PostgreSQL Bulk Loader

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Last updated: Nov 15, 2017 by Former user (Deleted)Version comment
3 min read

Description

The PostgreSQL bulk loader is an experimental step in which we will to stream data from inside Kettle to the psql command using "COPY DATA FROM STDIN" into the database.
This way of loading data offers the best of both worlds : the performance of a bulk load and the flexibility of a Pentaho Data Integration transformation.

Make sure to check out the "#Set up authentication" section below!

Note: This step does not work with a JNDI defined connection, only JDBC is supported.

Note: This step does not support timestamps at the moment (5.3). Timestamps should be converted to Date before this step. Using timestamps results in null-values in the table.

Options

Option

Description

Step name

Name of the step.

Note: This name has to be unique in a single transformation.

Connection

Name of the database connection on which the target table resides.

Note: The password of this database connection is not used, see below in the "#Set up authentication" section! Since PDI-1901 is fixed in 3.2.3, the username of the connection is used and added to the -U parameter, otherwise the logged in user acount would be taken.

Target schema

The name of the Schema for the table to write data to. This is important for data sources that allow for table names with dots '.' in it.

Target table

Name of the target table.

psql path

Full path to the psql utility.

Load action

Insert, Truncate. Insert inserts, truncate first truncates the table.

Note: Don't use 'Truncate' when you are running the transformation clustered or multiple step copies! In this case, truncate the table before the transformation starts, for example in a job.

 

 

Fields to load

This table contains a list of fields to load data from, properties include:

  • Table field: Table field to be loaded in the PostgreSQL table;
  • Stream field: Field to be taken from the incoming rows;
  • Date mask: Either "Pass through, "Date" or "DateTime", determines how date/timestamps will be loaded in PostgreSQL.

Metadata Injection Support

All fields of this step support metadata injection. You can use this step with ETL Metadata Injection to pass metadata to your transformation at runtime.

Set Up Authentication


"psql" doesn't allow you to specify the password.  Here is a part of the connection options: 

 Connection options:
  -h HOSTNAME     database server host or socket directory (default: "/var/run/postgresql")
  -p PORT         database server port (default: "5432")
  -U NAME         database user name (default: "matt" - if you are not Matt:
                  Since PDI 3.2.3 the username of the connection is taken, see PDI-1901.)
  -W              prompt for password (should happen automatically)

As you can see there is no way to specify a password for the database.  It will always prompt for a password on the console no matter what.

To overcome this you need to set up trusted authentication on the PostgreSQL server.

To make this happen, change the pg_hba.conf file (on my box this is /etc/postgresql/8.2/main/pg_hba.conf) and add a line like this:

host    all         all         192.168.1.0/24        trust

This basically means that everyone from the 192.168.1.0 network (mask 255.255.255.0) can log into postgres on all databases with any username.  If you are running Kettle on the same server, change it to localhost:

host    all         all         127.0.0.1/32        trust

 This is much safer of-course.  Make sure you don't invite any strangers onto your PostgreSQL database!

 TIP! Make sure to restart your database server after you made this change