Import data with the EdgeSQL Shell

You load data into a SQL Database table with EdgeSQL Shell, from a CSV or XLSX file, a SQL script, a local SQLite database, or a table held by MySQL, PostgreSQL, Kaggle, or Turso. The three local sources read a path on your machine and need no credentials. The four remote sources read theirs from environment variables you export before you start the shell.

For the complete argument form of every command below, the output modes, and the full table of credential variables, refer to EdgeSQL Shell.

EdgeSQL Shell does not start on a clean install. Every command fails before the EdgeSQL> prompt appears, with ImportError: cannot import name 'Configuration' from 'kaggle.api.kaggle_api_extended': commands/import.py imports the Kaggle module unconditionally while the shell starts, and the pinned kaggle==1.8.3 no longer defines that symbol. Downgrading does not rescue it on a machine with no Kaggle credentials, because the package authenticates inside its own __init__.py — 1.6.17 and 1.7.4 fail there instead. A fix is pending.

Stubbing that one import out locally leaves the rest of the tool working. It is a local workaround, not a supported step. For the interfaces that run the same SQL until the fix ships, refer to Troubleshooting.

Prerequisites

SQL Database enabled on your account. The product is in Preview and is not enabled by default, so request access through Technical Support.
EdgeSQL Shell installed, with its virtual environment active. Refer to Install the EdgeSQL Shell.
A database to import into. Create one as in Create and manage databases, or from the shell itself with .create <database-name>.
A personal token exported as AZION_TOKEN. The shell authenticates with it.
The credentials of the source you read from, for the four remote sources. Each section below names the variables its source needs.

Import a CSV or XLSX file

.import file reads a file on your machine and writes its rows into a table. It accepts a CSV or an XLSX file and no other format, and it is the only source whose argument form names a file type. To import a CSV file:

Select the database

.use <database-name>

Every command that follows runs against this database.

Import the file

.import file csv /path/to/cities.csv cities

The last two arguments are the path to the file and the name of the target table. Pass xlsx in place of csv for an Excel file. A three-row file imports in about five seconds.

The shell writes a progress bar while it chunks the data, and ends on one line:

Data imported successfully into table 'cities'.

The table holds the rows of the file, and .tables lists it among the tables of the database.

Run a SQL file

.read runs the SQL statements a file holds against the database in use. Use it for a file of INSERT statements, or for a file that creates a schema and fills it in one pass. To run the file:

Select the database

.use <database-name>

Run the file

.read /path/to/schema.sql

The shell answers with one line:

SQL statements from /path/to/schema.sql executed successfully.

The statements have run in the order the file holds them, and the rows they insert are readable with a SELECT at the EdgeSQL> prompt.

Import from a SQLite database

.import sqlite copies one table out of a SQLite database file on your machine. Its arguments are the path to the file, the table to read, and the table to write. To import the table:

Select the database

.use <database-name>

Import the table

.import sqlite /path/to/local.db products products

The shell answers with one line:

Data imported successfully into table 'products'.

The target table holds the rows of the source table, with their column types preserved.

Import from MySQL

.import mysql reads one table from a MySQL server. It needs MYSQL_USERNAME, MYSQL_PASSWORD, and MYSQL_HOST. MYSQL_PORT is optional, and the MYSQL_SSL_* variables configure a TLS connection. For every variable and its accepted values, refer to Environment variables.

Azion has not run this import. The command form comes from the shell’s own help text, so no output is shown for it. To import the table:

Export the MySQL credentials

In the terminal, before you start the shell:

Shell

01export MYSQL_USERNAME="<username>"

02export MYSQL_PASSWORD="<password>"

03export MYSQL_HOST="<host_address>"

Select the database

.use <database-name>

Import the table

.import mysql <database> <source_table> <table_name>

<database> is the database on the MySQL server, <source_table> the table to read, and <table_name> the table to write in SQL Database.

The target table holds the rows read from the MySQL table.

Import from PostgreSQL

.import postgres reads one table from a PostgreSQL server. It needs POSTGRES_USERNAME, POSTGRES_PASSWORD, and POSTGRES_HOST. POSTGRES_PORT is optional, and the POSTGRES_SSL_* variables configure a TLS connection. For every variable and its accepted values, refer to Environment variables.

Azion has not run this import. The command form comes from the shell’s own help text, so no output is shown for it. To import the table:

Export the PostgreSQL credentials

In the terminal, before you start the shell:

Shell

01export POSTGRES_USERNAME="<username>"

02export POSTGRES_PASSWORD="<password>"

03export POSTGRES_HOST="<host_address>"

Select the database

.use <database-name>

Import the table

.import postgres <database> <source_table> <table_name>

<database> is the database on the PostgreSQL server, <source_table> the table to read, and <table_name> the table to write in SQL Database.

The target table holds the rows read from the PostgreSQL table.

Import from Kaggle

.import kaggle reads one file out of a Kaggle dataset. It needs KAGGLE_USERNAME and KAGGLE_KEY, and it is the only source whose arguments name a dataset and a file inside it rather than a database and a table.

Azion has not run this import. The command form comes from the shell’s own help text, so no output is shown for it. Kaggle is also the source that stops the shell from starting: the module behind this command imports the Kaggle package at startup, which is the failure the caution above describes. To import the file:

Export the Kaggle credentials

In the terminal, before you start the shell:

Shell

01export KAGGLE_USERNAME="<username>"

02export KAGGLE_KEY="<kaggle_api_key>"

Select the database

.use <database-name>

Import the file

.import kaggle joonasyoon/google-doodles list.csv list

The arguments are the dataset, the file inside it, and the target table. This example is the one the shell’s help text prints.

The target table holds the rows of the file read from the dataset.

Import from Turso

.import turso reads one table from a Turso database. It needs TURSO_DATABASE_URL and TURSO_AUTH_TOKEN, and TURSO_ENCRYPTION_KEY is optional.

Azion has not run this import. The command form comes from the shell’s own help text, so no output is shown for it. To import the table:

Export the Turso credentials

In the terminal, before you start the shell:

Shell

01export TURSO_DATABASE_URL="https://<db_name>-<organization>.turso.io"

02export TURSO_AUTH_TOKEN="<token>"

Select the database

.use <database-name>

Import the table

.import turso <database> <source_table> <table_name>

<database> is the database on the Turso server, <source_table> the table to read, and <table_name> the table to write in SQL Database.

The target table holds the rows read from the Turso table.

Next steps

EdgeSQL ShellEvery command the shell accepts, the argument form of each import source, the output modes, and the credential variables.Create tables and query dataRead the imported rows back, and write the SQL that creates, updates, and deletes them.Install the EdgeSQL ShellThe clone, the virtual environment, and the token that put the shell on your machine.TroubleshootingThe symptoms SQL Database and its shell return, and what each one means.