PostgreSQL CSV import from command line

Question

I\'ve been using the psql Postgres terminal to import CSV files into tables using the following

COPY tbname FROM
\'/tmp/the_file.csv\'
delimiter \'|\' csv;
<         


        

Answer 1

As stated in The PostgreSQL Documentation (II. PostgreSQL Client Applications - psql) you can pass a command to psql (PostgreSQL interactive terminal) with the switch -c. Your options are:

1, Client-side CSV: \copy meta-command

perform the SQL COPY command but the file is read on the client and the content routed to the server.

psql -c "\copy tbname FROM '/tmp/the_file.csv' delimiter '|' csv"

(client-side option originally mentioned in this answer)

2. Server-side CSV: SQL COPY command

reads the file on the server (current user needs to have the necessary permissions):

psql -c "COPY tbname FROM '/tmp/the_file.csv' delimiter '|' csv;"

the DB roles needed for reading the file on the server:

COPY naming a file or command is only allowed to database superusers or users who are granted one of the default roles pg_read_server_files, pg_write_server_files, or pg_execute_server_program

also the PostgreSQL server process needs to have access to the file.