Unable to open BCP host data-file

Question

Below is an example of the BCP Statement. I'm not accustomed to using BCP so your help and candor is greatly appreciated

I am using it with a format file as well.

If I execute from CMD prompt it works fine but from SQL I get the error. The BCP statement is all on one line and the SQL Server Agent is running as Local System. The SQL server, and script are on the same system.

I ran exec master..xp_fixeddrives C,45589 E,423686

I've tried output to C and E with the same result

EXEC xp_cmdshell 'bcp "Select FILENAME, POLICYNUMBER, INSURED_DRAWER_100, POLICY_INFORMATION, DOCUMENTTYPE, DOCUMENTDATE, POLICYYEAR FROM data.dbo.max" queryout "E:\Storage\Export\Data\max.idx" -fmax-c.fmt -SSERVERNAME -T

Here is the format file rmax-c.fmt

10.0

7

1      SQLCHAR             0       255     "$#Y#$"          1     FILENAME                               
2      SQLCHAR             0       40      ""               2     POLICYNUMBER                                 
3      SQLCHAR             0       40      ""               3     INSURED_DRAWER_100                           
4      SQLCHAR             0       40      ""               4     POLICY_INFORMATION                           
5      SQLCHAR             0       40      ""               5     DOCUMENTTYPE                                 
6      SQLCHAR             0       40      ""               6     DOCUMENTDATE                                 
7      SQLCHAR             0       8       "\r\n"           7     POLICYYEAR    

Due to formating in this post the last column of the format file is cut off but reads SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS for each column other that documentdate.

Answer 1

First, rule out an xp_cmdshell issue by doing a simple 'dir c:*.*';

Check out my blog on using BCP to export files.

I had problems on my system in which I could not find the path to BCP.EXE.

Either change the PATH variable of hard code it.

Example below works with Adventure Works.

-- BCP - Export query, pipe delimited format, trusted security, character format
DECLARE @bcp_cmd4 VARCHAR(1000);
DECLARE @exe_path4 VARCHAR(200) = 
    ' cd C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Tools\Binn\ & ';
SET @bcp_cmd4 =  @exe_path4 + 
    ' BCP.EXE "SELECT FirstName, LastName FROM AdventureWorks2008R2.Sales.vSalesPerson" queryout ' +
    ' "C:\TEST\PEOPLE.TXT" -T -c -q -t0x7c -r\n';
PRINT @bcp_cmd4;
EXEC master..xp_cmdshell @bcp_cmd4;
GO

Before changing the path to \110\ for SQL Server 2012 and the name of the database to [AdventureWorks2012], I received the following error.

After making the changes, the code works fine from SSMS. The service is running under NT AUTHORITY\Local Service. The SQL Server Agent is disabled. The output file was created.

Answer 2

Does the output path exist? BCP does not create the folder before trying to create the file.

Try this before your BCP call:

EXEC xp_cmdshell 'MKDIR "E:\Storage\Export\Data\"'

Answer 3

Please check, the file might be opened in another application or program. If it is the case, bcp.exe cannot overwrite the existing file contents.

Answer 4

In my case, I solved The problem in the following way:

my command was :

bcp "select Top 1000 * from abc.dbo.abcd" queryout FileNameWithDirectory -c -t "|" -r "0x0a" -S 192.111.1.111 -U xx -P xxxxx

My FileNameWithDirectory was too long. like "D:\project-abc\R&D\abc-608\FilesNeeded\FilesNeeded\DataFiles\abc.csv".

I change into a simpler directory like : "D:\abc.csv"

Problem solved.

So I guess the problem occurred due to file name exceeding. thus the file was not found.

Answer 5

If it works from the command line but not from the SQL Agent, I think it is an authentication issue.

The SQL Server Agent is running under a account. Make sure that the account has the ability to read the format file and generate the output file.

Also, make sure the account has the ability to execute the xp_cmdshell stored procedure.

Write back with your progress ...

Answer 6

I received this after I shared my output folder, even when there were no files open.

I created a new, unshared folder for output and all was fine. (might help someone ;-))

Answer 7

This error can be due to insufficient write permissions to the target folder.

This is a common issue, since the user writing the query might have access to a folder, but the SQL Server Agent or logged-in server account which actually invokes bcp.exe may not.

Answer 8

Destination path has to already exist (except for file name).

Answer 9

Remove no_output from your command, if you use one offcourse

SET @sql = 'BCP ....'

EXEC master..xp_cmdshell @sql , no_output

EXEC master..xp_cmdshell @sql

Answer 10

In my case this fix was simply running in administrator mode.

Answer 11

In case anyone else runs into the same problem: I had ...lesPerson" queryout' rather than ...lesPerson" queryout '

Answer 12

If your code is writing the data file, and then reading it with BCP, make sure that you CLOSE THE DATA FILE before trying to read it!

Failure to do so gives: 'Unable to open host data-file'.

Python example:

# Management of temporary bulk insert file.

def openBulkInsertFile(self) :
    self.bulkInsertFile = open('c:/tmp/bulkInsertContent.txt', 'w', newline='')
    self.csvWriter = csv.writer(self.bulkInsertFile)

def closeBulkInsertFile(self) :
    self.bulkInsertFile.close()

Answer 13

When using a Job in SQL the user that uses the SQL express server is the current user logged, you should give write permission to that user in the folder where the Batch writes the output.

This happens usually only with bcp, when using type commands the ownership goes to the computer(Administrator) and the command runs with out problem.

So if you have a long command in your job just look for the bcp parts.