When loading a single partition of a partitioned or subpartitioned table, SQL*Loader partitions the rows and rejects any rows that do not map to the partition or subpartition specified in the SQL*Loader control file. Local index partitions that correspond to the data partition or subpartition being loaded are maintained by SQL*Loader. Global indexes are not maintained on single partition or subpartition direct path loads. During a direct path load of a single partition, SQL*Loader uses the partition-extended syntax of the LOAD statement, which has either of the following forms:
LOAD INTO TABLE T PARTITION (P) VALUES ... LOAD INTO TABLE T SUBPARTITION (P) VALUES ...
While you are loading a partition of a partitioned or subpartitioned table, you are also allowed to perform DML operations on, and direct path loads of, other partitions in the table.
Although a direct path load minimizes database processing, several calls to the Oracle database are required at the beginning and end of the load to initialize and finish the load, respectively. Also, certain DML locks are required during load initialization and are released when the load completes. The following operations occur during the load: index keys are built and put into a sort, and space management routines are used to get new extents when needed and to adjust the upper boundary (high-water mark) for a data savepoint. See "Using Data Saves to Protect Against Data Loss" for information about adjusting the upper boundary.