Sybase 12.4.2 manual Exporting data from a database, Using output redirection, 174

Exporting data from a database

Exporting data from a database

This section tells how to export data from an Adaptive Server IQ database.

Note To export IQ data from your database in this version of Adaptive Server IQ, Sybase recommends that you use the method described in this chapter. You may also export data by using a front end tool, written by you or a third party, that effectively queries the IQ database and formats the data as desired.

If you need to export tables (other than your system tables) from your Catalog

Store, use the method in this chapter, or see the Adaptive Server Anywhere

Reference Guide for other ways to unload data.

Using output redirection

Output redirection can be used to export query results.

You can redirect the output of any command to a file or device by putting the ># redirection symbol anywhere on the command. The redirection symbol must be followed by a file name. (In a command file, the file name is then followed by the semicolon used as statement terminator.) The file is placed relative to the directory where DBISQL was started.

In this example, output is redirected to the file empfile:

SELECT *

FROM employee ># empfile

Do not enclose the file name in quotation marks.

Output redirection is most useful on the SELECT statement. Use the OUTPUT_FORMAT option to control the format of the output file and the OUTPUT_LENGTH option to control truncation. For example, the following commands set the format to ASCII text and does not truncate column contents:

SET OPTION OUTPUT_FORMAT = ‘text’

SET OPTION OUTPUT_LENGTH = 0

Use two > characters in a redirection symbol instead of one (for example, >>#), to append the output to the specified file instead of replacing the contents of the file. Headings are included in the output from the SELECT statement if the output starts at the beginning of the specified file and the output format supports headings.

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