PLSQL and CSV file

Question

Hi Gurus,
I am trying to automate a process where in i will pass the path and name of the csv file to the procedure. It will automatically create an external table script and execute it. I have already prepared the script using Vb Script, however need to create it in PL-SOL package/procedure.
Could any please tell me how can i retrieve the header(feilds/columns) of the csv files using PL-SQL.
Regards,
Ravi Remje

Answer 1

Hi Al and Blu,
Before i could start i will give you a little background of why i want to follow this stuff.
I have task allocated in a Data warehousing area. We use the OWB (Oracle Warehouse Builder an ETL tool) for transformation of the data. I have Databse installed in UNIX box and OWB client on Windows XP.
We usually gets the data feed in either excel or in a csv file format. Now with the OWB tool it is very much easy to create an external table from the csv file or if the source is in excel just convert it into csv and pull inside the database using this tool on a simple right-click event. I have a problem here, the OWB tool does not have access to the folder where the flat file/csv file is stored. I guess some privileges issue. As a result i have to manually create an external table i.e., manually writing down the script as below.
CREATE TABLE EXT_SAMPLE_EXTERNAL
+(+
COLUMN1 VARCHAR2(255),
COLUMN2 VARCHAR2(255)
+)+
ORGANIZATION EXTERNAL
+( TYPE ORACLE_LOADER+
DEFAULT DIRECTORY "DATA_PUMP_DIR"
ACCESS PARAMETERS
+( RECORDS DELIMITED BY NEWLINE+
CHARACTERSET WE8MSWIN1252
STRING SIZES ARE IN BYTES
BADFILE DATA_PUMP_DIR:"Sample_external.BAD"
NODISCARDFILE
LOGFILE DATA_PUMP_DIR:"Sample_external.LOG"
SKIP 1 FIELDS TERMINATED BY  ','
OPTIONALLY ENCLOSED BY '"' AND '"'
NOTRIM
+(+
Column1 CHAR,
Column2 CHAR
+)+
+)+
LOCATION
+(+
+'Sample_external.csv'+
+)+
+)+
REJECT LIMIT UNLIMITED;
Hence, i automated the process using VBScript. Now my VBscript opens the csv file and get the header and runs some set of statements..applying some for loop and create the above statement automatically.
Now i want to apply it using PL-SQL statements. Using similar technique i will prepare the script which will not only create the external table automatically but will also archive the old files/records into other directory by some ftp commands and renaming the files with the time-stamp. This procedure ius executed whenever new data file is been loaded.
But I am still stuck in the step1 now :-(.
I hope this works. I dont know thinking out-of the box can make me bald :)
Regards,
Ravi R