The document discusses format files in SQL Server, which store formatting information needed to bulk import or export data between a data file and database table. Format files are required when the data file and table schemas differ, such as having different column orders or a mismatched number of fields and columns. The document describes creating XML and non-XML format files using the bcp utility and includes details on format file structure and data type mappings.

1. Jason

2. Fomat File
 When you bulk import data into a table or
bulk export data from a table, you can use
a format file to store all the format
information that is required to bulk export or
bulk import data.

3. When Is a Format File
Required?
 The same data file is used as a source for
multiple tables that have different schemas.
 The column order is different for the data file
and table.
 The data file has a different number of fields
that the target table has columns

4. Process
Source Format TempData
DB File .dat
Temp
Format Target
Data.d
File Data
at

5. Types of format files
Supports two types of format files:
XML formats
non-XML format

6. Create Fomat File
 Non-Xml
bcp table_or_view format nul - f
format_file_name
 Xml
bcp table_or_view format nul - f
format_file_name -x

7. Non-XML format files

8. XML format files
<BCPFORMAT ...>
<RECORD>
<FIELD ID = "fieldID" xsi:type = "fieldType" [...]
/>
</RECORD>
<ROW>
<COLUMN SOURCE = "fieldID" NAME = "columnName" xsi:type =
"columnType" [...]
/>
</ROW>
</BCPFORMAT>

9. XML format <FIELD>
<FIELD
ID ="fieldID"
xsi:type ="fieldType"
[ LENGTH ="n" ]
[ PREFIX_LENGTH ="p" ]
[ MAX_LENGTH ="m" ]
[ COLLATION ="collationName" ]
[ TERMINATOR ="terminator" ]
/>

10. XML format <COLUMN>
<COLUMN
SOURCE = "fieldID"
NAME = "columnName"
xsi:type = "columnType"
[ LENGTH = "n" ]
[ PRECISION = "n" ]
[ SCALE = "value" ]
[ NULLABLE = { "YES“ ,"NO" } ]
/>

11. Xsi:type values of the
<FIELD>
Required XML Attribute(s) Optional XML Attribute(s)
<FIELD> xsi:type values
for Data Type for Data Type
NativeFixed LENGTH None.
NativePrefix PREFIX_LENGTH MAX_LENGTH
CharFixed LENGTH COLLATION
NCharFixed LENGTH COLLATION
CharPrefix PREFIX_LENGTH MAX_LENGTH, COLLATION
NCharPrefix PREFIX_LENGTH MAX_LENGTH, COLLATION
CharTerm TERMINATOR MAX_LENGTH, COLLATION
NCharTerm TERMINATOR MAX_LENGTH, COLLATION

12. Xsi:type values of the
<COLUMN> Required XML
Optional XML Attribute(s)
Type Category <COLUMN> Data Types Attribute(s)
for Data Type
for Data Type
Fixed SQLBIT, SQLTINYINT, SQLSMAL None. NULLABLE
LINT, SQLINT, SQLBIGINT, SQLF
LT4, SQLFLT8, SQLDATETIME, S
QLDATETIM4,SQLDATETIM8, SQ
LMONEY, SQLMONEY4, SQLVA
RIANT, and SQLUNIQUEID
Variable Number SQLDECIMAL and SQLNUMERIC None. NULLABLE, PRECISION,
SCALE
LOB SQLIMAGE, CharLOB, SQLTEXT, None. NULLABLE
and SQLUDT
Character LOB SQLNTEXT None. NULLABLE
Binary string SQLBINARY and SQLVARYBIN None. NULLABLE, LENGTH
Character string SQLCHAR, SQLVARYCHAR, SQ None. NULLABLE, LENGTH
LNCHAR, and SQLNVARCHAR

13. Reference
 Non-XML Format Files
 http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms191479.aspx
 XML Format Files
 http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms187833.aspx
 Create a Format File
 http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms191516.aspx