SQL Server / Using BCP to create a format file

So you have a database table and you want to make a format file, but who wants to go through and make one by hand?  You can get a head start by using the BCP (Bulk Copy Program) utility to create one for you.

You can use any existing table to do this.  Open up a command window (DOS) and use the following syntax:

BCP database.dbo.tablename format nul -f FORMATNAME.FMT -c -SServerName -UUserName -PPassword

Substituting database, tablename, FORMATNAME.FMT, ServerName, UserName, and Password with your information.

This will generate a format file for use with a tab delimited file.  You can then alter the delimiters if necessary from tab to something else.