Load a fixed length file into SQL 7.0 no delimiters

[sandra64]

I have a file and the columns are of fixed length (cobol format). There are no delimiters in the file and I need to take it into SQL. I've looked at bulk insert but this needs you to specify the delimiter.

I could copy it somewhere and edit it to insert delimiters but I don't really want to do that.

If anyone can help it would be much appreciated.

cheers

 

[LFCfan]

Hi
bulk insert is actually the best way (although you can use DTS as well - DTS lets you choose between delimited and fixed length text files)

check out format files in BOL. You can definitely use it with fixed length files

BULK INSERT <tablename> FROM <filepath> WITH (FORMATFILE = <formatfilepath>)

Hope this helps
LFCfan

 

[leveyp]

If your file is just one long string then why not 'parse' it with substring functions and cast numbers to numeric fields