##Import -- import the data exec (@cmd) -- remove filename just imported delete #Dir where s = @FileName exec @MergeProc -- Archive the file select @cmd = 'move ' + @FilePath + @FileName + ' ' + @ArchivePath + @FileName exec master..xp_cmdshell @cmd end drop table ##Import drop table #Dir go if exists (select * from dbo.sysobjects where id = object_id(N'[dbo].[MergeBCPData]') and OBJECTPROPERTY(id, N'IsProcedure') = 1) drop procedure [dbo].[MergeBCPData] GO create procedure MergeBCPData AS set nocount on -- insert data to production table insert BCPData ( fld1 , fld2 , fld3 , fld4 ) select fld1 = substring(s,1,3) , fld2 = substring(s,4,3) , fld3 = convert(int,substring(s,7,2)) , fld4 = convert(datetime,substring(s,9,8)) from ##Import go