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Name

file_to_string_output — get contents of a file as a string output stream

Synopsis

file_to_string_output ( in file varchar ,
  in from integer ,
  in to integer );
 

Description

This function requires dba privileges.

This function returns a string output stream initialized to contain the text of the file or its segment, on local file system path relative to the server's working directory.

file_to_string_output can handle longer files than file_to_string and the resulting string output, if too long to be converted into a varchar, can be stored inside a blob.

Access controls in the server configuration file apply. An attempt to access a file in a directory where access is not explicitly allowed will signal an error.

Parameters

file

a varchar path relative to server's working directory.

from

an optional integer byte offset of the start of the segment to extract. Defaults to 0.

to

an optional integer byte offset of the end of the requested segment. Defaults to file length.

Examples

Example 24.117. Insert file contents into a table

This example shows how to insert file contents into a table file_table with two columns.

create table
file_table (
  ft_name varchar,
  ft_cont long varbinary,
  primary key (ft_name));

create procedure
insert_files (in fname varchar)
{
  declare strout_handle any;

  strout_handle := file_to_string_output (fname);
  insert into file_table (ft_name, ft_cont)
    values (fname, strout_handle);

  strout_handle := file_to_string_output (fname, 10);
  insert into file_table (concat (ft_name, '_1'), ft_cont)
    values (fname, strout_handle);

  strout_handle := file_to_string_output (fname, 10, 20);
  insert into file_table (concat (ft_name, '_2'), ft_cont)
    values (fname, strout_handle);
};

insert_file ('foo.dat');