Use a format file to map table columns to data-file fields (SQL Server)
Applies to:
SQL Server
Azure SQL Database
Azure SQL Managed Instance
Azure Synapse Analytics
Analytics Platform System (PDW)
A data file can contain fields arranged in a different order from the corresponding columns in the table. This topic presents both non-XML and XML format files that have been modified to accommodate a data file whose fields are arranged in a different order from the table columns. The modified format file maps the data fields to their corresponding table columns. Please review Create a Format File (SQL Server) for additional information.
Note
Either a non-XML or XML format file can be used to bulk import a data file into the table by using a bcp utility command, BULK INSERT statement, or INSERT ... SELECT * FROM OPENROWSET(BULK...) statement. For more information, see Use a Format File to Bulk Import Data (SQL Server).
Note
This syntax, including bulk insert, is not supported in Azure Synapse Analytics. In Azure Synapse Analytics and other cloud database platform integrations, accomplish data movement via the COPY statement in Azure Data Factory, or by using T-SQL statements such as COPY INTO and PolyBase.
Example test conditions
The examples of modified format files in this topic are based on the table and data file defined below.
Sample table
The script below creates a test database and a table named myRemap
. Execute the following Transact-SQL in Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS):
CREATE DATABASE TestDatabase;
GO
USE TestDatabase;
CREATE TABLE myRemap
(
PersonID smallint,
FirstName varchar(25),
LastName varchar(30),
Gender char(1)
);
Sample data file
The data below presents FirstName
and LastName
in the reverse order as presented in the table myRemap
. Using Notepad, create an empty file D:\BCP\myRemap.bcp
and insert the following data:
1,Grosse,Anthony,M
2,Fatnowna,Alica,F
3,Rosenhain,Stella,F
Create the format files
To bulk import data from myRemap.bcp
into the myRemap
table, the format file must do the following:
- Map the first data field to the first column,
PersonID
. - Map the second data field to the third column,
LastName
. - Map the third data field to the second column,
FirstName
. - Map the fourth data field to the fourth column,
Gender
.
The simplest method to create the format file is by using the bcp utility. First, create a base format file from the existing table. Second, modify the base format file to reflect the actual data file.
Create a non-XML format file
Please review Non-XML Format Files (SQL Server) for detailed information. The following command will use the bcp utility to generate a non-xml format file, myRemap.fmt
, based on the schema of myRemap
. In addition, the qualifier c
is used to specify character data, t,
is used to specify a comma as a field terminator, and T
is used to specify a trusted connection using integrated security. At a command prompt, enter the following command:
bcp TestDatabase.dbo.myRemap format nul -c -f D:\BCP\myRemap.fmt -t, -T
Modify the non-XML format file
See Structure of Non-XML Format Files for terminology. Open D:\BCP\myRemap.fmt
in Notepad and perform the following modifications:
- Re-arrange the order of the format-file rows so that the rows are in the same order as the data in
myRemap.bcp
. - Ensure the host file field order values are sequential.
- Ensure there is a carriage return after the last format-file row.
Compare the changes:
Before
13.0
4
1 SQLCHAR 0 7 "," 1 PersonID ""
2 SQLCHAR 0 25 "," 2 FirstName SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS
3 SQLCHAR 0 30 "," 3 LastName SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS
4 SQLCHAR 0 1 "\r\n" 4 Gender SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS
After
13.0
4
1 SQLCHAR 0 7 "," 1 PersonID ""
2 SQLCHAR 0 30 "," 3 LastName SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS
3 SQLCHAR 0 25 "," 2 FirstName SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS
4 SQLCHAR 0 1 "\r\n" 4 Gender SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS
The modified format file now reflects:
- The first data field in
myRemap.bcp
is mapped to the first column,myRemap.. PersonID
- The second data field in
myRemap.bcp
is mapped to the third column,myRemap.. LastName
- The third data field in
myRemap.bcp
is mapped to the second column,myRemap.. FirstName
- The fourth data field in
myRemap.bcp
is mapped to the fourth column,myRemap.. Gender
Create an XML format file
Please review XML Format Files (SQL Server) for detailed information. The following command will use the bcp utility to create an xml format file, myRemap.xml
, based on the schema of myRemap
. In addition, the qualifier c
is used to specify character data, t,
is used to specify a comma as a field terminator, and T
is used to specify a trusted connection using integrated security. The x
qualifier must be used to generate an XML-based format file. At a command prompt, enter the following command:
bcp TestDatabase.dbo.myRemap format nul -c -x -f D:\BCP\myRemap.xml -t, -T
Modify the XML format file
Review Schema syntax for XML format files for terminology. Open D:\BCP\myRemap.xml
in Notepad and perform the following modifications:
- The order in which the <FIELD> elements are declared in the format file is the order in which those fields appear in the data file, thus reverse the order for the <FIELD> elements with ID attributes 2 and 3.
- Ensure the <FIELD> ID attribute values are sequential.
- The order of the <COLUMN> elements in the <ROW> element defines the order in which the bulk operation sends them to the target. The XML format file assigns each <COLUMN> element a local name that has no relationship to the column in the target table of a bulk import operation. The order of the <COLUMN> elements is independent of the order of <FIELD> elements in a <RECORD> definition. Each <COLUMN> element corresponds to a <FIELD> element (whose ID is specified in the SOURCE attribute of the <COLUMN> element). Thus, the values for <COLUMN> SOURCE are the only attributes that require revision. Reverse the order for <COLUMN> SOURCE attributes 2 and 3.
Compare the changes:
Before
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<BCPFORMAT xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sqlserver/2004/bulkload/format" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<RECORD>
<FIELD ID="1" xsi:type="CharTerm" TERMINATOR="," MAX_LENGTH="7"/>
<FIELD ID="2" xsi:type="CharTerm" TERMINATOR="," MAX_LENGTH="25" COLLATION="SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS"/>
<FIELD ID="3" xsi:type="CharTerm" TERMINATOR="," MAX_LENGTH="30" COLLATION="SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS"/>
<FIELD ID="4" xsi:type="CharTerm" TERMINATOR="\r\n" MAX_LENGTH="1" COLLATION="SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS"/>
</RECORD>
<ROW>
<COLUMN SOURCE="1" NAME="PersonID" xsi:type="SQLSMALLINT"/>
<COLUMN SOURCE="2" NAME="FirstName" xsi:type="SQLVARYCHAR"/>
<COLUMN SOURCE="3" NAME="LastName" xsi:type="SQLVARYCHAR"/>
<COLUMN SOURCE="4" NAME="Gender" xsi:type="SQLCHAR"/>
</ROW>
</BCPFORMAT>
After
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<BCPFORMAT xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sqlserver/2004/bulkload/format" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<RECORD>
<FIELD ID="1" xsi:type="CharTerm" TERMINATOR="," MAX_LENGTH="7"/>
<FIELD ID="2" xsi:type="CharTerm" TERMINATOR="," MAX_LENGTH="30" COLLATION="SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS"/>
<FIELD ID="3" xsi:type="CharTerm" TERMINATOR="," MAX_LENGTH="25" COLLATION="SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS"/>
<FIELD ID="4" xsi:type="CharTerm" TERMINATOR="\r\n" MAX_LENGTH="1" COLLATION="SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS"/>
</RECORD>
<ROW>
<COLUMN SOURCE="1" NAME="PersonID" xsi:type="SQLSMALLINT"/>
<COLUMN SOURCE="3" NAME="FirstName" xsi:type="SQLVARYCHAR"/>
<COLUMN SOURCE="2" NAME="LastName" xsi:type="SQLVARYCHAR"/>
<COLUMN SOURCE="4" NAME="Gender" xsi:type="SQLCHAR"/>
</ROW>
</BCPFORMAT>
The modified format file now reflects:
- FIELD 1, which corresponds to COLUMN 1, is mapped to the first table column,
myRemap.. PersonID
- FIELD 2, which corresponds to COLUMN 2, is re-mapped to the third table column,
myRemap.. LastName
- FIELD 3, which corresponds to COLUMN 3, is re-mapped to the second table column,
myRemap.. FirstName
- FIELD 4, which corresponds to COLUMN 4, is mapped to the fourth table column,
myRemap.. Gender
Import data with a format file to map table columns to data-file field
The examples below use the database, datafile, and format files created above.
Use bcp and non-XML format file
At a command prompt, enter the following command:
bcp TestDatabase.dbo.myRemap IN D:\BCP\myRemap.bcp -f D:\BCP\myRemap.fmt -T
Use bcp and XML format file
At a command prompt, enter the following command:
bcp TestDatabase.dbo.myRemap IN D:\BCP\myRemap.bcp -f D:\BCP\myRemap.xml -T
Use BULK INSERT and non-XML format file
Execute the following Transact-SQL in Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS):
USE TestDatabase;
GO
TRUNCATE TABLE myRemap;
BULK INSERT dbo.myRemap
FROM 'D:\BCP\myRemap.bcp'
WITH (FORMATFILE = 'D:\BCP\myRemap.fmt');
GO
-- review results
SELECT * FROM TestDatabase.dbo.myRemap;
Use BULK INSERT and XML format file
Execute the following Transact-SQL in Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS):
USE TestDatabase;
GO
TRUNCATE TABLE myRemap;
BULK INSERT dbo.myRemap
FROM 'D:\BCP\myRemap.bcp'
WITH (FORMATFILE = 'D:\BCP\myRemap.xml');
GO
-- review results
SELECT * FROM TestDatabase.dbo.myRemap;
Use OPENROWSET(BULK...) and non-XML format file
Execute the following Transact-SQL in Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS):
USE TestDatabase;
GO
TRUNCATE TABLE myRemap;
INSERT INTO dbo.myRemap
SELECT *
FROM OPENROWSET (
BULK 'D:\BCP\myRemap.bcp',
FORMATFILE = 'D:\BCP\myRemap.fmt'
) AS t1;
GO
-- review results
SELECT * FROM TestDatabase.dbo.myRemap;
Use OPENROWSET(BULK...) and XML format file
Execute the following Transact-SQL in Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS):
USE TestDatabase;
GO
TRUNCATE TABLE myRemap;
INSERT INTO dbo.myRemap
SELECT *
FROM OPENROWSET (
BULK 'D:\BCP\myRemap.bcp',
FORMATFILE = 'D:\BCP\myRemap.xml'
) AS t1;
GO
-- review results
SELECT * FROM TestDatabase.dbo.myRemap;