SQL Server Integration Services : Using bcp (part 1)

The following sections outline the primary execution methods of bcp, the many switches of bcp, the format file, and ways to improve performance when using bcp. By the end of these sections, you will be able to optimally execute bcp successfully for several common production scenarios. Microsoft has added a new execution switch that generates an XML format file. Most other features of bcp have remained the same.

First, you need to see whether you have the right version of bcp. A quick check of your version of bcp guarantees that you won’t run into any limitations from older versions of bcp that might be left on your servers. You can do this by executing bcp at the command prompt with the –v option and no other parameters. (Note that all bcp switch options are case sensitive; for example, –v and –V are two very different switches.) Here’s an example:

C:> bcp –v
BCP - Bulk Copy Program for Microsoft SQL Server.
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Version: 10.0.1600.22

This is version 10.0, which is distributed with MS SQL Server 2008 (SQL Server 10.0). If a version other than 10.x is present here, you must re-install bcp immediately.

At any time, you can see the proper usage and bcp switch options available by executing bcp at the command prompt with a question mark (?):

C:> bcp ?
usage: bcp {dbtable | query} {in | out | queryout | format} datafile
[-m maxerrors]             [-f formatfile]           [-e errfile]
.  .  .

You use the following syntax for bcp, along with one or more switches:

bcp {dbtable | query} {in | out | queryout | format} datafile

In this syntax, dbtable is the database_name, schema, and table_name | view_name (for example, AdventureWorks2008.Production.Product or "AdventureWorks2008.Production.Product"):

• database_name— This is the name of the database in which the specified table or view resides. If not specified, this is the default database for the user.

• owner— This is the name of the schema of the table or view.

• table_name | view_name— This is the name of the destination table or view when copying data into SQL Server (in), and it is the name of the source table when copying data from SQL Server (out).

query is a T-SQL query that returns a result set. queryout must also be specified when bulk-copying data from a query.

in | out | queryout | format specifies the direction of the bulk copy (in copies from a file in to the database table or view, out copies from the database table or view to a file). queryout must be specified when bulk-copying data from a query. format creates a format file based on the switch specified (–n, –c, –w, –V, or –N) and the table or view delimiters. If format is used, the –f option must be specified as well.

data_file is the data file used when bulk-copying a table or view into or out of SQL Server.

All the available bcp switches are listed in Table 1.