Re: Making the most, or over-thinking it - SQL for uploads

On Wed, Aug 31, 2016 at 8:08 AM, Kevin Bucknum
<Kevin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

[John Y.:]
By now, several people have chimed in to corroborate what I had thought,
which is: no, there isn't some way for arbitrary text files to be used
directly by SQL. At least not yet. You always have to load the data into
a database first to work with it using SQL.

What most people are saying, and I have to agree, is that transferring
the data from the (entire) text file into a database is ultimately not a
big deal. It's a "separate step" but that step is not a very expensive
one, and if you are building a recurring process, it can be automated so
that you don't even see it happening.
--
<snip>

As long as the file is on the IFS, then yes, you can read directly from
the file. I posted an example earlier in the thread, but the basics of
it are at
http://www.mcpressonline.com/tips-techniques/sql/techtip-using-sql-with-
ifs-text-files-part-2.html

Well, we're getting into semantics. Your technique requires the
*separate step* of reading the file with RPG. Yes, you've wrapped it
up in a nice function, fine. This isn't what I meant by "directly by
SQL". If my response had said "wrapped" instead of "automated", it
would cover what you describe.

It's a good technique, though. I have no problem recommending it.

John Y.