[HIVE-1466] Add NULL DEFINED AS to ROW FORMAT specification

• Type: New Feature
• Status: Resolved
• Priority: Major
• Resolution: Fixed
• Fix Version/s: 0.13.0
• Component/s: SQL
• Release Note: This features enables defining a custom null format for a table via 'create table' statement. A custom null format can also be specified while exporting data to local filesystem using 'insert overwrite .. local dir' statement.
• Assignee: Prasad Suresh Mujumdar
• Reporter: Adam Kramer
• Created: 15/Jul/10 02:30
• Updated: 15/Jun/14 09:59
• Resolved: 16/Dec/13 19:52

Description

NULL values are passed to transformers as a literal backslash and a literal N. NULL values are saved when INSERT OVERWRITing LOCAL DIRECTORies as "NULL". This is inconsistent.

The ROW FORMAT specification of tables should be able to specify the manner in which a null character is represented. ROW FORMAT NULL DEFINED AS '\N' or '\003' or whatever should apply to all instances of table export and saving.

Issue Links

• links to: ReviewBoard #16207