Importing U.S. Cities into SQL Server
The U.S. Cities Database includes a .sql file formatted specifically for MySQL, which uses MySQL-specific SQL syntax.
Unfortunately, Azure SQL Database cannot run MySQL scripts, because:
- MySQL and SQL Server use different SQL dialects
- Many MySQL commands and data types are not supported in Azure SQL
To import the uscities.csv file into Azure SQL Server, we provide a SQL Server–compatible script that handles the entire process. You can download it here:
Download the SQL Server import script:
This script will create the correct table structure and import the CSV into Azure SQL.
You will need to open the script and edit:
C:\Users\name\Documents\simplemaps_uscitiesv1.92\uscities.csv
to match the location of the uscities.csv file on your computer.
Then run it from within SSMS:
This is the cleanest and most reliable method for importing the data into Azure SQL, and it will work for future releases as well. If you encounter any issues, we can explore additional options.
If you need help, please reach out to support@simplemaps.com, we’re here to assist you.