Inferring a dataset schema from input files

A system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• one or more storage media storing
• instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause performance of:
• receiving a data input file to be stored in a database, the data input file having unknown schema;
• selecting a sample excerpt from the data input file, the sample excerpt comprising a subset of the data input file;
• analyzing the sample excerpt to determine header data for the data input file, determining the header data for the data input file comprising:
• determining that a first row in the sample excerpt does not contain a delimited numeric value;
• determining that a second row in the sample excerpt following the first row does contain a delimited value;
• in response to the determining that the first row in the sample excerpt does not contain a delimited value and the second row in the sample excerpt does contain a delimited value, determining that the first row consists of the header data for the data input file;
• identifying one or more jagged rows based on row delimiters that were erroneously placed in the sample excerpt instead of column delimiters;
• causing displaying, via a graphical user interface (GUI), text in the sample excerpt that led to creation of a jagged row of the one or more jagged rows;
• receiving, via the GUI, an addition or removal of a specific row delimiter of the row delimiters to the text;
• updating the sample excerpt based on the addition or the removal;
• analyzing the sample excerpt to determine a row delimiter for the data input file, the row delimiter comprising one or more symbols that delimit each particular row in the data input file;
• using the row delimiter, identifying a plurality of rows from the sample excerpt that is not included in the header data for the data input file;
• storing column delimiter whitelist data comprising a plurality of particular candidate column delimiters;
• storing column delimiter blacklist data comprising data identifying one or more symbols that are not candidate column delimiters;
• identifying one or more particular candidate column delimiters of the plurality of particular candidate column delimiters in the plurality of rows from the sample excerpt;
• identifying a plurality of candidate column delimiters as symbols in the sample excerpt that are not contained in either the column delimiter whitelist data or the column delimiter blacklist data;
• receiving, from a user device, a second row delimiter for the data input file;
• using the second row delimiter, identifying a second plurality of rows from the sample excerpt that is not included in the header data for the data input file;
• identifying one or more second candidate column delimiters in the second plurality of rows;
• using the one or more second candidate column delimiters and the second row delimiter to generate a candidate schema for the data input file;
• using the candidate schema for the data input file, translating the data input file into the second plurality of rows and a plurality of columns;
• storing, in the database, the second plurality of rows and the plurality of columns.

One or more non-transitory, computer-readable storage media storing sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause performance of a method, the method comprising:

• receiving a data input file to be stored in a database, the data input file having unknown schema;
• selecting a sample excerpt from the data input file, the sample excerpt comprising a subset of the data input file;
• analyzing the sample excerpt to determine header data for the data input file, determining the header data for the data input file comprising:
• determining that a first row in the sample excerpt does not contain a delimited numeric value;
• determining that a second row in the sample excerpt following the first row does contain a delimited value;
• in response to the determining that the first row in the sample excerpt does not contain a delimited value and the second row in the sample excerpt does contain a delimited value, determining that the first row consists of the header data for the data input file;
• identifying one or more jagged rows based on row delimiters that were erroneously placed in the sample excerpt instead of column delimiters;
• causing displaying, via a graphical user interface (GUI), text in the sample excerpt that led to creation of a jagged row of the one or more jagged rows;
• receiving, via the GUI, an addition or removal of a specific row delimiter of the row delimiters to the text;
• updating the sample excerpt based on the addition or the removal;
• analyzing the sample excerpt to determine a row delimiter for the data input file, the row delimiter comprising one or more symbols that delimit each particular row in the data input file;
• using the row delimiter, identifying a plurality of rows from the sample excerpt that is not included in the header data for the data input file;
• storing column delimiter whitelist data comprising a plurality of particular candidate column delimiters;
• storing column delimiter blacklist data comprising data identifying one or more symbols that are not candidate column delimiters;
• identifying one or more particular candidate column delimiters of the plurality of particular candidate column delimiters in the plurality of rows from the sample excerpt;
• identifying a plurality of candidate column delimiters as symbols in the sample excerpt that are not contained in either the column delimiter whitelist data or the column delimiter blacklist data;
• receiving, from a user device, a second row delimiter for the data input file;
• using the second row delimiter, identifying a second plurality of rows from the sample excerpt that is not included in the header data for the data input file;
• identifying one or more second candidate column delimiters in the second plurality of rows;
• using the one or more second candidate column delimiters and the second row delimiter to generate a candidate schema for the data input file;
• using the candidate schema for the data input file, translating the data input file into the second plurality of rows and columns;
• storing, in the database, the second plurality of rows and column.