SQL Server 2005/2008 - Import a fixed width text file via the command line?

Question

In MySQL I am able to create a table with fixed column widths and then can use the load data infile command to import a fixed width file.

For example:

Fixed width text file = JOHN   1234

Imports into table:

Username - CHAR(8)
Password - ChAR(4)

The beauty of this approach is that the file is 'chopped' up based on the column sizes defined in the MySQL table.

Now there is a new project requiring SQL Server 2005.

Does SQL Server have a function similar to load data infile? Or is this a better approach then the one I'm taking.

Answer 1

You do have similar functionality with SQL Server. I would encourage you to learn about format files. This page, from Microsoft, does a fairly good job of explaining it.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms178129.aspx

I would also encourage you to read this blog:

6 ways to import data into SQL Server