How to enforce schema with Autoloader?

[js54123875]

I have a number of csv files that I am working to ingest using autoloader. There is an ID field that I want to require to be a STRING, but using SchemaHints is not working and is instead setting as an INT.

The first few csv files have just integer values for the ID field, i.e. '123'4, '9876', '10371', etc.

A later csv file has some fields with non-numeric values '1234c', '9d87', etc.

This is why the column needs to be set as a STRING, but despite specifying this in schemahints, autoloader is still defining it as an INT.

I have tried doing a full refresh on the table, with all of these files available together in the source directory.

What else can I do to enforce the schema to be a string? Thank you.

[-werners- · Accepted solution]

@Jennette Shepard​ Is this what you are looking for?

Basically you define a schema yourself. There are lots of examples to be found online on how to do that.

[Anonymous]

Hi @Jennette Shepard​ 

Thank you for posting your question in our community! We are happy to assist you.

To help us provide you with the most accurate information, could you please take a moment to review the responses and select the one that best answers your question?

This will also help other community members who may have similar questions in the future. Thank you for your participation and let us know if you need any further assistance! 

[Anonymous]

@Jennette Shepard​ 

If specifying the data type using SchemaHints is not working as expected, you can try the following steps to enforce the ID field as a string:

1. Ensure that you are using the correct syntax for specifying the SchemaHints. Make sure you are explicitly setting the ID field as a string using the appropriate hint.
2. Check if there are any conflicting or overriding settings in your code or configuration that may be causing the ID field to be interpreted as an integer. Make sure there are no other parts of your code or pipeline that are overriding the schema definition.
3. If the above steps do not work, you can try explicitly casting the ID field to a string in your code or SQL statements after the data is loaded. Depending on the database or framework you are using, you can use functions like CAST or CONVERT to convert the ID field to a string data type.
4. Another option is to preprocess your CSV files before loading them into autoloader. You can use scripting or programming languages like Python or PowerShell to read the files, explicitly cast the ID field to a string, and save the modified files. Then, load the modified CSV files using autoloader.
5. If none of the above options work, you may need to contact the support or documentation resources for the specific autoloader or data processing tool you are using. They might be able to provide further assistance or insights into the issue you are facing.

Remember to double-check the documentation and syntax specific to your autoloader tool for precise guidance on how to enforce the schema for CSV files.

[Anonymous]

Hi @Jennette Shepard​ 

We haven't heard from you since the last response from @Suteja Kanuri​  . Kindly share the information with us, and in return, we will provide you with the necessary solution.

Thanks and Regards