SQL Loader is a command-line tool provided by Oracle that allows you to load data from a flat file into an Oracle database. It provides a flexible and efficient way to load large volumes of data quickly and easily.

In this blog post, we will explore the process of using SQL Loader to load data from a flat file into an Oracle database table.

Table of Contents

• Prerequisites
• Creating the Control File
• Loading the Data
• Conclusion

Prerequisites

Before we begin, make sure you have the following prerequisites in place:

• Access to an Oracle database
• A flat file containing the data you want to load
• Basic knowledge of SQL Loader syntax

Creating the Control File

The first step is to create a control file, which specifies the format of the data file and how it should be loaded into the database table.

Here is an example of a control file:

LOAD DATA
INFILE 'data.csv'
INTO TABLE employees
FIELDS TERMINATED BY ','
TRAILING NULLCOLS
(
  employee_id  INTEGER EXTERNAL,
  first_name   CHAR(20),
  last_name    CHAR(25),
  hire_date    DATE "DD-MON-YY",
  salary       DECIMAL EXTERNAL
)

In the control file, we specify the name of the data file (data.csv), the target table (employees), and the format of each column in the table.

Loading the Data

Once the control file is ready, we can proceed to load the data into the database using SQL Loader.

Here is the command to run SQL Loader:

sqlldr username/password@database control=control.ctl log=log.log

Replace username, password, and database with your actual database credentials. Specify the name of the control file using the control parameter, and optionally provide a log file name using the log parameter.

After executing the above command, SQL Loader will read the data file and load its contents into the specified table. It will generate a log file containing information about the loading process, including any errors encountered.

Conclusion

Using SQL Loader, you can easily load data from a flat file into an Oracle database table. It provides a powerful and efficient way to handle large volumes of data quickly.

In this blog post, we covered the basics of using SQL Loader, including creating a control file and loading the data. Now you can leverage SQL Loader to efficiently load data from flat files into your Oracle database. Happy loading!

#database #SQLLoader