CODEWITHSUNDEEP
sqlssis
JJ.
JJ.

Reputation: 9950

How do I export data from a Query to a text file with fixed column widths?

Am I the only person who thinks SSIS is a piece of *?

I have a query:

SELECT * FROM Table1

And I want to do is put this into a text file with specific lengths in the destination file (I have specs from a client).

For example, Field 1 size: 20, field 2 size: 3, and so on.

I also have the field positions, Field 1: 1-20, Field 2: 21-23, etc.

I created an SSIS package that has a source as a SQL query and a flat file as the destination. I CANNOT FOR THE LIFE OF ME GET THIS TO WORK.

The data on the text file is all messed up (its scattered all over the place, no columns).

This is the simplest task in the world and I cannot do it. I don't know if it's me or if SSIS is just a piece of crap.

Upvotes: 1

Views: 16397

Answers (3)

Bluejay Blackburn
Bluejay Blackburn

Reputation: 9

To adjust Jeff's procedure to handle nulls, make these replacements. Instead of:

SET @InputWidth = LEN(@Input)

Use:

SET @InputWidth = Isnull(@Input,REPLICATE(' ',@OutputWidth)

And instead of:

SET @Output = @Input

Use:

SET @Output = Isnull(@Input,REPLICATE(' ',@OutputWidth)

Upvotes: 0

Jeff Williams
Jeff Williams

Reputation: 11

I actually just did this last week. I wrote a function that does this then for each field I call the function.

Here is the function

/*
USE [Newton-Dev]
GO
/****** Object:  UserDefinedFunction [dbo].[CharPad]    Script Date: 1/10/2015 11:38:27 AM ******/
SET ANSI_NULLS ON
GO
SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON
GO
/*
Script  : Character Padding Function; Assist with fixed width file creation
Version : 1.0 (01/08/2015)
Author  : Jeffery Williams

*/
ALTER FUNCTION [dbo].[CharPad] (
     @Input VARCHAR(255)
    ,@OutputWidth INT
    ,@OutputAlign VARCHAR(5)
    ,@PadCharacter CHAR(1) )
RETURNS VARCHAR(255)
AS
BEGIN
DECLARE @Output VARCHAR(255)
DECLARE @InputWidth INT

SET @InputWidth = LEN(@Input)

IF @InputWidth > @OutputWidth
    BEGIN 
        IF @OutputAlign = 'LEFT'
            BEGIN
            SET @Output = LEFT(@Input,@OutputWidth)
            END
        IF @OutputAlign = 'RIGHT'
            BEGIN
            SET @Output = RIGHT(@Input,@OutputWidth)
            END
    END

IF @InputWidth < @OutputWidth 
    BEGIN 
        IF @OutputAlign = 'RIGHT'
            BEGIN
            SET @Output = REPLICATE(@PadCharacter, @OutputWidth - @InputWidth ) + @Input
            END
        IF @OutputAlign = 'LEFT'
            BEGIN
            SET @Output =@Input+ REPLICATE(@PadCharacter, @OutputWidth - @InputWidth )
            END
    END

IF @InputWidth = @OutputWidth 
    SET @Output = @Input

RETURN (@Output)
END

Here is the query that calls the function and provides the fixed width output:

SELECT --dbo.CharPad (DeltaLineId,8,'LEFT',' '), dbo.CharPad (DeltaElgId,8,'LEFT',' ')
       dbo.CharPad (CARRIER_ID,6,'LEFT',' ')
       ,dbo.CharPad (GROUP_NUM,7,'RIGHT','0')
      ,dbo.CharPad (LEFT('0000' + SUB_GROUP_ID, 4),9,'LEFT',' ')
      ,dbo.CharPad (SVC_TYPE,1,'LEFT',' ')
      ,dbo.CharPad (FILLER_1,1,'LEFT',' ')
      ,dbo.CharPad (FILLER_2,5,'LEFT',' ') 
      ,dbo.CharPad (RATE_CODE,2,'LEFT',' ')
      ,dbo.CharPad (FILLER_3,1,'LEFT',' ')
      ,dbo.CharPad (ELIG_CODE,1,'LEFT',' ')
      ,dbo.CharPad (EFF_DATE,8,'LEFT',' ') 
      ,dbo.CharPad (TERM_DATE,8,'LEFT',' ') 
      ,dbo.CharPad (SUBSC_SSN,9,'LEFT',' ')  
      ,dbo.CharPad (INDIV_SSN,9,'LEFT',' ') 
      ,dbo.CharPad (CHNG_SSN,9,'LEFT',' ')   
      ,dbo.CharPad (REL_CODE,2,'LEFT',' ') 
      ,dbo.CharPad (HIRE_DATE,8,'LEFT',' ')  
      ,dbo.CharPad (DOB,8,'LEFT',' ') 
      ,dbo.CharPad (REL_TYPE,1,'LEFT',' ')  
      ,dbo.CharPad (FIRST_NAME,24,'LEFT',' ') 
      ,dbo.CharPad (MID_NAME,24,'LEFT',' ')                 
      ,dbo.CharPad (LAST_NAME,24,'LEFT',' ') 
      ,dbo.CharPad (GENDER,1,'LEFT',' ')  
      ,dbo.CharPad (POP_DESC,5,'LEFT',' ') 
      ,dbo.CharPad (ADR_LINE_1,30,'LEFT',' ')                      
      ,dbo.CharPad (ADR_LINE_2,30,'LEFT',' ') 
      ,dbo.CharPad (CITY,30,'LEFT',' ')                           
      ,dbo.CharPad ([STATE],2,'LEFT',' ') 
      ,dbo.CharPad (COUNTY_CODE,3,'LEFT',' ')  
      ,dbo.CharPad (COUNTRY_CODE,3,'LEFT',' ') 
      ,dbo.CharPad (ZIP,5,'LEFT',' ')    
      ,dbo.CharPad (ZIP_EXT,4,'LEFT',' ') 
      ,dbo.CharPad (FILLER_4,21,'LEFT',' ')               
      ,dbo.CharPad (USER_DEFINED,30,'LEFT',' ') 
      ,dbo.CharPad (WAIT_PERIOD,1,'LEFT',' ')  
      ,dbo.CharPad (CAID,9,'RIGHT','0') 
      ,dbo.CharPad (FILLER_5,9,'LEFT',' ') 
FROM export.DeltaLine

*/

Upvotes: 1

user1896267
user1896267

Reputation:

Go to the Connection Manager you defined for your flat file. In the left box, select General and set the Format to "Fixed Width". Then in the left box, select Advanced and here you can set the OutputColumnWidth for each field. Lastly, in the left box, select Preview to verify the results before executing the SSIS package.

Hope this helps. Kosh

Upvotes: 1

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