export

Command: export
Category: Data Tools
Status: Production Ready

Description

Export table or view data to CSV, Excel, or JSON files. This is the complementary command to import, which loads data into tables.

Syntax

hana-cli export [options]

Aliases

• exp
• downloadData
• downloaddata

Command Diagram

Parameters

Positional Arguments

None.

Options

Option	Alias	Type	Default	Description
--table	-t	string	-	Source table or view name.
--schema	-s	string	**CURRENT_SCHEMA**	Source schema name.
--output	-o	string	-	Output file path. If omitted, a timestamped filename is generated.
--format	-f	string	csv	Export format. Choices: csv, excel, json.
--where	-w	string	-	WHERE clause for filtering rows (without the WHERE keyword).
--limit	-l	number	-	Maximum number of rows to export. Defaults to --maxRows when unset.
--orderby	--ob	string	-	ORDER BY clause for sorting (without the ORDER BY keyword).
--columns	-c	string	*	Comma-separated list of columns to export.
--delimiter	-d	string	,	CSV delimiter character.
--includeHeaders	--ih	boolean	true	Include header row in CSV export.
--nullValue	--nv	string	''	Value to use for NULL/empty cells in CSV/Excel output.
--maxRows	--mr	number	1000000	Maximum rows allowed (used when --limit is not set).
--timeout	--to	number	3600	Operation timeout in seconds.
--profile	-p	string	-	CDS profile for connections.

Connection Parameters

Option	Alias	Type	Default	Description
--admin	-a	boolean	false	Connect via admin (default-env-admin.json).
--conn	-	string	-	Connection filename to override default-env.json.

Troubleshooting

Option	Alias	Type	Default	Description
--disableVerbose	--quiet	boolean	false	Disable verbose output for scripting.
--debug	-d	boolean	false	Debug hana-cli with detailed intermediate output.

Special Default Values

Token	Resolves To	Description
**CURRENT_SCHEMA**	Current user's schema	Used as default for --schema.
*	All columns	Used when --columns is not provided.

Output Formats

CSV Export

• Standard comma-separated values format
• First row contains column headers (configurable with --includeHeaders)
• NULL values appear as empty cells or a custom value (with --nullValue)

Excel Export

• Modern .xlsx format (Office Open XML)
• Automatic column width adjustment
• Data types preserved (numbers, dates, text)

JSON Export

• JSON array of objects
• Best for complex data structures and programmatic processing

Interactive Mode

In interactive mode, you are prompted for:

Parameter	Required	Prompted	Notes
table	Yes	Always	Source table or view.
schema	No	Always	Defaults to current schema if omitted.
output	Yes	Always	File path to write.
format	Yes	Always	Select csv/excel/json.
where	No	Skipped	Use --where to filter rows.
limit	No	Skipped	Use --limit to cap rows.
orderby	No	Skipped	Use --orderby to sort results.
columns	No	Skipped	Use --columns to select columns.
delimiter	No	Skipped	Use --delimiter for CSV.
includeHeaders	No	Skipped	Use --includeHeaders to toggle headers.
nullValue	No	Skipped	Use --nullValue for NULL replacement.
maxRows	No	Skipped	Use --maxRows to cap rows.
timeout	No	Skipped	Use --timeout to cap runtime.
profile	No	Always	Optional CDS profile.

Examples

hana-cli export --table myTable --format csv

Additional Examples

# Excel export with column selection
hana-cli export -t EMPLOYEES -o ./output/staff.xlsx -f excel -c EMPLOYEE_ID,NAME,EMAIL,HIRE_DATE

# Export with WHERE clause
hana-cli export -t SALES -o ./output/2024_sales.csv -w "YEAR = 2024 AND STATUS = 'COMPLETED'"

# JSON export with ordering
hana-cli export -t PRODUCTS -o ./output/products.json -f json --orderby "PRICE DESC"

# Export with row limit
hana-cli export -t LARGE_TABLE -o ./output/sample.csv -l 1000

# CSV with custom delimiter
hana-cli export -t DATA -o ./output/data.tsv -d '\t'

# Export from a specific schema
hana-cli export -t CUSTOMERS -s SALES_DB -o ./output/customers.csv

Workflow Examples

Backup and Restore Workflow

# Export current production data
hana-cli export -t CRITICAL_TABLE -s PRODUCTION -o ./backup/critical_$(date +%Y%m%d).csv -f excel

# Import into a target environment
hana-cli import -n ./backup/critical_20260215.csv -t CRITICAL_TABLE -s STAGING -m name

Large Dataset Export Strategy

# First batch
hana-cli export -t BIG_TABLE -o ./batch1.csv -l 100000

# Subsequent batches with filtering
hana-cli export -t BIG_TABLE -o ./batch2.csv -l 100000 -w "ID > 100000"

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I export views?

Yes, the export command works with both tables and views.

hana-cli export -t SCHEMA.VIEW_NAME -o output.csv

What is the maximum export size?

The export is limited by available disk space and the --maxRows setting (default: 1,000,000 rows). Use batching for larger exports.

What happens to NULL values?

• By default, NULL appears as empty cells in CSV/Excel.
• Use --nullValue to customize the replacement.
• JSON preserves NULL as JSON null.

Performance Considerations

Factor	Recommendation
Large datasets	Use --limit to test, then export in batches.
Specific columns	Use --columns to reduce file size and export time.
Long-running exports	Increase --timeout for millions of rows.
File format choice	JSON is larger; use CSV for bulk data.
Filtering efficiency	Apply WHERE clause at database level.

Error Handling

Error	Cause	Solution
Table not found	Table doesn't exist or wrong schema	Verify table name and schema via hana-cli inspectTable -t TABLE.
Column not found	Column doesn't exist	Check column names with hana-cli inspectTable -t SCHEMA.TABLE.
File write failed	Permission denied or invalid path	Ensure output directory exists and is writable.
Timeout exceeded	Query took too long	Use WHERE clause to filter, increase --timeout.
Invalid format	Unsupported format choice	Use csv, excel, or json.

Tips and Best Practices

1. Always test first: Use -l 100 to preview data before full export.
2. Include timestamps: Add timestamps to filenames for version tracking.
3. Choose format wisely:
   • CSV for data analysis tools
   • Excel for business users
   • JSON for APIs and web applications
4. Validate before import: Check file integrity after export.
5. Use schemas explicitly: Specify schema to avoid ambiguity.

Related Commands

See the Commands Reference for other commands in this category.

See Also

• Category: Data Tools
• All Commands A-Z