Oracle SQL*Loader FAQ
$Date: 03-May-2003 $
$Revision: 1.28 $
$Author: Frank Naudé $
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What is SQL*Loader and what is it used for?
SQL*Loader is a bulk loader utility used for moving data from external files
into the Oracle database. Its syntax is similar to that of the DB2 Load utility,
but comes with more options. SQL*Loader supports various load formats, selective
loading, and multi-table loads.
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How does one use the SQL*Loader utility?
One can load data into an Oracle database by using the
sqlldr (sqlload on some platforms) utility.
Invoke the utility without arguments to get a list of available parameters.
Look at the following example:
sqlldr scott/tiger control=loader.ctl
This sample control file (loader.ctl) will load an
external data file containing delimited data:
load data
infile 'c:\data\mydata.csv'
into table emp
fields terminated by "," optionally enclosed by '"'
( empno, empname, sal, deptno )
The mydata.csv file may look like this:
10001,"Scott Tiger", 1000, 40
10002,"Frank Naude", 500, 20
Another Sample control file with in-line data formatted as fix length
records. The trick is to specify "*" as the name of the data file, and
use BEGINDATA to start the data section in the control file.
load data
infile *
replace
into table departments
( dept position (02:05) char(4),
deptname position (08:27) char(20)
)
begindata
COSC COMPUTER SCIENCE
ENGL ENGLISH LITERATURE
MATH MATHEMATICS
POLY POLITICAL SCIENCE
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Is there a SQL*Unloader to download data to a flat file?
Oracle does not supply any data unload utilities. However, you can use SQL*Plus to
select and format your data and then spool it to a file:
set echo off newpage 0 space 0 pagesize 0 feed off head off trimspool on
spool oradata.txt
select col1 || ',' || col2 || ',' || col3
from tab1
where col2 = 'XYZ';
spool off
Alternatively use the UTL_FILE PL/SQL package:
rem Remember to update initSID.ora, utl_file_dir='c:\oradata' parameter
declare
fp utl_file.file_type;
begin
fp := utl_file.fopen('c:\oradata','tab1.txt','w');
utl_file.putf(fp, '%s, %s\n', 'TextField', 55);
utl_file.fclose(fp);
end;
/
You might also want to investigate third party tools
like SQLWays from Ispirer Systems, TOAD from Quest, or ManageIT Fast Unloader from CA to help you unload data from Oracle.
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Can one load variable and fix length data records?
Yes, look at the following control file examples.
In the first we will load delimited data (variable length):
LOAD DATA
INFILE *
INTO TABLE load_delimited_data
FIELDS TERMINATED BY "," OPTIONALLY ENCLOSED BY '"'
TRAILING NULLCOLS
( data1,
data2
)
BEGINDATA
11111,AAAAAAAAAA
22222,"A,B,C,D,"
If you need to load positional data (fixed length), look at the following control file example:
LOAD DATA
INFILE *
INTO TABLE load_positional_data
( data1 POSITION(1:5),
data2 POSITION(6:15)
)
BEGINDATA
11111AAAAAAAAAA
22222BBBBBBBBBB
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Can one skip header records load while loading?
Use the "SKIP n" keyword, where n = number of logical rows to skip. Look
at this example:
LOAD DATA
INFILE *
INTO TABLE load_positional_data
SKIP 5
( data1 POSITION(1:5),
data2 POSITION(6:15)
)
BEGINDATA
11111AAAAAAAAAA
22222BBBBBBBBBB
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Can one modify data as it loads into the database?
Data can be modified as it loads into the Oracle Database. Note that this only
applies for the conventional load path and not for direct path loads.
LOAD DATA
INFILE *
INTO TABLE modified_data
( rec_no "my_db_sequence.nextval",
region CONSTANT '31',
time_loaded "to_char(SYSDATE, 'HH24:MI')",
data1 POSITION(1:5) ":data1/100",
data2 POSITION(6:15) "upper(:data2)",
data3 POSITION(16:22)"to_date(:data3, 'YYMMDD')"
)
BEGINDATA
11111AAAAAAAAAA991201
22222BBBBBBBBBB990112
LOAD DATA
INFILE 'mail_orders.txt'
BADFILE 'bad_orders.txt'
APPEND
INTO TABLE mailing_list
FIELDS TERMINATED BY ","
( addr,
city,
state,
zipcode,
mailing_addr "decode(:mailing_addr, null, :addr, :mailing_addr)",
mailing_city "decode(:mailing_city, null, :city, :mailing_city)",
mailing_state
)
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Can one load data into multiple tables at once?
Look at the following control file:
LOAD DATA
INFILE *
REPLACE
INTO TABLE emp
WHEN empno != ' '
( empno POSITION(1:4) INTEGER EXTERNAL,
ename POSITION(6:15) CHAR,
deptno POSITION(17:18) CHAR,
mgr POSITION(20:23) INTEGER EXTERNAL
)
INTO TABLE proj
WHEN projno != ' '
( projno POSITION(25:27) INTEGER EXTERNAL,
empno POSITION(1:4) INTEGER EXTERNAL
)
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Can one selectively load only the records that one need?
Look at this example, (01) is the first character, (30:37) are characters 30 to 37:
LOAD DATA
INFILE 'mydata.dat' BADFILE 'mydata.bad' DISCARDFILE 'mydata.dis'
APPEND
INTO TABLE my_selective_table
WHEN (01) <> 'H' and (01) <> 'T' and (30:37) = '19991217'
(
region CONSTANT '31',
service_key POSITION(01:11) INTEGER EXTERNAL,
call_b_no POSITION(12:29) CHAR
)
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Can one skip certain columns while loading data?
One cannot use POSTION(x:y) with delimited data. Luckily, from Oracle 8i one
can specify FILLER columns. FILLER columns are used to skip columns/fields in
the load file, ignoring fields that one does not want. Look at this example:
LOAD DATA
TRUNCATE INTO TABLE T1
FIELDS TERMINATED BY ','
( field1,
field2 FILLER,
field3
)
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How does one load multi-line records?
One can create one logical record from multiple physical records using one
of the following two clauses:
- CONCATENATE: -
use when SQL*Loader should combine the same number of physical records
together to form one logical record.
- CONTINUEIF -
use if a condition indicates that multiple records should be treated as one.
Eg. by having a '#' character in column 1.
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How can get SQL*Loader to COMMIT only at the end of the load file?
One cannot, but by setting the ROWS= parameter to a large value,
committing can be reduced. Make sure you have big rollback segments ready
when you use a high value for ROWS=.
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Can one improve the performance of SQL*Loader?
- A very simple but easily overlooked hint is not to have any indexes and/or
constraints (primary key) on your load tables during the load process.
This will significantly slow down load times even with ROWS= set to a
high value.
- Add the following option in the command line: DIRECT=TRUE. This will
effectively bypass most of the RDBMS processing. However, there are
cases when you can't use direct load. Refer to chapter 8 on
Oracle server Utilities manual.
- Turn off database logging by specifying the UNRECOVERABLE option.
This option can only be used with direct data loads.
- Run multiple load jobs concurrently.
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What is the difference between the conventional and direct path loader?
The conventional path loader essentially loads the data by using standard
INSERT statements. The direct path loader (DIRECT=TRUE) bypasses much of the
logic involved with that, and loads directly into the Oracle data files. More
information about the restrictions of direct path loading can be obtained from
the Utilities Users Guide.
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Where can one get more info about SQL*Loader?
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