FrontBase Documentation

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6. Original Documentation
Updated: 20-Nov-2000
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6.14. Importing Content from Flat-files

FrontBase allows you to import content data from ASCII flat-files directly into a database. Currently FrontBase allows import from three "sources": FrontBase, Sybase, and OpenBase. Other import filters will be added as demand arises.

A common issue for all import formats is that the schema must be properly defined before the import will work.

The import filter is very unforgiving about incorrectly formatted input, i.e. experiment with a test database before working with a production database.

FrontBase
      INSERT INTO SCHEMA<schema name>
            FROM 'FrontBase'
            INPUT('<path name of file with data>');
The format of the file must be as if generated by the export functionality (see "Exporting schema and content data"); The following input format rules apply to the date/time datatypes:
      DATE						yyyy-mm-dd
            -- Example: 1999-0521
      TIME						[+|-]hh:mm:ss
            -- Example: 13:58:23
      TIME WITH TIME ZONE		[+|-]hh:mm:ss<+|->hh:mm
            -- Example: 13:58:23+02:00
      TIMESTAMP					yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss
            -- Example: 1999-0521 13:58:23
      TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE	yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss<+|->hh:mm
            -- Example: 1999-0521 13:58:23+02:00
Sybase
      INSERT INTO <table name>
            FROM 'Sybase'
            INPUT('<path name of file with content data>',
                  '<path name of file with format data>');
The format of the two files must be as if generated by the bcp utility (supplied by Sybase).

OpenBase
      INSERT INTO SCHEMA <schema name>
            FROM 'OpenBase'
            INPUT('<path name of file with backup data>');
The format of the file must be as if generated by the "Backup as ASCII..." feature of the OpenBaseManager application.

If you have feedback or questions on this document, please send e-mail to doc-feedback@frontbase.com. Please reference the section number and topic. Thanks!!