Question

I need to perform a complex import in a Microsoft SQL Server 2000.

Since doing it in a DTS is too complicated, I’m trying to do it with a little C# program, but I’m having problems when I need to import a CSV files: this file is using semicolons as field delimiters instead of commas and I can’t get the .NET’s OLE DB provider to recognize it.

I already found various “solutions” on the net like using Extended Properties="Text; Format=Delimited" or “Extended Properties=”Text; Format=Delimited(;)”in the connection string or using aschema.ini` file to no avail.

This is the actual code I’m using:

DataTable Table = new DataTable();

using (OleDbConnection Connection = new OleDbConnection("Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0; Data Source={0}; Extended Properties=\"Text;HDR=Yes;Format=Delimited\""))
{
    Connection.Open();

    using (OleDbCommand Command = Connection.CreateCommand())
    {
        Command.CommandText = "select [Field 1], [Field 2] from [file.csv]";

        using (OleDbDataAdapter Adapter = new OleDbDataAdapter(Command))
        {
            Adapter.Fill(Table);
        }
    }
}

using (SqlConnection Connection = new SqlConnection("Data Source=server; Initial Catalog=database; User Id=user; Password=password;"))
{
    Connection.Open();

    using (SqlCommand Command = Connection.CreateCommand())
    {
        Command.CommandText = "insert into [table] ([field_1], [field_2], ...) values (@field_1, @field_2, ...)";

        Command.Parameters.Add("field_1", SqlDbType.Date, 0, "Field 1");
        Command.Parameters.Add("field_2", SqlDbType.VarChar, 100, "Field 2");
        ...

        using (SqlDataAdapter Adapter = new SqlDataAdapter())
        {
            Adapter.InsertCommand = Command;

            Adapter.Update(Table);
        }
    }
}

Any ideas on how to achieve using the semicolon as the field separator without relying on external libriaries?

Notes:

1. The “without relying on external libriaries” bit is because I need to import the file directly into the database and no library I found can do this (they return strings), and our PHB won’t drop even a penny for a commercial solution.
2. I know I can import the file via a DTS, but I need to perform complex branching on the workflow and file alterations before and after the import, and that would result in jumping in and out of the DTS.
3. Doing everything inside the DTS would not be practical for me, as I’m not that skilled in ActiveX and VBScript coding.

Thanks in advance, Andrea.

Edit 1 – @andyb:
Test program code for schema.ini approach:

String ConnectionString = String.Format("Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0; Data Source={0}; Extended Properties=\"Text\"", Environment.CurrentDirectory);

DataTable Table = new DataTable();

using (OleDbConnection Connection = new OleDbConnection(ConnectionString))
{
    Connection.Open();

    using (OleDbCommand Command = Connection.CreateCommand())
    {
        Command.CommandText = "select * from [file.csv]";

        using (OleDbDataAdapter Adapter = new OleDbDataAdapter(Command))
        {
            Adapter.Fill(Table);
        }
    }
}

Answer 1

Commenter is right that you have your provider syntax the wrong way round.

However, this isn’t the problem. Unfortunately, you cannot specify a custom delimiter in your oledb connection string. Instead, create a schema.ini file in the same directory as your source file containing the following:

[file.csv]
Format=Delimited(;)

Clumsy, but it does work.