> Alfred Perlstein <bright@wintelcom.net> writes:
> > It would be very helpful if the COPY command could be expanded
> > in order to provide positional parameters.
>
> I think it's a bad idea to try to expand COPY into a full-tilt data
> import/conversion utility, which is the direction that this sort of
> suggestion is headed in. COPY is designed as a simple, fast, reliable,
> low-overhead data transfer mechanism for backup and restore. The more
> warts we add to it, the less well it will serve that purpose.
What is really cool is Informix's UNLOAD/LOAD commands. It combines
COPY with SELECT/INSERT:
UNLOAD TO '/tmp/x'SELECT * FROM tab
and LOAD is similar:
LOAD FROM '/tmp/x'INSERT INTO TAB
This leverages SELECT and INSERT's column and WHERE capabilities to do
almost anything you want with flat files. I think it is superior to our
COPY.
-- Bruce Momjian | http://candle.pha.pa.us pgman@candle.pha.pa.us | (610)
853-3000+ If your life is a hard drive, | 830 Blythe Avenue + Christ can be your backup. | Drexel Hill,
Pennsylvania19026
