title: Reading a text file with SQL Server
body: <p>I am trying to read in a text file from an SQL query (SQL Server 2005) but am not having any luck at all. I've tried various things with EXEC and xp_cmdshell, but all aren't working.  This is the general way I've tried to approach this:</p>
  
  <pre><code>CREATE TABLE temp (data varchar(2000));
  INSERT temp EXEC master.dbo.xp_cmdshell 'type file.txt';
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I then try to select data from the temp table.  I've searched around a lot and I can't tell what I'm getting wrong.  Help?</p>