bcp_columns

Applies to: SQL Server Azure SQL Database Azure SQL Managed Instance Azure Synapse Analytics Analytics Platform System (PDW)

Sets the total number of columns found in the user file for use with a bulk copy into or out of SQL Server. bcp_setbulkmode can be used instead of bcp_columns and bcp_colfmt.

Syntax

  
RETCODE bcp_columns (  
        HDBC hdbc,  
        INT nColumns);  

Arguments

hdbc
Is the bulk copy-enabled ODBC connection handle.

nColumns
Is the total number of columns in the user file. Even if you are preparing to bulk copy data from the user file to an SQL Server table and do not intend to copy all columns in the user file, you must still set nColumns to the total number of user-file columns.

Returns

SUCCEED or FAIL.

Remarks

This function can be called only after bcp_init has been called with a valid file name.

You should call this function only if you intend to use a user-file format that differs from the default. For more information about a description of the default user-file format, see bcp_init.

After calling bcp_columns, you must call bcp_colfmt for each column in the user file to completely define a custom file format.

See Also

Bulk Copy Functions