Load data into a database

The LOAD statement inserts data from an operating-system file into an existing table or view. This operating-system file is called a LOAD FROM file.

The data in this file can contain any character that the client code set defines. If the client locale supports a multibyte code set, the data can contain multibyte characters. If the database locale supports a code set that is different from but convertible to the client code set, the client performs code-set conversion on the data before sending the data to the database server. For more information, see Perform code-set conversion.

The locale also defines the formats for date, time, numeric, and monetary data. You can apply any format that the client locale supports to column values in the LOAD FROM file.

For example, a French locale might define monetary values that have a blank space as the thousands separator and a comma as the decimal separator. When you use this locale, the following literal value for a MONEY column is valid in a LOAD FROM file:

3 411,99

You can specify alternative formats for date and monetary data. If you set appropriate environment variables, the LOAD FROM files can use the alternative display formats for DATE, DATETIME, and MONEY column values. For more information, see Customize date and time display formats and Customize currency display formats.