First Data Row (Model Object)

First Data Row (FirstDataRow) is the number of the first row of a source file that the raw data loader reads as data. The loader passes it to the FIRSTROW argument of OPENROWSET, so rows above it, such as a header row, are skipped.

The property exists only in the Microsoft SQL Server Stage File generator. There, the raw data loader is the procedure that reads the files of a Stage into its raw data table.

Where to set it

Set First Data Row when you edit a model object of type Source. It is a text field that takes a whole number. Every Stage that reads the Source uses the same value.

Values

• 2: skips one header row.
• 1: reads every row, for files without a header row.
• Another number: skips the rows above it.
• Empty: the loader omits FIRSTROW. SQL Server then starts at row 1, and a header row is loaded as a data row.

SQL Server counts rows by their row terminators, as described in the Microsoft documentation of OPENROWSET BULK.

Default value

2.

Example

The file CUSTOMER.csv has a header row and one data row:

CUSTOMER_ID|CUSTOMER|CUSTOMER_TYPE|...
10|Müller AG|B|...

With First Data Row 2, the raw data loader reads the file with ,FIRSTROW = 2 and stores one row with CUSTOMER_ID 10. With an empty value, it stores two rows: the first holds the column names as values, for example CUSTOMER_ID in the column CUSTOMER_ID.

Related articles

• Reference: Code Page (Model Object), Row Delimiter (Model Object)
• See also: Model a Stage File Solution, Microsoft SQL Server - Stage Files