Import a shape file to oracle spatial format within an oracle pl/sql proced

Question

hi,
My task is to import an esri sde shape file to oracle sdo format within pl/sql procedure.
i am using oracle 10g, arcgis 9 and arcsdo, geometry type is line, please anyone could help how can i achieve this task, would be very thankful
Best Regards,

Answer 1

There are no "in database" tools around that do this AFAIK. Most/all tools are external to the database and have to be invoked externally.
If you created an external "batch file" that did the right processing, you would still have to work out how to execute this batch file from within Oracle. AFAIK the standard method is to use create custom code that uses DBMS_PIPE to communicate with the operating system to execute the batch file. DBAs hate this approach and it does require programming.
The other method could be to write a trivial piece of Java that when passed the full path to the batch file executes the file. You would then load the compiled Java class into the Oracle JVM and then create a simple PL/SQL wrapper around it. I can't do it at the moment, but can come back with the code and instructions later on in the week.
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As an aside (it seems appropriate to mention this now), I have been developing tools that do run inside the Oracle JVM an can export Oracle data (including sdo_geometry) to a number of formats:
* xSV (ie comma separated, tab separated, any other single character)
* Excel Spreadsheet
* ESRI Shapefile (including the writing of the PRJ file using a user supplied PRJ string and also I write a MapInfo TAB file to "wrap" the shapefile).
When exporting to xSV or Excel Spreadsheet one can chose to encode the SDO_GEOMETRY data as GML or WKT.
(I am working on a KML exporter as well.)
However, note that these tools EXPORT data and do not IMPORT data.
The tools, currently are running in production at a customer site (tabbed shapefile export option) and work well. Export jobs are defined and given to the Oracle JOB or SCHEDULER and correctly run at the appropriate time writing the data to an operating system directory defined internally (with appropriate permissions) as an Oracle Directory object.
I am now considering selling the exporter tool and am looking for testers. (The pricing of these tools will be exceedingly low.)
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Now, while I hadn't planned to write any importer for a shapefile for my Exporter, I might consider it if you get stuck and can't find a satisfactory tool.
regards
Simon