Bulk Insert with filename parameter

Question

I need to load a couple of thousands of data files into SQL Server table. So I write a stored procedure that receives just one parameter - file name. But.. The following doesn't work.. The "compiler" complains on @FileName parameter.. It wants just plain string.. like 'file.txt'. Thanks in advance.

Ilan.

BULK INSERT TblValues
FROM @FileName
WITH 
(
FIELDTERMINATOR =',',
ROWTERMINATOR ='\n'
)

Answer 1

The syntax for BULK INSERT statement is :

BULK INSERT 
   [ database_name. [ schema_name ] . | schema_name. ] [ table_name | view_name ] 
      FROM 'data_file' 
     [ WITH 

So, the file name must be a string constant. To solve the problem please use dynamic SQL:

DECLARE @sql NVARCHAR(4000) = 'BULK INSERT TblValues FROM ''' + @FileName + ''' WITH ( FIELDTERMINATOR ='','', ROWTERMINATOR =''\n'' )';
EXEC(@sql);