Advanced Parameters

This section covers advanced configuration options for FastBCP.

Run ID

The Run ID parameter --runid is a unique identifier for the current export operation. It can be used for tracking, logging, and monitoring purposes.

Information

If not specified, FastBCP will generate a unique Run ID automatically.

Tips

If possible, inject the RunId provided by the caller (e.g., SSIS, Airflow, or any scheduler that supports a run identifier). This will greatly facilitate log correlation and troubleshooting.

./FastBCP \
...
 --runid "export-2024-01-09-001" \
...

Syntax:

• Long form only: --runid "<unique_identifier>"

Log Level

The Log Level parameter --loglevel controls the verbosity of logging output during export operations.

Available values:

• Information (default): Standard logging with key operation details
• Debug: Verbose logging with detailed diagnostic information

./FastBCP \
...
 --loglevel "Debug" \
...

Syntax:

• Long form only: --loglevel "<Information|Debug>"

note

If a settings file is specified with --settingsfile, the log level defined in the settings file takes precedence unless overridden by the command-line parameter.

Information

See Logging Overview for detailed information about logging configuration and output.

Settings File

The Settings File parameter --settingsfile allows you to store all FastBCP parameters in a configuration file, making it easier to manage complex exports and reuse configurations.

./FastBCP \
...
 --settingsfile "/path/to/config/export-config.json" \
...

Syntax:

• Long form only: --settingsfile "<path_to_json_file>"

Information

See Logging Overview for examples of settings file configuration.

Config File

The Config File parameter --config allows you to define all FastBCP parameters in a YAML configuration file. This provides a more structured and readable way to manage export configurations compared to JSON settings files.

Windows

.\FastBCP.exe --config samples\sample_mssql_to_csv.yaml

Linux

./FastBCP --config samples/sample_mssql_to_csv.yaml

Syntax:

• Long form only: --config "<path_to_yaml_file>"

YAML Configuration Example

Here's a complete example of a YAML configuration file:

# FastBCP – MSSQL to CSV using RangeId parallel method
#
# Usage:
#   .\FastBCP.exe --config samples\sample_mssql_to_csv.yaml
connection:
  type: mssql
  server: localhost
  database: tpch10_collation_bin2
  trusted: true

source:
  schema: dbo
  table: orders

output:
  file: "mssql_orders_{startdate}.csv"
  directory: 'D:\temp\{database}\{schema}\{table}\full\'
  delimiter: "|"
  decimal_separator: "."
  date_format: "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss"
  encoding: UTF-8

performance:
  method: RangeId
  degree: -2
  distribute_key_column: o_orderkey
  merge: false

logging:
  run_id: mssql_to_csv_parallel-2_rangeid

Benefits of YAML Configuration

• Structured and readable: YAML format is more human-friendly than JSON
• Comments support: Add documentation directly in your configuration files
• Reusable configurations: Version control your export settings
• Simplified command-line: Reduce complex exports to a single --config parameter

No Banner

Disable the FastBCP banner display in the command line output. This is useful for scripting or when you want cleaner output in automated processes.

Example:

./FastBCP \
...
 --nobanner \
...

Syntax:

• Long form: --nobanner

Clean Output

Using --nobanner is recommended when running FastBCP from scripts or CI/CD pipelines where you want to minimize console output or parse the results programmatically.

Complete Example

Here's a complete example using advanced parameters:

Windows

.\FastBCP.exe `
  --connectiontype "oraodp" `
  --server "localhost:1521/OraService" `
  --database "tpch" `
  --user "FastUser" `
  --password "FastPassword" `
  --sourceschema "TPCH" `
  --sourcetable "ORDERS" `
  --directory "D:\temp" `
  --fileoutput "orders.xlsx" `
  --encoding "UTF-8" `
  --parallelmethod RowId `
  --paralleldegree 7 `
  --merge false `
  --loglevel "Debug" `
  --runid "oracle_to_excel_parallel_rowid" `
  --settingsfile "C:\config\oracle-export.json" `
  --nobanner

Linux

./FastBCP \
  --connectiontype "oraodp" \
  --server "localhost:1521/OraService" \
  --database "tpch" \
  --user "FastUser" \
  --password "FastPassword" \
  --sourceschema "TPCH" \
  --sourcetable "ORDERS" \
  --directory "/temp" \
  --fileoutput "orders.xlsx" \
  --encoding "UTF-8" \
  --parallelmethod RowId \
  --paralleldegree 7 \
  --merge false \
  --loglevel "Debug" \
  --runid "oracle_to_excel_parallel_rowid" \
  --settingsfile "/config/oracle-export.json" \
  --nobanner

This example:

• Connects to an Oracle database using the RowId parallel method
• Exports ORDERS table to Excel format with UTF-8 encoding
• Uses 7 parallel threads with separate files (merge=false)
• Enables Debug logging for detailed diagnostics
• Uses a custom Run ID for tracking
• Loads additional configuration from a settings file
• Disables the banner for cleaner output