SQL loader

Try it?

set up the table:

drop table tab1 purge;
create table tab1(col1 char(1), col2 char(1), col3 char(1));

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Create a control file:

LOAD DATA
INFILE *
APPEND INTO TABLE tab1
FIELDS TERMINATED BY ','
TRAILING NULLCOLS
(
        col1,
	col2
)
begindata
1,2
a,b

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Then run sql loader:

sqlldr scott/tiger control=q.ctl

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Answer:  It loads just fine...

Slight has the answer -- though my guess is that it depends -- if the new column(s) were all NULL, then it might be okay.  With non-null data, however, your control file would have to specify the change.

(
        col1,
      col2,
         newcoln
)
begindata
1,2,someval
a,b,someval

Excellent catch!  I didn't think about possible constraints with the new column.

When new column is added to the table, we are not using that in control file and not loading any data in the table for that specific column using sqlloader at that point of time. Would that control file still valid, I mean would sqlloader still run..