Using the COPY statement

COPY lets you bulk load data from a file stored on a database node into the Vertica database.

COPY lets you bulk load data from a file stored on a database node into the Vertica database. This method is the most efficient way to load data into Vertica because the file resides on the database server. You must be a superuser to use COPY to access the file system of the database node.

The following example demonstrates using the COPY command:

// Some standard headers
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
// Only needed for Windows clients
// #include <windows.h>
// Standard ODBC headers
#include <sql.h>
#include <sqltypes.h>
#include <sqlext.h>
// Helper function to determine if an ODBC function call returned
// successfully.
bool notSuccess(SQLRETURN ret) {
    return (ret != SQL_SUCCESS && ret != SQL_SUCCESS_WITH_INFO);
}
int main()
{
    // Set up the ODBC environment
    SQLRETURN ret;
    SQLHENV hdlEnv;
    ret = SQLAllocHandle(SQL_HANDLE_ENV, SQL_NULL_HANDLE, &hdlEnv);
    if(notSuccess(ret)) {
        printf("Could not allocate a handle.\n");
        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
    } else {
        printf("Allocated an environment handle.\n");
    }
    // Tell ODBC that the application uses ODBC 3.
    ret = SQLSetEnvAttr(hdlEnv, SQL_ATTR_ODBC_VERSION,
        (SQLPOINTER) SQL_OV_ODBC3, SQL_IS_UINTEGER);
    if(notSuccess(ret)) {
        printf("Could not set application version to ODBC3.\n");
        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
    } else {
        printf("Set application to ODBC 3.\n");
    }
    // Allocate a database handle.
    SQLHDBC hdlDbc;
    ret = SQLAllocHandle(SQL_HANDLE_DBC, hdlEnv, &hdlDbc);
    // Connect to the database
    printf("Connecting to database.\n");
    const char *dsnName = "ExampleDB";

    // Note: User MUST be a database superuser to be able to access files on the
    // filesystem of the node.
    const char* userID = "dbadmin";
    const char* passwd = "password123";
    ret = SQLConnect(hdlDbc, (SQLCHAR*)dsnName,
        SQL_NTS,(SQLCHAR*)userID,SQL_NTS,
        (SQLCHAR*)passwd, SQL_NTS);
    if(notSuccess(ret)) {
        printf("Could not connect to database.\n");
        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
    } else {
        printf("Connected to database.\n");
    }

    // Disable AUTOCOMMIT
    printf("Disabling autocommit.\n");
    ret = SQLSetConnectAttr(hdlDbc, SQL_ATTR_AUTOCOMMIT, SQL_AUTOCOMMIT_OFF, SQL_NTS);
    if(notSuccess(ret)) {
        printf("Could not disable autocommit.\n");
        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
    }

    // Set up a statement handle
    SQLHSTMT hdlStmt;
    SQLAllocHandle(SQL_HANDLE_STMT, hdlDbc, &hdlStmt);
    // Create table to hold the data
    SQLExecDirect(hdlStmt, (SQLCHAR*)"DROP TABLE IF EXISTS customers",
        SQL_NTS);
    SQLExecDirect(hdlStmt, (SQLCHAR*)"CREATE TABLE customers"
        "(Last_Name char(50) NOT NULL, First_Name char(50),Email char(50), "
        "Phone_Number char(15));",
        SQL_NTS);

    // Run the copy command to load data.
    ret=SQLExecDirect(hdlStmt, (SQLCHAR*)"COPY customers "
        "FROM '/data/customers.txt'",
        SQL_NTS);
    if(notSuccess(ret)) {
        printf("Data was not successfully loaded.\n");
        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
    } else {
        // Get number of rows added.
        SQLLEN numRows;
        ret=SQLRowCount(hdlStmt, &numRows);
        printf("Successfully inserted %d rows.\n", numRows);

    }

    // Done with batches, commit the transaction
    printf("Committing transaction\n");
    ret = SQLEndTran(SQL_HANDLE_DBC, hdlDbc, SQL_COMMIT);
    if(notSuccess(ret)) {
        printf("Could not commit transaction\n");
    }  else {
        printf("Committed transaction\n");
    }

    // Clean up
    printf("Free handles.\n");
    SQLFreeHandle(SQL_HANDLE_STMT, hdlStmt);
    SQLFreeHandle(SQL_HANDLE_DBC, hdlDbc);
    SQLFreeHandle(SQL_HANDLE_ENV, hdlEnv);
    exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);
}

The example prints the following when run:

Allocated an environment handle.
Set application to ODBC 3.
Connecting to database.
Connected to database.
Disabling autocommit.
Successfully inserted 10001 rows.
Committing transaction
Committed transaction
Free handles.