column_id_spec (SAP Library - Loader: SAP DB 7.4)

column_id_spec

Syntax

<column_id_spec> ::= <column_id> <field_pos> <format_spec> <null_assign>

Use

Use it in unload commands to assign the data fields of the data stream to the columns of the source table. You specify the external data types and the conditions for unloading the application data.

Note the following rules:

Decide whether you want your column descriptions to contain field_pos field descriptions.

However, you must specify position descriptions for all or none of the described columns. If you do not, the SAP DB Loader generates an error and terminates the command.

Format of the Data Stream: COMPRESSED

Enter the position descriptions as relative positions only.

If you enter position descriptions with start and end positions for single columns or all columns, the SAP DB Loader generates an error and terminates the command.

Example

DATAEXTRACT * from customer
OUTFIELDS
  cno       1
  name    2
  zip       3
  place     4-31     ERROR
OUTFILE 'customer.data' COMPRESSED

Assign position 1 to the first column in your list. The position numbers of the following columns rise by 1 each time. This also means that each position number can only be assigned once.
If you do not keep to these rules, the SAP DB Loader generates an error and terminates the command.

Example

DATAEXTRACT * from customer
OUTFIELDS
  cno       1
  name    2
  street    3
  zip       3     ERROR
  place     5     ERROR
OUTFILE 'customer.data' COMPRESSED

You can assign a column to multiple different positions.

Example

DATAEXTRACT * from customer
OUTFIELDS
  cno       1
  name   2
  zip       3
  place     4
  surname   5
OUTFILE 'customer.data' COMPRESSED

Format of the Data Stream: FORMATTED

Specify all position descriptions with exact start and end positions.

Specify only ascending, non-overlapping values for position descriptions.
If the positions do not follow on from each other, the SAP DB Loader fills the gaps with blank characters. This also applies to binary data.

Example

DATAEXTRACT * from customer
OUTFIELDS
  cno       01-04
  name 06-12
  zip       14-18
  place     16-31
OUTFILE 'customer.data' FORMATTED

Define the positions for the data stream at least as long as the length of the values in the database.
If you define a position for the data stream that is longer than the length of the value in the database, the following occurs:
- Character strings are aligned left and space characters entered to make them the correct length
- Numeric values are aligned right and space characters entered to make them the correct length
If you define a position for the data stream that is shorter than the length of the values in the database, the Replication Manager generates an error and terminates the command.