title: Need to update certain columns in table from csv file
body: <p>I have a csv file and I need to update data in only a few columns in my sql database table.  What is the best way to do this?  I was thinking bulk import however, it will not let me do this without using all of the columns.  I was thinking of using format file, but I wanted to know if this is the most efficient way. </p>
  
  <p>Here is how I was trying it from my C# class: </p>
  
  <pre><code>/// &lt;summary&gt;
          /// Update all of the PropertyDefinitions
          /// &lt;/summary&gt;
          internal static void InsertPropertyDefinitions()
          {
  
              //
              //  Define the connection
              //
              SqlConnection insertConnection = null;
  
              try
              {
                  RetryStrategy retryStrategy = new Incremental(5, TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(500), TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(3000));
                  RetryPolicy retryPolicy = new RetryPolicy&lt;SqlDatabaseTransientErrorDetectionStrategy&gt;(retryStrategy);
  
                  retryPolicy.ExecuteAction(() =&gt;
                  {
                      //
                      //  Try to connect to the database
                      //
                      using (insertConnection = new SqlConnection(m_ConnectionString))
                      {
                          //
                          //  Open the connection
                          //
                          insertConnection.Open();
  
                          //
                          //  Get the insert command ready
                          //
                          using (SqlCommand insertRecordCmd = insertConnection.CreateCommand())
                          {
                              //
                              // Define the Insert command
                              //
                              insertRecordCmd.CommandText = @"
                              BULK INSERT dbo.[PropertyDefinition] 
                              FROM '//my file path'
                              WITH(
                                      FIRSTROW = 2,
                                      FIELDTERMINATOR = ',',
                                      ROWTERMINATOR = '\n'        
                                  )
                              ";
  
                              // Execute the INSERT command
                              insertRecordCmd.ExecuteNonQuery();
                          }
  
                          insertConnection.Close();
                      }
                  });
              }
              catch (Exception ex)
              {
                  //
                  //  This is unexpected so display full exception information
                  //
                  m_Log.WriteLine("Exception while creating table");
                  m_Log.WriteLine(ex.Message.ToString());
                  throw;
              }
          }
  </code></pre>