Want to update data from TXT (“;” semicolon delimited text) file to SQL Server ?
Using File To DB, a native GUI tool for Windows, MacOS, and Linux, you can update data from TXT (“;” semicolon delimited text) file to SQL Server easily and fast.
- Can run in GUI mode, Step by Step, just a few mouse clicks.
- Can run in Command line, for Scheduled Tasks and Streams.
- Convert locally and securely, avoid uploading large or private TXT file(s) to online services.
Update data from TXT (“;” semicolon delimited text) file to SQL Server
Login to SQL Server -> Choose TXT file -> Set SQL Server table -> Update TXT to SQL Server
Choose SQL Server and logon.
Click “Wizard – 1 File To 1 Table” at task dialog.
Select the “TXT” file type.
then show the wizard.
1. Open a source TXT (“;” semicolon delimited text) file.
2. Select a SQL Server table and config fields.
Set “Load Type” to “Update”, choice “By Key”.
3. Preview data.
4. Update TXT data to SQL Server .
View updateed data
Update TXT data to SQL Server in command line
Save session, and then create .bat file for Windows command line, or .sh file for Linux / macOS.
Set scheduled tasks for updating TXT data to SQL Server
You can schedule and automate this “TXT to SQL Server” conversion task by:
1) Save session and create .bat (Windows) or .sh (Linux/macOS) file.
FAQ
More about FileToDB – SEMICOLON to SQL Server converter
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TXT → SQL Server reference
Type mapping
| Value kind | in TXT | in SQL Server |
|---|---|---|
| Int | 1234, or right-aligned in a fixed-width column | int |
| Bigint | 9007199254740993 | bigint |
| Decimal | 1234.56 | decimal(p,s) |
| Float | 1.234e+10 | float |
| Text | written as-is; padding depends on the chosen layout | nvarchar(n) |
| Long text | written as-is | nvarchar(max) |
| Date | whatever the writer chose | date |
| Datetime | whatever the writer chose | datetime2 |
| Binary | not representable | varbinary(max) |
| Boolean | Y / N, or 1 / 0, or TRUE / FALSE | bit |
Dialect differences
TXT is a file format and SQL Server is a database server, so the target has to be told the types the file never carried - the rows below are where the two sides diverge.
| Property | in TXT | in SQL Server |
|---|---|---|
| port | — | 1433 |
| identifiers | None by convention | [square brackets] |
| row limit | — | SELECT TOP n |
| dates | Whatever the writer produced; no convention is guaranteed | datetime, datetime2, date, time |
| long text | — | nvarchar(max) |
| binary | Not supported | varbinary(max) |
| separator | Whatever was chosen - often fixed column widths | — |
| encoding | No declaration - UTF-8 works only with a BOM | — |
| typing | None - every field is text | — |
| shape | Free form; a parser has to be told the layout | Tables of rows and columns |
| ceiling | No formal limit | — |
Command line
| Side | Command |
|---|---|
| SQL Server | bcp |
| SQL Server (load) | bcp, or BULK INSERT |
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