Usage Notes - FastExport

Teradata® FastExport Reference

Product
FastExport
Release Number
16.20
Published
September 2020
Language
English (United States)
Last Update
2020-09-11
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B035-2410
lifecycle
previous
Product Category
Teradata Tools and Utilities

The following table describes the things to consider when using the IMPORT command.

IMPORT Command Usage Notes 
Topic Usage Notes
Access Module Release Level Compatibility Release 07.03.00 and later of the FastExport utility software is not compatible with access modules prepared for release 07.00.00 and earlier.
Command Frequency and Placement If the export task uses a LAYOUT command, then an IMPORT command is required, and it must appear after the LAYOUT command.
Data Type Specifications When using the VARTEXT specification, VARCHAR, VARBYTE, and LONG VARCHAR are the only valid data type specifications which can be used in the FastExport layout FIELD command and FILLER command.

For additional information on data types, see the Data Type Descriptions (Mainframe-Attached Client Systems) table in EXPORT.

Error Record Handling When FastExport encounters an error condition in an input record, it normally discards the record and terminates. In loading variable-length text records, either or both of these functions can be inhibited by specifying the options:
  • DISPLAY ERRORS
  • NOSTOP

By specifying both options and redirecting STDERR to a file location instead of the terminal screen, the FastExport job will run to completion and save all the error records. Then it can be manually modify and loaded.

Input Record Requirements The total number of fields in each input record must be equal to or greater than the number of fields described in the FastExport layout FIELD command and FILLER command.

If it is less, FastExport generates an error message. If it is more, Teradata Database ignores the extra fields.

The last field of a record does not have to end with a delimiter character. It can end with a delimiter character, but it is not required.

Multiple Physical Records If the FastExport task reads the input file and constructs a logical record from multiple physical records, this is performed before the physical record is passed to the INMOD routine. The INMOD routine is invoked only one time for the generation of each USING record.
Null Fields Two consecutive delimiter characters direct FastExport to null the field corresponding to the one right after the first delimiter character.

Also, if the last character in a record is a delimiter character, and there is at least one more field to be processed, then FastExport nulls the field corresponding to the next one to be processed, as defined in the layout FIELD command and FILLER command.

VARTEXT Records When VARTEXT is specified, FastExport assumes that the input data is variable-length text fields separated by a field-delimiter character. The utility parses each input data record on a field-by-field basis, and creates a VARCHAR field for each input text field.
z/OS fileid Usage Rules A DDNAME must obey the same construction rules as Teradata SQL column names except that:
  • The “at” character (@) is allowed as an alphabetic character
  • The underscore character (_) is not allowed

The DDNAME must obey the applicable rules of the external system and may reference a sequential or VSAM data set.

If the DDNAME represents a data source on magnetic tape, the tape may be either labeled or nonlabeled, as supported by the operating system.