I need to know the complete syntax for the LOAD command on Informix when used with a Windows file. In particular, I need the full pathname of the data file when used with the LOAD command.

I have

LOAD FROM 'C:\My directory\My data\mytable.unl' INSERT INTO mytable;

but I get a syntax error

[Error Code: -201, SQL State: 42000] A syntax error has occurred.

---- Environment ----
O/S: WindowsXP 32-bit
DB : Informix (IDS) 11.70.TC3DE
JDBC: 3.50.JC9
----

Cheers!

try it without quotes around the path?

double quotes instead of single quotes around path?

if you can, change file location to somewhere without spaces in path directory - like c:\temp and try again

also, i think the data HAS to be delimited with the pipe char - "|"

Piping symbol "|" is the default delimiter but I always state that explicitely in the UNLOAD and LOAD statements just to be sure.

I work in an AIX environment and I don't think quotes, single or otherwise, are required for the LOAD / UNLOAD file name or path but (again) I've always used double quotes out of habit just to be sure.

LOAD is not a SQL command but is implemented in the client by "dbaccess" and Server Studio, so will not work via JDBC. On Unix/Linux, you can create a stored procedure containing:

SYSTEM 'echo LOAD FROM "filename" INSERT INTO tablename | dbaccess databasename';

You could do something similar with a DOS command or batch file on Windows.

Regards,
Doug Lawry
www.oninitgroup.com