FreeTDS Development Group

["Lowden, James K" <LowdenJK AT bernstein.com>]

> From: Frediano Ziglio [mailto:freddyz77 AT tin.it]
> Sent: April 13, 2004 11:25 AM
> Il mar, 2004-04-13 alle 14:49, Thompson, Bill D (London) ha scritto:
> > 
> > 1) identity columns. 
...
> 
> I don't understand why we should need a trace here... first thing that
> bcp does is check sql table definition. At this point bcp knows source
> columns and destination columns. 

Actually no, or not always.  Sure we have the table metadata, but the file is 
oftentimes just a file.  All we know is that the file needs to have N 
columns, based on the table metadata.  

If we have a bcp.fmt file, we can map the columns.  I don't know, but I 
assume the "insert bulk" statement is analogous to INSERT: we name in 
parentheses the columns we're inserting.  I think that's part of Bill's 
purpose in examining the traces.  

We know that we have some issue:
> - source column is not in destination. Discard?

Cannot map.  Error.  

> - there is no corresponding column in source. 

Again, error.  If a field is delimited but empty, -k logic applies.  

We should not guess.  The user may have intended something else.  His 
instructions should be explicit and unambiguous.  

> - destination is not writable:
>  - computed. Do not import

AFAIK, it's impossible to distinguish computed columns from regular ones 
based on their metadata.  Microsoft's bcp.exe does not support loading tables 
with computed columns.  I think the server will return an error if we try.  

>  - identity. Omit or use IDENTITY_INSERT and insert it

Probably.  Or send NULL?  Trace will tell.  

>  - timestamp. I don't think is possible to bypass and insert 
> this column so omit from INSERT BULK, server will fill data.

Exactly.  

--jkl


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