FILE_FORMATS View

This Information Schema view displays a row for each file format defined in the specified (or current) database.

File formats are named objects that can be used for loading/unloading data. For more information, see CREATE FILE FORMAT.

Columns

Column Name

Data Type

Description

FILE_FORMAT_CATALOG

TEXT

Database that the file format belongs to

FILE_FORMAT_SCHEMA

TEXT

Schema that the file format belongs to

FILE_FORMAT_NAME

TEXT

Name of the file format

FILE_FORMAT_OWNER

TEXT

Name of the role that owns the file format

FILE_FORMAT_TYPE

TEXT

Type of the file format

RECORD_DELIMITER

TEXT

Character that separates records

FIELD_DELIMITER

TEXT

Character that separates fields

SKIP_HEADER

NUMBER

Number of lines skipped at the start of the file

DATE_FORMAT

TEXT

Date format

TIME_FORMAT

TEXT

Time format

TIMESTAMP_FORMAT

TEXT

Timestamp format

BINARY_FORMAT

TEXT

Binary format

ESCAPE

TEXT

String used as the escape character for any field values

ESCAPE_UNENCLOSED_FIELD

TEXT

String used as the escape character for unenclosed field values

TRIM_SPACE

TEXT

Whether whitespace is removed from fields

FIELD_OPTIONALLY_ENCLOSED_BY

TEXT

Character used to enclose strings

NULL_IF

TEXT

A list of strings to be replaced by null

COMPRESSION

TEXT

Compression method for the data file

ERROR_ON_COLUMN_COUNT_MISMATCH

TEXT

Whether to generate a parsing error if the number of fields in an input file does not match the number of columns in the corresponding table

CREATED

TIMESTAMP_LTZ

Creation time of the file format

LAST_ALTERED

TIMESTAMP_LTZ

Date and time the object was last altered. See Usage Notes.

COMMENT

TEXT

Comment for this file format

Usage Notes

  • The view only displays objects for which the current role for the session has been granted access privileges. The view does not honor the MANAGE GRANTS privilege and consequently may show less information compared to a SHOW command when both are executed by a user who holds the MANAGE GRANTS privilege.

  • The LAST_ALTERED column is updated when the following operations are performed on an object:

    • DDL operations.

    • DML operations (for tables only).

    • Background maintenance operations on metadata performed by Snowflake.