BULK INSERT with variable file name

Question

i am trying to bulk insert into Db using sql server 2005

Below is the code.

declare @path varchar(500) 
set @path = 'E:\Support\test.csv'; 
Create table #mytable( name varchar(max), class varchar(max), roll varchar(max) )
BULK INSERT #mytable FROM @path <-- Error line
WITH ( FIELDTERMINATOR = ',', ROWTERMINATOR = '\n' ); 
Go 
select * from #mytable
drop table #mytable

Problem: issue is that my file path is dynamic and comes from a variable instead of hard coding which is not working If i change the error line to below it works

 BULK INSERT #mytable FROM 'E:\Support\test.csv'; 

Please advise how to fix this

• wibeasley: Does this answer your question? How to cast variables in T-SQL for bulk insert?

Answer 1

Try to use Dynamic SQL:

declare @sql varchar(max)
set @sql = 'BULK INSERT #mytable FROM ''' + @path + ''' WITH ...
exec (@sql)

• Berni: For future users, notice that there are 3 quotes before/after the variable. It took me a while to make it work because I was only adding 2
• Charlieface: Shoule be 'BULK INSERT #mytable FROM ' + QUOTENAME(@path, '''') + ' WITH ... to correctly escape the file name.

Answer 2

DECLARE @path varchar(50) = 'D:\ARQUIVOS_CARGAS\CABOS\FILE.prn'
DECLARE @SQL_BULK VARCHAR(MAX)
SET @SQL_BULK = 'BULK INSERT #TAB FROM ''' + @path + ''' WITH
 (
 CODEPAGE = ''ACP'',
 FIRSTROW = 1,
 FIELDTERMINATOR = ''tab'',
 ROWTERMINATOR = ''0x0a'',
 KEEPNULLS
 )'
EXEC (@SQL_BULK)