Import xml file using pl/sql

Question

Hi,
i have an oracle 8i database.
in a few weeks i will be receiving a number of xml files on a daily basis.
i want to import these files into my oracle database using pl/sql. However, although i know i can do this, i have been unable to find any sample code for this type of operation.
Can someone please help.
Thanks
Joe

Answer 1

Hi Joe,
I have a ready solution for this problem.
Let suppose You have an XML doc in canonical form:
<?xml version = '1.0'?>
<ROWSET>
<ROW num="1">
<DEPARTMENT_ID>99</DEPARTMENT_ID>
<DEPARTMENT_NAME>OKATAS</DEPARTMENT_NAME>
<MANAGER_ID>100</MANAGER_ID>
<LOCATION_ID>1700</LOCATION_ID>
</ROW>
<ROW num="2">
<DEPARTMENT_ID>77</DEPARTMENT_ID>
<DEPARTMENT_NAME>PERSONNEL</DEPARTMENT_NAME>
<LOCATION_ID>1800</LOCATION_ID>
</ROW>
</ROWSET>
These tag names are mandatory (ROW and ROWSET).
1. First create an Oracle directory, for example in UNIX:
CREATE DIRECTORY TANF_DIR AS '/home1/teach1/DEMO';
2. Create a procedure which reads the XML file (such as DEPT.XML)
CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE XML_TO_SQL
(dir_name VARCHAR2,file_name VARCHAR2,TNAME VARCHAR2)
AUTHID CURRENT_USER IS
FH UTL_FILE.FILE_TYPE;
C CLOB;
PUF VARCHAR2(1000);
READ_COUNT NUMBER:=0; ERROR_COUNT NUMBER:=0;
procedure INSERTProc(xmlDoc IN CLOB, tableName IN VARCHAR2)
IS
insCtx DBMS_XMLSave.ctxType;
rows number;
begin
insCtx := DBMS_XMLSave.newContext(tableName); -- get the context handle
rows := DBMS_XMLSave.insertXML(insCtx,xmlDoc); -- this inserts the document
DBMS_XMLSave.closeContext(insCtx);
You can save the XML document as data of XMLtype,which was introduced in Oracle 9i
INSERT INTO xml_table(key,xml_doc)
VALUES(xml_seq.NEXTVAL,sys.xmltype.createxml(xmldoc));
*/ -- this closes the handle
END INSERTPROC;
BEGIN
DBMS_OUTPUT.ENABLE(1000000);
FH:=UTL_FILE.FOPEN(DIR_NAME,FILE_NAME,'R');
LOOP
UTL_FILE.GET_LINE(FH,puf);
READ_COUNT:=READ_COUNT+1;
c:=c||puf;
-- DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE(PUF);
END LOOP;
EXCEPTION
WHEN NO_DATA_FOUND THEN
DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('FINISH '||READ_COUNT||' ROWS. ERRORS: ' ||ERROR_COUNT);
UTL_FILE.FCLOSE(FH);
INSERTProc(C,TNAME);
COMMIT;
END XML_TO_SQL;
3. Create table NEWDEPT .. containing the column names which are in the XML ROW tag(DEPARTMENT_ID, ...)
4. Execute the procedure:
exec xml_to_sql('TANF_DIR','DEPT.XML','NEWDEPT')