I'm building a SSIS package (using VS 2017) to load a bunch of CSV files from a specific folder. It works great using the ForEach File loop. Data Flow task has a Flat File Source and OLE DB Destination. I want to be able to save the filename in the same table, along the data from the CSV file. How can I do this??
thanks a lot for your time and help
One other method if you want to load the entire file path of the flat files is
Right click on Flat File Source in Data Flow tab
Click "Show Advanced Editor"
Click "Component Properties"
Under Custom Properties you will find "FileNameColumnName".
If you give a name (e.g.: FlatFileName) then that will appear as one of the source output columns in mapping that contains the file name value(full path with file name). It can be mapped to any available column in destination or modified using Derived column task to get only file name.
In my development, I have stored mostly the entire path which helped me in better tracking.
One other method for anyone who comes across this question, instead of using ForEach loop you can also use a simpler method
Right click in Connection Manager
Click on "New Connection"
Select "MULTIFLATFILE" connection type and click Add.
In Connection manager editor, insert location and use wildcard * (E.g.: \\ABC\XYZ\file_*.txt) to pick all the flat files in that folder.
This automatically loops through all the flat files in that folder.
Hope this helps!
The ForEach File Enumerator can capture the file name and assign it to a variable, which can then be routed to the connection string variable of a connection manager for dynamic loading. This same methodology can be applied to write the file name to a database table.
In the data flow, add a Derived Column transformation and add a new column called 'FileName' (or whatever) and then set it's value to the variable value that the ForEach File Enumerator is setting for the file name.
Related
I have an SSIS package that has this Foreach Loop Container(with File Enumerator) that reads from a folder with multiple CSVs file and then upload the data into a flat table.
This is working fine but my problem is trying to also extract the filenames of the file and then populate the last column in the flat table after inserting a row.
I have also added an execute SQL task after the Data Flow task(within the ForEach Loop Container) hoping that it would execute straight away before the loop goes to the next file, but unfortunately this is not the behavior.
The execute SQL task will only execute after all the data in all the files is read. Is there a way to do this filename update row by row, such as read a row from the CSV file, insert this row into the table, update the row in the filename column in the same table, and then read the next row? Continue this way until the CSV is read completely then move to the next CSV file and do the same.
I have a programming background and slightly feel that nested for loops could be a way but not sure how to achieve this in SSIS. The setup of my ForEach loop container is shown below:
Why using an Execute SQL Task to add the file name?!
You can simply add the file name into the data pipeline using one of the following methods:
(1) Using the FileNameColumnName property
In the Data Flow Task, you can simply right-click on the Flat File Source, and click on the Show Advanced Editor option.
In the Flat File Source Advanced Editor, there is a property called FileNameColumnName. This property is used to add a column to the flat file source where the File Name is added.
You should only write the value of the column name and it will be added to the flat file source.
Flat File Custom Properties
Extract the File Name in SSIS Data Flows using the FileNameColumnName Property
(2) Using a Derived Column Transformation
Your issue can be solved by adding a Derived Column Transformation within the Data Flow Task. Then, add a column to the data pipeline using the variable that contains the File Name. (The variable used in the ForEach Loop Container's variables mappings tab)
You can learn more about Derived Column Transformation in the following article:
SSIS Derived Columns with Multiple Expressions vs Multiple Transformations
Similar questions:
How to find which flat file contains data errors while loading multiple flat files using Foreach File enumerator in SSIS
There are many aspects of what I want to do but I think learning one piece will let me derive the rest.
I have an SSIS package that uses powershell to download a publicly available zip file, an execute script to unzip with 7zip and then data flows to load the unzipped files to corresponding tables.
What I want to do is add the file name (and eventually other aspects of the file like creation date, record counts and so on) from any one of the unzipped files to a log table that keeps track of the summary level details of the files.
How do I dynamically store this type of information as part of the package? Derived columns? But what's the input? Thanks!
There are many options for dynamically working with files through SSIS. Below is an overview of one method. Of course this can vary, depending on your specific needs and requirements.
Add a Foreach Loop Container. On the Collection pane, the Folder property can either be set using the
GUI as well as through a parameter or variable with the Directory
expression. Searching sub folders can also be set by checking the "Traverse subfolders" checkbox or using the Recurse expression like the Folder field.
The Files field will indicate the files to use and wildcards can be
used. * will match any number of characters. For
example, *.csv will get all csv files regardless of name and
Test*.txt will return all .txt files with names beginning Test,
regardless of how many or which characters follow. To limit this to
a single character, use ?. The FileSpec expression will allow
this to be set dynamically similar to the directory by variable or parameter.
The Variable Mappings pane will allow for setting a variable to hold a file name from the directory. Add a variable that will hold the file name to index 0 to map these.
You indicated that you wanted to store the file name. The detail of this can be controlled from the "Retrieve file name" field on the Collection window. As their names imply, Fully Qualified will hold the complete file path, Name and Extension will return the file name with extension, and Name Only is just the file name.
As for other aspects of the file, I'd recommend a using a Script Task for this for more functionality. The C# FileInfo class provides options for finding details about the file such as the creation date, last time the file was accessed, and when the file was most recently written to. Additonal information on this can be found here.
For the record counts from the file, you'll need to create a Connection Manager for this and work with the data within the package. I'm assuming these are flat files? If so, creating a Flat File Connection Manager, and setting the same variable from the Variable Mappings pane of the Foreach Loop to the ConnectionString expression of the Connection Manager will allow you to dynamically loop through each file. Make sure that the Fully Qualified option is used for the "Retrieve file name" field as earlier if you decide to do this. You will also want to configure the correct columns and data types for the Connection Manager ahead of time. This same process can be followed for Excel files, however the variable with the file name will be used on the ExcelFilePath expression instead.
As for storing information about a file in a log table, there are a multitude of options for these. A very basic example of an Insert statement within an Execute SQL Task that's placed within the Foreach Loop is below. The 3 part table name is only necessary if you're using a table that differs from the initial catalog of the Connection Manager. The ? is the parameter marker (assuming this is an OLE DB connection). After this, map the same variable/parameter that stores the file name using the Parameter Mapping pane. Set the direction to Input, appropriate data type (likely VARCHAR/NVARCHAR), 0 in the Parameter Name field to indicate this is the first parameter in the SQL statement (additional ? can be used for subsequent parameters in the SQL statement, then increment this field in accordance), and the default Parameter Size can be left at -1. Again, this is a simple example and you'll probably want store more about the files and their contents, but this can get you started.
Sample SQL Insert:
INSERT INTO YourDataBase.YourSchema.YourTable (ColumnToHoldFileName)
VALUES (?)
you can use Variable to store File name when your loop the files, and after file been loaded to table, then u can use current file name to insert/update log table.
figured it out from looking at other posts. I had to expand the parameter size...easy fix!
I've chased my tail for a full 12 hours. Haven't found the right solution.
I'm locked into using SSIS. I have a SQL Server table with full paths and filenames already concatenated. Examples:
\\MydevServer1\C$\ABC\App_Data\Sample.pdf
\\MydevServer2\E$\Garth\App_Data\Morefiles.txt
\\MydevServer3\D$\Paths\App_Data\MySS.xlsx
etc.
I need to read each row of the table, get the path and filename and move that file to a new static destination directory.
The rows in the table will remain unchanged. I only use it as a source to locate the file to be moved.
I've tried:
1) Feeding a resultset from an ole db source to a recordset destination then to an Object variable that connects via variable to a foreach loop container holding a files system task. (Very problematic.)
2) Sending the table rows to a .csv file and reading each line of the csv file using a foreach loop container holding a file system task.
3) Reading directly from the table rows using a foreach loop container holding a file system task. (preferred).
and many other scenarios.
I have viewed a hundred examples online, but most of them involve loading a table, or sending results to flat files, or moving files from one folder to another based on extension type, etc. I haven't found anything on configuring a file system task to read a table supplied path and move the file based on the table value as the source.
I'm rambling. :-)
Any insight or help will be appreciated. I'm not new to SSIS, but I sure feel like it right now.
Create two string variables to store source and destination paths
Use an Execute SQL Task to populate a Full Recordset (Variable with Object data type)
Use For Loop container to go through each row of recordset and set those two variables.
Inside For Loop container, use File System Task. You need to specify IsSourcePathVariable = True, IsDestinationPathVariable = True, path variables - DestinationVariable / SourceVariable, and set operation (copy, move, etc.)
It appears I've been tail chasing due to the error, "Source is empty error".
This was caused by a blank first row in my recordset. I was searching for a fix to the Object variable is empty issue, when in reality the issue was that the Object variable couldn't find data right off the bat.
Insert shameful smug here.
Thanks to Anton for the help.
I'm little new to SSIS and I have a need to import some flat files into SQL tables in the same structure.
(Assume the table is already exist in the same structure and table name and flat file name is same)
I thought to create a generic package (sql 2014) to import all those file by looping through a folder.
I try to create a data flow task in a foreach loop container in the data flow task I dropped a flat file source and ADO.Net destination .
I have set the file source to a variable so that every time it loops through it get the new file. similarly for the ADO.net table name I set it to a the variable so that each time it select a different table according to the file name.
since both source column names and destination column names are same I assume it will map the columns automatically.
but with a simple map it didn't let me to run the package so added a column on the source and selected a table and mapped it.
when I run the package I assumed it will automatically re map everything.
but for the first file it ran but second file it failed complaining with map issues.
can some one let me know whether this is achievable by doing some dynamic mapping?? or using any other way.
any help would be much appreciated.
thanks
Ned
How do I use SSIS to iterate the image files in a directory and using the filename run a query to insert the image into sql server?
I realise that with a Foreach File Enumerator I can loop the files and get the filename into a variable. How do I use this variable to run a query to find the record for that filename from hd in my table and then import the image into my sql server image type column?
Once I have the file in my database, I will delete the file from hd.
If I'm understanding the problem correctly, you would like to sweep all the files in some location into SQL Server using SSIS?
Data Flow Task
Your data flow task will be responsible for the actual import of files into the database. Your approach would be the same as outlined in Import varbinary data Pretty picture version at insert XML file in SQL via SSIS
Your source will be a Script Transformation Component operating as a source component. It's job will be to add all the file names into the Data Flow. Change the filter in the second link to *.png (or whatever your filter is) and it should work.
Use the Import Column Component on the generated file names. This will add the file pointer into the data flow so that it can get imported into the database. You will need to ensure your data type is DT_IMAGE. Even if you're using varbinary(max)/varchar(max)/nvarchar(max) it's all going to be DT_IMAGE within the context of the pipeline's metadata.
Route all of that data into your target table and you will have imported your file data.
File cleanup
At this point, you have imported all this data and now you want to remove the files from disk. Assuming you stored the file name in the database along with the image bits, I'd use an Execute SQL Task to retrieve the list of file names. Change the output type from None to Full Result Set and store that into a variable of type Object.
Connect a Foreach Enumerator to the output of the SQL Task and here you'll want to "shred" the results. Google that term and you'll find a variety of blog posts or previous SO questions on how to do this. The end result will be a file name will be pulled from the recordset object and assigned to a local variable.
Inside the Foreach Enumerator, use a File System Task and Delete the file which is referenced in the variable set from the Foreach Enumerator.