Getting Started with SAND CDBMS: Using SAND CDBMS
Loading Data into Tables Using the SAND CDBMS Data Loader

Introduction to Data Loading

Data can be imported into SAND database tables either by means of individual SQL INSERT commands (each inserting one row of data), or using the SAND CDBMS bulk load utility (ndlm). This page describes how to use ndlm to import data from an ASCII text flat file into a SAND database, according to instructions contained in a load specification script.

Prerequisites

1. In order to use the ndlm utility, the user must possess privileges that confer the ability to query and insert into the target database table.
   
   
2. In order for ndlm to start a load transaction, all non-ndlm clients must disconnect from the database instance (the -u flag can be included in the ndlm invocation to automatically disconnect all non-ndlm clients).
   
   
3. ndlm will not load data into a table on which PRIMARY KEY, FOREIGN KEY, or UNIQUE constraints have been defined. If the table is new, constraints can be added after the load with an ALTER TABLE...ADD CONSTRAINT statement; in the case of existing constraints, they should be dropped with an ALTER TABLE...DROP CONSTRAINT statement before the import, then restored when the process is complete.

Notes

• ndlm can be used to import data into database instances under the control of the Octopus workload manager. For details, consult the Octopus Administrator's Guide.
  
  
• ndlm also supports the importing of data directly from ODBC data sources. For more information about the ndlm ODBCIMPORT command, consult the SAND CDBMS Tools Reference Guide.

Topics:

• Setting Up the Data Load with the Load Specification Script
  • The Import Command
  • The Record Specification
  • The Map Specification
  • Load Options: Specifying Indicators for Null or "Empty" Values
  • Load Options: Specifying Portions of the Input File for Processing
  • Advanced Load Options: Verifying and Filtering Data with the PIC Clause
  • Advanced Load Options: Analyzing and Manipulating Data with NDL++ Expressions
    
• Load Specification Script Examples
• Running the SAND CDBMS Data Loader (ndlm)
• Data Loading Tips

see also
Server Tools Reference Guide: Importing Data with ndlm