Re: Need help: Updating databases with imp

Inline

Hauke Zuehl wrote:

> Hello folks!
>
> I have to update an existing database during night time. To do this I
> download the dump-File from an external server and import the file into
> the database running on our server.

What is in the dump from the external server? All your data, or just some updates with perhaps some new rows?

>
>
> Let's say there is a table with a primary key and a value e.g. article
> number and a describing text.
> Now the article in our database is existing but there is a typo which
> was corrected and stored in the dump file. After importing the file the
> wrong article should be corrected.

What is corrected? The primary key value, or the text?

>
> What is the parameter list for imp to do this or do I have to delete
> the table first?
>
> I read something about "IGNORE=Y" but is this really the right way?
>
> I hope you understood what my problem is and you have a hint for me :)
>
> Oh, btw: We are running Oracle 8.1.5 on a RedHat Linux system.
>
> Thanks and regards,
> Hauke
>
> Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> Before you buy.

Apart from what Bert-Jan already stated, it is not clear what your dump contains. If all the data is there, drop the tables, and the import process will re-create them. With all the data, that is in your (external) dump, so your article is corrected (no matter where the typo was).
If the dump contains updates, and possibly some additions, load it into a new table, and use a procedure to handle the updates/additions.

Oh, and when you don't approve of the storage options in the external dump, you can truncate your tables, instead of dropping them. You may want to use the 'ignore=y' in that case... Only if you can drop your tables, that is, of course.

--
Gtrz,

Frank van Bortel