How to force SQL*Loader to assign the same SYSDATE for all rows?

Question

I want to use SQL*Loader to load some rows and a "SYSDATE" generated column, but making sure this date is THE SAME for all rows. I have seen that if I load HUNDREDS of rows there is a little difference between them (in terms of seconds). I guess it is "the moment each row entered the DB", but I need the same value for all rows (preferably, "the moment SQL*Loader was launched"). Is there any way to achieve this?
Thank you very much.

Answer 1

Hello user2393320.
Given some thought, using a date value to identify all records from a single load isn't very wise.
Are you able to create a procedure on the database that could be executed during SQL*Loader's execution? If so, you could develop the procedure to take in the record number of the row being loaded as an input parameter and output this unique date value for all rows loaded. The procedure would need to store the date value in a table when the first row is being loaded and return the stored date value as its output. This obviously assumes that only one sqlldr session is running at any time.
I highly recommend using a numeric sequence in the control file instead of a date to identify each file load:
, file_load_seq SEQUENCE(MAX, 1)
Another approach would be to load the record number being loaded in addition to the sysdate:
, record_number RECNUM
Hope this helps,
Luke