Databases : Import and Export

Importing Existing Data

Sometimes the data that you want to store in a database is already available somewhere else such as in a another database, a spreadsheet or word processed document. If this is the case then instead of manually typing the data in again it will be quicker and easier to import it automatically from the existing source.

Before you can import data into a database you will need to save it in a standard file format such as a Comma Separated Value (CSV) or Tab Separated Value (TSV) file. The database package will then be able to read the data out of the file and store it within the database. You may need to create the record structure that will hold the data manually before importing the file or the database may be able to do this itself by analysing the imported data.

Exporting Data

Databases contain tools (such as queries) that let you analyse the data they contain. Sometimes however you may wish to take some data from a database and use it in another package. For example :

• You may wish to perform some calculations on data found by a query with a spreadsheet.
• You may wish to include a list of products stored in a file on a website.

To do this you must save the data that you wish to use in the other package in a standard file format such as a Comma Separated Value (CSV) or Tab Separated Value (TSV) that the other package can read. This is known as exporting data.

GCSE ICT Companion 04 - (C) P Meakin 2004