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Create File Format

Creates a named file format that can be used for bulk loading data into (and unloading data out of) Snowflake tables. This format can then be used in other components to simplify the component's options and use the custom file format.


Name = string

A human-readable name for the component.


Create/Replace = drop-down

  • Create: The default option, creates a new file format. This will generate an error if a file format with the same name already exists, but will never destroy existing data.
  • Create if not exists: This will only create a new format if one of the same name does not already exist.
  • Drop: Drop the file format of the given name—useful for deleting file formats. This will fail if a file format of the given name does not exist.
  • Drop if exists: Drop the file format of the given name—useful for deleting file formats. This will succeed even if a file format of the given name does not exist.
  • Replace: Creates a new format and replaces any format of the same name, overwriting it.

Database = drop-down

The Snowflake database. The special value, [Environment Default], will use the database defined in the environment. Read Databases, Tables and Views - Overview to learn more.


Schema = drop-down

The Snowflake schema. The special value, [Environment Default], will use the schema defined in the environment. Read Database, Schema, and Share DDL to learn more.


File Format Name = string

The name of the file format being created.


Compression = drop-down

Whether the input file is compressed in gzip format, BROTLI, BZ2, DEFLATE, RAW_DEFLATE, ZSTD or not compressed at all.


Record Delimiter = string

The delimiter to be used that separates records (rows) in the file. Defaults to newline.

\ can also signify a newline. \\r can signify a carriage return.


Field Delimiter = string

The delimiter that separates columns. The default is a comma. A [TAB] character can be specified as \.


Skip Header = integer

The number of rows at the top of the file to ignore. The default setting is 0.


Date Format = string

Defaults to auto. This can be used to manually specify a date format.


Time Format = string

Defaults to auto. This can be used to manually specify a time format.


Timestamp Format = string

Defaults to auto. This can be used to manually specify a timestamp format.


Binary Format = drop-down

Choose between the expected format of binary data: BASE64, HEX, UTF-8.


Escape = string

When this option is specified, the backslash character \ in input data is treated as an escape character.


Escape Unenclosed Field = string

Single character string used as the escape character for unenclosed field values. Accepts common escape sequences, octal values, or hex values. Also accepts a value of NONE (default). If a character is specified in the Escape field, it will override this field.


Trim Space = boolean

Removes trailing and leading whitespace from the input data.


Field Optionally Enclosed = string

A character that is used to enclose strings. Can be a single quote ' or a double quote " or NONE (default). Escape the character with an instance of the same character.


Null If = string

This option replaces the specified string with NULL in the output table. Use this if your data has a particular representation of missing data.


Error On Column Count Mismatch = boolean

Generate an error if the number of delimited columns in the input does not match that of the table. If false, extra columns are not loaded into the table and missing columns are recorded as NULL in the table.


Empty Field As Null = boolean

If this is set, empty columns in the input file will become NULL.


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