'Select to File' or 'Execute Script' activities do not execute in Automation (4305403)

'Select to File' or 'Execute Script' activities do not execute in Automation

An automation task is run that contains a 'select to file' activity. This activity has a link to a sql file but the sql does not appear to execute. There are no errors in the log. An 'execute script' activity also will not run if linked to the same sql file.

Sometimes Unicode files are not recognized as such. For example, it may happen if the file lacks a BOM (Byte Order Mark). In this case Toad opens the file using the default file encoding type settings  (see Tools | Options | Editor |General). In this case, the default is US-ASCII and the file contents will be displayed in the editor in “sparse” form which prevents a script from executing.

WORKAROUND 1:

Open Unicode file in the Notepad and save it with ASCII encoding. The file will be ASCII from then on and will open “uncorrupted” with US-ASCII setting.

WORKAROUND 2: (If Unicode encoding needs to be preserved in the file)

1. Go to Tools | Options | Editor |General
2.  Set 'File encoding type' to 'Unicode'
3. Open file in TDP and set character encoding (Edit | Character Encoding) to Unicode and save file.

It will be saved as Unicode and BOM will be added to the file. Later, 'File encoding type' can be set back to US-ASCII and that renewed Unicode file will open correctly.