SQL*Loader

Oracle SQL*Loader

Oracle SQL*Loader is a bulk loader utility used for moving data from external files into the Oracle database. It supports various load formats, selective loading, and multi-table loads. Invoking the utility (sqlldr.exe) without arguments will list all parameters.

Let's say we would like to import the information from the file departments.txt into our DEPARTMENTS table. Before you run SQL*Loader make sure the target table alredy exists:

Name                Null?    Type
------------------- -------- -------------------------
CODE                         NOT NULL VARCHAR2(10)
NAME                         NOT NULL VARCHAR2(64)

A typical SQL*Loader call might look something like this:

sqlldr username/pasword@host control=loader.ctl

where the loader.ctl looks like this:

LOAD DATA
    INFILE 'departments.txt'
        TRUNCATE
        INTO TABLE departments
            FIELDS TERMINATED BY "," OPTIONALLY ENCLOSED BY '"'             
            ( CODE, NAME )

Useful links for SQL*Plus: