BCP Fails With Format File, Works Without One - sql-server

Question

I'm attempting to create a bcp format file for importing a number of small files into SQL Server. When I run the bcp command without a format file, and specify the column and row delimiters, it works fine. When I run it with a format file, I get the following error: "Unexpected EOF encountered in BCP data-file"
The file is pipe delimited, has one header row, one data row and uses LF, not CR-LF as the row delimiter.
-- This command works:
BCP.exe Validation.CONTROL_TEST IN "C:\Users\rliben\Documents\MW_Data_Extracts\Sample_LF.ctl" -F2 -T -S "MyServer" -d MSO_MT -c -t"|" -r"0x0A"
-- This command fails:
BCP.exe Validation.CONTROL_TEST IN "C:\Users\rliben\Documents\MW_Data_Extracts\Sample_LF.ctl" -F2 -T -S "MyServer" -d MSO_MT -f "C:\Users\rliben\Documents\MW_Data_Extracts\Control_LF.fmt"
The files are very simple. Each one looks like this. They each literally have only one line of data:
FileName|FeedVersion|LineCount
File_Name_20220308.ctl|200|3339
If you copy this to try it yourself, remember that it uses LF, not CR-LF as the row delimiter.
Here's the format file:
13.0
3
1 SQLCHAR 2 100 "|" 1 CONTROL_FILE_NAME SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS
2 SQLCHAR 2 10 "|" 2 FILE_VERSION SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS
3 SQLINT 0 4 "0x0A" 3 CONTROL_RECORD_COUNT ""
Here's the table it's going in to:
CREATE TABLE Validation.CONTROL_TEST (
CONTROL_FILE_NAME varchar(100) NOT NULL,
FILE_VERSION varchar(10) NOT NULL,
CONTROL_RECORD_COUNT int NOT NULL
)
I'm connecting to SQL Server 2016, hence the 13.0 at the start of the format file. I've tried different versions. I've tried changing the row delimiters in the file to CR-LF, as a test, and using "\n" and "\r\n" as the row delimiter. Nothing seems to work!
I think it's something pretty simple. I'm hoping your eyes will see it immediately.
Thank You,
Robbie
**** Update – 3/14/2022 ****
One part of the problem is resolved: The “Host file data type” must by SQLCHAR for all columns, even integer columns. Originally I had SQLINT for the last column.
I am now able to import the file when it has CR-LF row terminators. Here is the format file for CR-LF files:
14.0
3
1 SQLCHAR 0 100 "|" 1 CONTROL_FILE_NAME SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS
2 SQLCHAR 0 10 "|" 2 FILE_VERSION SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS
3 SQLCHAR 0 4 "\r\n" 3 CONTROL_RECORD_COUNT ""
I’m not yet able to import files with only LF row terminator. Here’s the format file I’m using that doesn’t work:
14.0
3
1 SQLCHAR 0 100 "|" 1 CONTROL_FILE_NAME SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS
2 SQLCHAR 0 10 "|" 2 FILE_VERSION SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS
3 SQLCHAR 1 12 "0x0A" 3 CONTROL_RECORD_COUNT ""
Almost identical except for the row terminator. Anyone have any ideas about why it should treat CRLF and LF files differently? That is, aside from the obvious EOL character difference?
It’s not clear to me what the “prefix length” is supposed to do. I’ve tried different ones. When I use 0 for the first two columns, it doesn’t throw an error. It just doesn’t import any rows! When I use any of the other acceptable options, 1, 2, 4 or 8, I get "Unexpected EOF encountered in BCP data-file", as usual. When I use a -e switch to generate an error file, there is no further meaningful information in it.
Here is a Microsoft graphic with the terminology of what’s in a BCP format file.
Here is a link to MS documentation on creating format files.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/relational-databases/import-export/non-xml-format-files-sql-server?view=sql-server-ver15
BTW, so far as I can tell, using format nul creates a completely erroneous format file because it uses SQLINT instead of SQLCHAR as the host file data type of the integer column. Using bcp without -f or -c switches, it allows me to use “char” as the data type for the integer column. But, it fails anyway.
Thanks again, Robbie