Import Multiple CSV Files to SQL Server from a Folder

I have a folder called "Dump." This folder consists of various .CSV Files. The folder Location is 'C:\Dump'

I want to Import the contents of these files into SQL Server. I want the rough code along with proper comments so that I understand it.

I have tried a few codes that I found on the Net. But they haven't quite worked out for me for some strange reason.


The steps I would like to have are

Step 1: Copy all the File Names in the folder to a Table

Step 2: Iterate through the table and copy the data from the files using Bulk Insert.


Someone do please help me out on this one. Thanks a lot in advance :)


Solution 1:

    --BULK INSERT MULTIPLE FILES From a Folder 

    --a table to loop thru filenames drop table ALLFILENAMES
    CREATE TABLE ALLFILENAMES(WHICHPATH VARCHAR(255),WHICHFILE varchar(255))

    --some variables
    declare @filename varchar(255),
            @path     varchar(255),
            @sql      varchar(8000),
            @cmd      varchar(1000)


    --get the list of files to process:
    SET @path = 'C:\Dump\'
    SET @cmd = 'dir ' + @path + '*.csv /b'
    INSERT INTO  ALLFILENAMES(WHICHFILE)
    EXEC Master..xp_cmdShell @cmd
    UPDATE ALLFILENAMES SET WHICHPATH = @path where WHICHPATH is null


    --cursor loop
    declare c1 cursor for SELECT WHICHPATH,WHICHFILE FROM ALLFILENAMES where WHICHFILE like '%.csv%'
    open c1
    fetch next from c1 into @path,@filename
    While @@fetch_status <> -1
      begin
      --bulk insert won't take a variable name, so make a sql and execute it instead:
       set @sql = 'BULK INSERT Temp FROM ''' + @path + @filename + ''' '
           + '     WITH ( 
                   FIELDTERMINATOR = '','', 
                   ROWTERMINATOR = ''\n'', 
                   FIRSTROW = 2 
                ) '
    print @sql
    exec (@sql)

      fetch next from c1 into @path,@filename
      end
    close c1
    deallocate c1


    --Extras

    --delete from ALLFILENAMES where WHICHFILE is NULL
    --select * from ALLFILENAMES
    --drop table ALLFILENAMES

Solution 2:

This will give you separate tables for each file.

--BULK INSERT MULTIPLE FILES From a Folder 
drop table allfilenames
--a table to loop thru filenames drop table ALLFILENAMES
CREATE TABLE ALLFILENAMES(WHICHPATH VARCHAR(255),WHICHFILE varchar(255))

--some variables
declare @filename varchar(255),
        @path     varchar(255),
        @sql      varchar(8000),
        @cmd      varchar(1000)


--get the list of files to process:
SET @path = 'D:\Benihana\backup_csv_benihana_20191128032207_part_1\'
SET @cmd = 'dir ' + @path + '*.csv /b'
INSERT INTO  ALLFILENAMES(WHICHFILE)
EXEC Master..xp_cmdShell @cmd
UPDATE ALLFILENAMES SET WHICHPATH = @path where WHICHPATH is null

delete from ALLFILENAMES where  WHICHFILE is null
--SELECT replace(whichfile,'.csv',''),* FROM dbo.ALLFILENAMES


--cursor loop
declare c1 cursor for SELECT WHICHPATH,WHICHFILE FROM ALLFILENAMES where WHICHFILE like '%.csv%' order by WHICHFILE desc
open c1
fetch next from c1 into @path,@filename
While @@fetch_status <> -1
  begin
  --bulk insert won't take a variable name, so make a sql and execute it instead:
   set @sql = 

   'select * into '+ Replace(@filename, '.csv','')+'
    from openrowset(''MSDASQL''
    ,''Driver={Microsoft Access Text Driver (*.txt, *.csv)}''
    ,''select * from '+@Path+@filename+''')' 


print @sql
exec (@sql)

  fetch next from c1 into @path,@filename
  end
close c1
deallocate c1

Solution 3:

For Step 1 Maybe you can look at:

http://www.sql-server-performance.com/forum/threads/copying-filenames-to-sql-table.11546/

or

How to list files inside a folder with SQL Server

and then Step 2

How to cast variables in T-SQL for bulk insert?

HTH