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Description

This error occurs during data import/export operations (like `LOAD DATA INFILE` or `SELECT ... INTO OUTFILE`) when MySQL cannot unambiguously interpret the `FIELDS TERMINATED BY` character. It typically arises when the terminator character is too simple or conflicts with other potential delimiters, especially if `FIELDS ENCLOSED BY` is not explicitly defined or is empty, making parsing difficult.

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Error Message

First character of the FIELDS TERMINATED string is ambiguous; please use non-optional and non-empty FIELDS ENCLOSED BY

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Known Causes

4 known causes

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Missing FIELDS ENCLOSED BY

Not specifying the `FIELDS ENCLOSED BY` clause when using `FIELDS TERMINATED BY` can lead to ambiguity, especially with common terminator characters.

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Empty FIELDS ENCLOSED BY String

Providing an empty string for the `FIELDS ENCLOSED BY` clause fails to provide the necessary enclosure context, making the terminator ambiguous.

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Highly Ambiguous Terminator

Selecting a `FIELDS TERMINATED BY` character that is inherently ambiguous or commonly appears within the data itself increases the likelihood of this error.

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Incorrect Data Format Definition

The `LOAD DATA INFILE` or `SELECT ... INTO OUTFILE` statement's format definition is misaligned with the actual data structure, causing parsing failures.

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Solutions

3 solutions available

1. Specify a Non-Ambiguous TERMINATED Character easy

Choose a character for FIELDS TERMINATED BY that is not part of your data and is not ambiguous with other delimiters.

1

Review your data to identify a character that is not present in any of your fields. Common choices include characters like '|' or ' ' (tab).

2

Modify your `LOAD DATA INFILE` or `SELECT ... INTO OUTFILE` statement to use this chosen character for `FIELDS TERMINATED BY` and ensure `FIELDS ENCLOSED BY` is also specified and not empty.

LOAD DATA INFILE '/path/to/your/file.csv' INTO TABLE your_table
FIELDS TERMINATED BY '|'
ENCLOSED BY '"'
LINES TERMINATED BY '\n';

2. Use a Dedicated Enclosure Character easy

Ensure that `FIELDS ENCLOSED BY` is explicitly defined and contains a single, non-empty character to resolve ambiguity.

1

Identify a character that will enclose your fields in the input file. Double quotes ('"') are a common and safe choice.

2

Update your `LOAD DATA INFILE` or `SELECT ... INTO OUTFILE` statement to include a non-empty `FIELDS ENCLOSED BY` clause. This character should be present around each field in your data.

LOAD DATA INFILE '/path/to/your/file.csv' INTO TABLE your_table
FIELDS TERMINATED BY ','
ENCLOSED BY '"'
LINES TERMINATED BY '\n';

3. Escape Ambiguous Characters in the Data File medium

If your data truly contains the character you intend to use as a terminator, escape it within the data file itself.

1

If you want to use a character like a comma (`,`) as your `FIELDS TERMINATED BY` and your data also contains commas, you must escape those commas within your data file. This is often done by preceding the comma with a backslash (`\`). For example, `field1\,field2`.

2

Alternatively, if you're using `FIELDS ENCLOSED BY` (e.g., double quotes), you can escape internal double quotes by doubling them (`""`).

3

Modify your `LOAD DATA INFILE` statement to specify the `ESCAPED BY` character if you've used one in your data file.

LOAD DATA INFILE '/path/to/your/file.csv' INTO TABLE your_table
FIELDS TERMINATED BY ','
ENCLOSED BY '"'
ESCAPED BY '\'
LINES TERMINATED BY '\n';

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Related Errors

5 related errors

MySQL Error 1475: Ambiguous FIELDS TERMINATED Character