Automatic Import?

[Robby]

I need to take a delimited file and import it into a SQL table. The table is already setup and I have MANUALLY imported the file to populate it and get it going. This file will be updated EVERY night and I want to keep the table updated. How do I automate this? What is the SQL code? Should I drop the table and re-create it nightly?

[Richard Deeming]

In your DTS task (You do have a DTS task, don't you?! :-D ), issue a TRUNCATE TABLE command to delete all rows from the table, and then import the data.

[Richard Deeming]

Reply to the forum, please! Robby wrote: i appreciate the information, but is there anyway you can give a code example? i have never created a table from a txt file, only standard SQL INSERT stuff. the file is pipe delimited and column names are on first row...any ideas? Thanks, Robby

1. Open up SQL Server Enterprise Manager.
2. Right-click on the target database, and choose All Tasks -> Import Data.
3. For the source, choose Text File, and select your text file.
4. Follow the instructions to set up the import.
5. In the final screen, select Scheduled DTS package for later execution, and click on the "..." button to set up the schedule.