Final answer:
When unloading data from Snowflake, the output format of the file can be specified using the COPY INTO statement, creating an external stage, or specifying the format during the EXPORT operation.
Step-by-step explanation:
When unloading data from Snowflake, there are several places where the output format of the file can be specified:
- Using the COPY INTO statement: In the COPY INTO statement, you can specify the FILE_FORMAT parameter to define the output format. Snowflake supports various file formats such as CSV, JSON, Parquet, Avro, etc.
- By creating an external stage: Snowflake allows you to create an external stage for unloading data. You can specify the file format for the stage, which will be used when unloading data from the stage.
- By specifying the format during the EXPORT operation: Snowflake provides an EXPORT command to export data to files. You can specify the format using the FORMAT parameter.