This section describes the parameters available in the command-line mode of Data Pump Import. Be sure to read the following sections before using the Import parameters:
Many of the descriptions include an example of how to use the parameter. For background information on setting up the necessary environment to run the examples, see:
For parameters that can have multiple values specified, the values can be separated by commas or by spaces. For example, you could specify TABLES=employees,jobs or TABLES=employees jobs.
For every parameter you enter, you must enter an equal sign (=) and a value. Data Pump has no other way of knowing that the previous parameter specification is complete and a new parameter specification is beginning. For example, in the following command line, even though NOLOGFILE is a valid parameter, it would be interpreted as another dump file name for the DUMPFILE parameter:
impdp DIRECTORY=dpumpdir DUMPFILE=test.dmp NOLOGFILE TABLES=employees
This would result in two dump files being created, test.dmp and nologfile.dmp.
To avoid this, specify either NOLOGFILE=YES or NOLOGFILE=NO.
Case Sensitivity When Specifying Parameter Values
For tablespace names, schema names, table names, and so on that you enter as parameter values, Oracle Data Pump by default changes values entered as lowercase or mixed-case into uppercase. For example, if you enter TABLE=hr.employees, then it is changed to TABLE=HR.EMPLOYEES. To maintain case, you must enclose the value within quotation marks. For example, TABLE="hr.employees" would preserve the table name in all lower case. The name you enter must exactly match the name stored in the database.
Some operating systems treat quotation marks as special characters and will therefore not pass them to an application unless they are preceded by an escape character, such as the backslash (\). This is true both on the command line and within parameter files. Some operating systems may require an additional set of single or double quotation marks on the command line around the entire parameter value containing the special characters.
The following examples are provided to illustrate these concepts. Be aware that they may not apply to your particular operating system and that this documentation cannot anticipate the operating environments unique to each user.
Suppose you specify the TABLES parameter in a parameter file, as follows:
TABLES = \"MixedCaseTableName\"
If you were to specify that on the command line, then some operating systems would require that it be surrounded by single quotation marks, as follows:
TABLES = '\"MixedCaseTableName\"'
To avoid having to supply additional quotation marks on the command line, Oracle recommends the use of parameter files. Also, note that if you use a parameter file and the parameter value being specified does not have quotation marks as the first character in the string (for example, TABLES=scott."EmP"), then the use of escape characters may not be necessary on some systems.
If you try running the examples that are provided for each parameter, then be aware of the following:
After you enter the username and parameters as shown in the example, Import is started and you are prompted for a password. You must supply a password before a database connection is made.
Most of the examples use the sample schemas of the seed database, which is installed by default when you install Oracle Database. In particular, the human resources (hr) schema is often used.
Examples that specify a dump file to import assume that the dump file exists. Wherever possible, the examples use dump files that are generated when you run the Export examples in Data Pump Export.
The examples assume that the directory objects, dpump_dir1 and dpump_dir2, already exist and that READ and WRITE privileges have been granted to the hr user for these directory objects. See "Default Locations for Dump_ Log_ and SQL Files" for information about creating directory objects and assigning privileges to them.
Some of the examples require the DATAPUMP_EXP_FULL_DATABASE and DATAPUMP_IMP_FULL_DATABASE roles. The examples assume that the hr user has been granted these roles.
If necessary, ask your DBA for help in creating these directory objects and assigning the necessary privileges and roles.
Syntax diagrams of these parameters are provided in "Syntax Diagrams for Data Pump Import".
Unless specifically noted, these parameters can also be specified in a parameter file.
The Import "PARFILE" parameter
"Default Locations for Dump_ Log_ and SQL Files" for information about creating default directory objects
Your Oracle operating system-specific documentation for information about how special and reserved characters are handled on your system