# SYSCS_UTIL.SYSCS_IMPORT_DATA_LOBS_FROM_EXTFILE system procedure

Use the `SYSCS_UTIL.SYSCS_IMPORT_DATA_LOBS_FROM_EXTFILE` system procedure to import data to a subset of columns in a table, where the LOB data is stored in a separate file. The main import file contains all of the other data and a reference to the location of the LOB data.

#### Syntax

    SYSCS_UTIL.SYSCS_IMPORT_DATA_LOBS_FROM_EXTFILE (
       IN SCHEMANAME VARCHAR(128),
       IN TABLENAME VARCHAR(128),
       IN INSERTCOLUMNS VARCHAR(32672),
       IN COLUMNINDEXES VARCHAR(32672),
       IN FILENAME VARCHAR(32672),
       IN COLUMNDELIMITER CHAR(1),
       IN CHARACTERDELIMITER CHAR(1),
       IN CODESET VARCHAR(128),
       IN REPLACE SMALLINT)
       )

The import utility looks in the main import file for a reference to the location of the LOB data.

SCHEMANAME
  Specifies the schema of the table. You can specify a NULL value to use the default schema name. The SCHEMANAME parameter takes an input argument that is a VARCHAR (128) data type.
TABLENAME
  Specifies the name of the table into which the data is to be imported. This table cannot be a system table or a declared temporary table. The string must exactly match case of the table name. Specifying a NULL value results in an error. The TABLENAME parameter takes an input argument that is a VARCHAR (128) data type.
INSERTCOLUMNS
  Specifies the comma separated column names of the table into which the data will be imported. You can specify a NULL value to import into all columns of the table. The INSERTCOLUMNS parameter takes an input argument that is a VARCHAR (32672) data type.
COLUMNINDEXES
  Specifies the comma separated column indexes (numbered from one) of the input data fields that will be imported. You can specify a NULL value to use all input data fields in the file. The COLUMNINDEXES parameter takes an input argument that is a VARCHAR (32762) data type.
FILENAME
  Specifies the name of the file that contains the data to be imported. If the path is omitted, the current working directory is used. The specified location of the file should refer to the server side location if using the Network Server. Specifying a NULL value results in an error. The fileName parameter takes an input argument that is a VARCHAR (32672) data type.
COLUMNDELIMITER
  Specifies a column delimiter. The specified character is used in place of a comma to signify the end of a column. You can specify a NULL value to use the default value of a comma. The COLUMNDELIMITER parameter takes an input argument that is a CHAR (1) data type.
CHARACTERDELIMITER
  Specifies a character delimiter. The specified character is used in place of double quotation marks to enclose a character string. You can specify a NULL value to use the default value of a double quotation mark. The CHARACTERDELIMITER parameter takes an input argument that is a CHAR (1) data type.
CODESET
  Specifies the code set of the data in the input file. The code set name should be one of the Java-supported character encoding sets. Data is converted from the specified code set to the database code set (UTF-8). You can specify a NULL value to interpret the data file in the same code set as the JVM in which it is being executed. The CODESET parameter takes an input argument that is a VARCHAR (128) data type.
REPLACE
  A non-zero value for the replace parameter will import in REPLACE mode, while a zero value will import in INSERT mode. REPLACE mode deletes all existing data from the table by truncating the table and inserts the imported data. The table definition and the index definitions are not changed. You can only import with REPLACE mode if the table already exists. INSERT mode adds the imported data to the table without changing the existing table data. Specifying a NULL value results in an error. The REPLACE parameter takes an input argument that is a SMALLINT data type.

If you create a schema, table, or column name as a non-delimited identifier, you must pass the name to the import procedure using all uppercase characters. If you created a schema, table, or column name as a delimited identifier, you must pass the name to the import procedure using the same case that was used when it was created.

#### Usage

This procedure will read the LOB data using the reference that is stored in the main import file. The format of the reference to the LOB stored in the main import file must be `lobsFileName.Offset.length/`.

- `Offset` is position in the external file in bytes
- `length` is the size of the LOB column data in bytes

For additional information on using this procedure see the section "Using the bulk import and export procedures" in the Java DB Tools and Utilities Guide.

#### Example importing data into specific columns, using a separate import file for the LOB data

The following example shows how to import data into several columns of the STAFF table. The STAFF table includes a LOB column in a sample database. The import file `staff.del` is a delimited data file. The `staff.del` file contains references that point to a separate file which contains the LOB data. The data in the import file is formatted using double quotation marks (") as the string delimiter and a comma (,) as the column delimiter. The data will be appended to the existing data in the STAFF table.

    CALL SYSCS_UTIL.SYSCS_IMPORT_DATA_LOBS_FROM_EXTFILE
        (null, 'STAFF', 'NAME,DEPT,SALARY,PICTURE', '2,3,4,6',
        'c:\data\staff.del', ',','"','UTF-8',  0);

Parent topic: Built-in system procedures