What is Beeline?

Beeline is a vendor management system (VMS) designed for enterprise companies, providing a comprehensive solution for managing their contingent workforce. As a shift-based workforce management system, it caters to the dynamic scheduling needs of various industries.

The tool has been recognized for its robust capabilities, earning the title of top VMS for Provider Strength and the accolade of "Market Leader" from Ardent Partners. It stands out as the only platform with the necessary scale, global reach, innovation, and service required to deliver superior contingent workforce programs.

Additionally, Beeline extends its services to mid-sized companies and offers unique value for suppliers. Beeline Analytics, its visual analytics component, leverages data and metrics to analyze trends in headcount, rates, and spending, utilizing AI to detect anomalies and optimization opportunities, identify excessive spending, and diagnose program deficiencies.

Exporting Data from Beeline to a CSV File

Using INSERT COMMAND

To export a Hive table into a CSV file using Beeline, you can use the INSERT command. The specific command is INSERT OVERWRITE LOCAL DIRECTORY '/tmp/directoryWhereToStoreData' ROW FORMAT DELIMITED FIELDS TERMINATED BY ',' LINES TERMINATED BY "n" SELECT * FROM yourTable. This command will write the exported data to the specified directory in a CSV format, with comma delimiters between fields.

Using -f Flag with a Query File

Another method to export data to CSV is by using the -f flag, which allows you to run a Hive query from a file. The command for this method is beeline -u 'jdbc:hive2://[databaseaddress]' --outputformat=csv2 -f yourSQLFile.sql > theFileWhereToStoreTheData.csv. Using the --outputformat=csv2 flag will ensure that the output is in the CSV format, and the result will be directed to the specified CSV file.

Using Environment Variables and Command-line Options

For a more advanced CSV export, which includes the ability to handle quoting and special characters within the data, you can use environment variables and certain command-line options. The command is env HADOOP_CLIENT_OPTS="-Ddisable.quoting.for.sv=false" beeline -u "jdbc:hive2://your.hive.server.address:10000/" --incremental=true --outputformat=csv2 -e "select * from youdatabase.yourtable". To collect the data to a local file, you may then use the Hadoop command hdfs dfs -getmerge.

Running Beeline in the Background

If you need to run any of these commands in the background, you can precede the Beeline command with nohup and append & at the end of the command. This will allow the export process to continue running even if the session is disconnected.

Streamline Your Workflow with Sourcetable

Using Sourcetable to import your Beeline data directly into a spreadsheet can significantly streamline your workflow and enhance your productivity. Unlike the traditional method of exporting data to a CSV file and then importing it to another spreadsheet program, Sourcetable syncs your live data seamlessly from Beeline. This means you get real-time access to your data without the hassle of manual exports and imports.

Sourcetable's capability to pull in data automatically from various sources, including Beeline, allows for a more efficient way to manage your information. By integrating directly with Beeline, Sourcetable reduces the risk of errors that can occur during the data transfer process. Moreover, it simplifies your data management by providing a familiar spreadsheet interface, making it easy to query and analyze your data on-the-fly.

For those looking to maximize automation and enhance business intelligence, Sourcetable offers an exceptional advantage. It eliminates redundant steps in data handling and provides a more dynamic and up-to-date view of your business metrics. Adopting Sourcetable for your data integration needs not only saves time but also ensures that you are making decisions based on the latest information available.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I export a Hive table as a CSV using Beeline?

To export a Hive table as a CSV, you can use the command: beeline -u 'jdbc:hive2://123.12.4132:345/database_name' --outputformat=csv2 -e "select col1, col2, col3 from table_name" > /path/to/dump.csv. This command sets the output format to csv2 and redirects the query result to a CSV file on your local file system.

What is the syntax to export a CSV with Beeline?

The syntax to export a CSV with Beeline is to specify the jdbc connection string with -u, set the output format with --outputformat=csv2, and provide the query using -e. Example: beeline -u 'jdbc:hive2://123.12.4132:345/database_name' --outputformat=csv2 -e "select * from yourTable" > /path/to/dump.csv.

Can I export a table to CSV on the local file system using Beeline?

Yes, you can export a table to CSV on the local file system by using the command: !sql INSERT OVERWRITE LOCAL DIRECTORY '/tmp/directoryWhereToStoreData' ROW FORMAT DELIMITED FIELDS TERMINATED BY ',' LINES TERMINATED BY "n" SELECT * FROM yourTable.

What is required to export a table as a CSV file using Beeline?

To export a table as a CSV file using Beeline, you need to use Hive version 0.11.0 or later, and use the --outputformat=csv2 option with the beeline command to store the results into a file on the local file system.