When working with SQL Loader, it’s important to understand the various data types and formats that can be used to load data into an Oracle database. In this blog post, we will explore the different data types supported by SQL Loader and how to specify the format of data.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Data Types
   • Character Data Types
   • Numeric Data Types
   • Date and Time Data Types
   • Binary Data Types
3. Data Formats

Introduction

SQL Loader is a utility provided by Oracle that allows for efficient loading of data from external files into tables in an Oracle database. It supports various data types and formats to accommodate different data sources and requirements.

Data Types

SQL Loader supports a wide range of data types, including character, numeric, date and time, and binary data types. Let’s take a closer look at each of these data types.

Character Data Types

• CHAR - Fixed-length character data.
• VARCHAR - Variable-length character data.
• VARCHAR2 - Variable-length character data with a maximum length of 4000 bytes.
• LONG - Variable-length character data with a maximum length of 2GB. Deprecated, use CLOB instead.
• CLOB - Character large object for storing large character data.

Numeric Data Types

• NUMBER - Numeric data with variable precision and scale.
• INTEGER - Whole numbers between -2,147,483,648 and 2,147,483,647.
• FLOAT - Approximate numeric data with variable precision.
• DOUBLE PRECISION - Double-precision floating-point numbers.

Date and Time Data Types

• DATE - Dates and times ranging from January 1, 4712 BC to December 31, 4712 AD.
• TIMESTAMP - Date and time with fractional seconds.
• INTERVAL - Time intervals such as days, hours, minutes, and seconds.

Binary Data Types

• BLOB - Binary large object for storing large binary data.
• RAW - Fixed-length binary data.
• LONG RAW - Deprecated, use BLOB instead.

Data Formats

In addition to specifying data types, SQL Loader also allows you to specify the format of the data being loaded. This is especially useful when dealing with non-standard date and time formats or custom numeric formats.

For example, you can use the DATE_FORMAT clause to specify the format of date data being loaded. Similarly, you can use the DECIMAL_POINT and THOUSANDS_SEPARATOR clauses to specify the decimal point and thousands separator for numeric data.

By understanding the different data types and formats supported by SQL Loader, you can effectively load data into an Oracle database while ensuring data integrity and accuracy.

I hope you found this guide helpful in understanding the data types and formats in SQL Loader. Stay tuned for more informative blog posts!

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