Data Importer

The Data Importer loads data from files directly into database tables. Supported file formats:

  • Delimited text — CSV, TSV, and any custom-separator format
  • XML files
  • Excel — XLS and XLSX

Accessing the Data Importer

Open the Data Importer in two ways:

  • Data Tools → Import Data From File in the application menu
  • Right-click any table header and choose Import Data From File

For loading data programmatically or scheduling recurring imports, see the Data Loader dialog.

Choosing a File and Target Table

Choose Import File Dialog

In the import dialog:

  1. Enter the file path and select the file encoding.
  2. Choose the target schema.
  3. Select whether to import into an existing table or create a new table.

When creating a new table, DbSchema derives column names and types from the file header and content preview. The table is created in the database when the import starts.

When importing into an existing table, you can adjust the column definitions. If DbSchema is connected to a live database, any column changes are applied immediately.

Import Settings

Use the Settings panel to control how the file is parsed:

  • First Line is Header — when checked, the first row supplies column names and is not imported as data.
  • Separator character — the delimiter between fields (comma, tab \t, pipe |, semicolon, etc.). DbSchema attempts auto-detection, but verify it is correct.
  • Quote character — wraps field values that contain the separator. For example, "Andre, Mike" is treated as a single field.
  • Escape character — escapes a quote character inside a quoted field, for example \".
  • Date format and locale — the format string for date, time, and timestamp columns, following Java's SimpleDateFormat syntax (e.g. yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss). Hover the info icon next to the field to see examples.

Mapping Columns

Column Mapping Dialog

If the target table already exists, you can map each file column to the corresponding database column. Columns that should not be imported can be excluded from the mapping. If the table does not exist yet, the column editor lets you define names and data types before the import runs.

Error Handling

After the import starts, any errors and their corresponding line numbers appear in the Error pane at the bottom of the dialog. Correct the source file or adjust the column mappings and re-run to resolve issues.