Re: tool to import flat file into table but not sql loader

From: Sybrand Bakker <postbus_at_sybrandb.demon.nl>
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2001 00:08:26 +0200
Message-ID: <tduob3r1bms807_at_beta-news.demon.nl>


[Quoted] Your assertion with respect sql*loader compared to your so-called 'easy' tool is incorrect. If you have appropiate delimiters in the ascii file and you enclose text in double quotes, you only have to know which columns are integers!
What you want already exists in Access (just hook the flat file using ODBC and attach the associated Oracle table using ODBC) but the drawback with respect to this is the ODBC text driver frequently makes incorrect assumptions about the datatypes provided. So what you call 'easy' I call definitely much less robust and lacking direct load capability.
There are many tools out there who can do it, I already mentioned Access, Toad can do it, for another separate tool there simply is no market.

Regards,

Sybrand Bakker, Oracle DBA

"bonminh Lam" <no_spam_at_bmlam.de> wrote in message news:3ADF644D.1BDE56D_at_bmlam.de...
> Hi, I wonder if there are freeware or commercial tools that just do
> something pretty simple: suppose you get a flat file with with values
> for n columns like:
>
> A 134 2001.04.04
> BDF 1334 2001.04.03
> BDA 234 2001.03.30
>
> And know you want to insert the rows into a table called T1 which has
> columns c1, c2, c3
>
> And suppose you set up a control file which says field 1 in the file
> corresponds to C3, field 2 to C1 and so on. The control file also says
> the table name is T1 and the instance is ORCL. It would also say what
> are the field separators - in the example above, they are simple tabs.
>
> I have chosen this example with abstract table and column names because
> they just represent one of many real life requirements. All I want to
> achieve with these two files - the flat file and the control file - is
> to build insert statements for the target tables and insert the rows.
>
> You see my point is, though SQL loader is a very powerful tool for
> loading data, it has a drawback in the sense that user has to be at
> least able to set up the loader control file which is not a trivial task
> and has to have knowledge of the table structure, i.e, data types of
> each column. The ideal tool I have in mind is much more limited in
> functionality but all the more simple to use: you just need to know your
> target table name the column name for your fields and the rest should be
> taken care of.
>
> From there it would be a small step to have a GUI on top.
>
> So I wonder what is already out there that is close to the sketched
> requirements and that is not an overkill (in terms of prices and
> functionality).
>
> Thanks
>
> --
> To reply to me directly, please mail to: bmlam at online dot de
Received on Fri Apr 20 2001 - 00:08:26 CEST

Original text of this message