I made an export from a cloud Database Management System (i thin we can call it that) of some columns.
The source of a particular field is of varchar(10) type and contains numeric numbers ex : 9000593
Once in Excel, should i (is it recommended) convert it to a NUMBER format and therefore align the content as well ad the title of the column to the RIGTH (as is often suggested in best practice documentations) or simply treat is as a varchar and therefore align the content if the cell as well as the title of the column to the LEFT ?
Or does it depends on what we will do about that column data ? It will serve as source to visualization (perhaps Tableau or PowerBi, who knows)
Thanks for any suggestions
Related
I have an ETL process set up to take data from an Excel spreadsheet and store it in a database using SSIS. However, one of the columns in the the Excel file is formatted as a percent, and it will sometimes erroneously be stored as a NULL value in the database, as if there was some sort of translation error.
Pictured is the exact format being used for the column in Excel.
Interestingly, these percent values do load properly on some days, but for some reason one particular Excel sheet I was given as an example of this issue will not load any of them at all when put through the SSIS processor.
In Excel, these values will show up like "50.00%", and when the SSIS processor is able to translate them properly it will display as the decimal equivalent in the database, "0.5", which is what I want instead of the NULL values. The data type I am using in SSIS for this is Unicode string [DT_WSTR], and it is saved as an NVARCHAR in the database.
Any insight as to why these values will sometimes not display/translate as intended? I have tried messing around with the data types in SSIS/SQL Server, but it has either resulted in no change or error. When I put test values in the Excel sheet, such as "test" to see if it is importing anything at all from this column, it does seem to work (just not for the percent numbers that I need).
The issue was caused by the "mixed data types" that were present in the first few rows of my data (the "mixed" part being blank fields), which would explain why some sheets would work and others wouldn't.
https://stackoverflow.com/a/542573/11815822
Setting the connection string to accommodate for this fixed the issue.
From my VB.net application I manage to create a database.
I can also create tables, with all kinds of datatypes in them. (with much thanks to stackoverflow's contributors!)
so far so good...
but how do I set the datatype MEMO to accept rich text?
basically how do I code to get : (MS Access snippet)
I'm sure it is a simple addition to the regular CREATE TABLE business - but I don't know what!
any hints would be most appreciated!
You don't have to do anything to make the Memo data type accept RTF data. RTF is text and a Memo column stores text. Job done. Many of those fields you're setting on the column are about how Access DISPLAYS the data within Access itself, not how it stores it. If you're using the MDB or ACCDB file simply as storage and the data only gets displayed in your application then that Text Format is irrelevant.
Very low-level programmer tasked with handling something I don't really understand, here.
My company has a webpage that takes a customer's Excel document, reads the data, and moves it to a SQL database. It isn't too sophisticated: it apparently looks for data in a particular cell (e.g., "The cell below the column named "OrderNumber") using Excel's Name Manager as a guide.
If IsDBNull(xlRS.Fields("OrderNumber").Value) OrElse IsNothing(xlRS.Fields("OrderNumber").Value) Then
strPartNumber = ""
Else
strPartNumber = Trim(xlRS.Fields("OrderNumber").Value)
However, each of the customers that will be using this page uses a slightly different Excel form. Although every one will have an "Order Number" column, its location on the form will vary from customer to customer. Most of them can't be persuaded to use our standardized template, so I need to find out if there's a better way to do this.
I'm not sure whether I'm putting this correctly, but using VB.net, is it possible to locate an Excel form cell by searching for a phrase (e.g., "Order"), instead of providing an exact location? If not, what could be used to get around that limitation?
You could you ADO.NET with the appropriate data provider if the data is in a tabular format. I do this sort of thing all the time and it works really well but only if the data is a simple table.
I've been tasked with learning Lotus Domino Designer - not sure what I did in a previous life, but it must have been pretty bad... - and was wondering how to do a lookup on a database to get some values for selections. As this information could potentially be used in a lot of the applications, I'd prefer it only to be in the one place.
I gather I can use #DBColumn, but what happens if an entry in that lookup changes? If the unique value of the lookup is the text, then the relationship would be broken, wouldn't it? Is there any way of mimicing the idea of relational lookups?
I'm assuming I'm looking at Lotus development from the wrong angle, as this seems to be a real limitation of look ups.
I haven't found any decent learning material on the interwebs, so would appreciate any help.
Ta
You would want to store a unique ID along with the textual value in the source database (not unlike what you would do in an RDBMS). Then, only store that ID in any referencing documents, and use a computed-for-display field to lookup the display value. (There is a performance consideration here - and you could "de-normalize" the data and store the ID and text value in the referencing documents, and do some asynchronous work to keep the values in sync - eg: using a scheduled agent that runs every night or every week).
If DB1 has the key values and DB2 has the documents which will reference these values, then in the form in DB2, you would still do a #DbColumn to lookup your value list. In the lookup view in DB1, concat the text value and ID with a pipe separator (textField + "|" + ID) in the first column. That will tell Notes to store only the ID value (what follows the pipe is the "alias" and is what will be stored).
Note: I would avoid using #DocumentUniqueID as the unique ID for these values, as the Document Unique ID will change if the documents are copied and pasted, or the entire database is copied, etc. You can use the #unique formula function in a computed-when-composed field to generate something close to a unique ID (almost like an identity column in sql).
If you need relational properties, look for non-Notes solutions. It is possible to get some relational behavior using document UNIDs and update agents, but it will be harder than with a proper relational backend.
Your specific problem with referencing to a piece of text that might change can to some extent be resolved by using aliases in the choice fields. If a dialog list contains values on the form...
Foo|id1
Bar|id2
...the form will display Foo but the back-end document will store the value id1 - (and this is what you will be able to show in standard views - although xpages could solve that). Using the #DocumentUniqueID for alias can be a good idea under some circumstances.
It depends on where your using the data. The #DBLookup or #DBColumn will work in Lotus Notes fields if the fields are set to be computed for display. That way they always get the most up to date information when you open the form etc.
If you make it so the data is saved on to the document then you will have to write some update code when you need to refresh the values.
The Lotus Notes help files for designer are pretty good, have a look at that.
SM
You could use a key or alias to store the relationship to your lookup value so if the value itself changes, the connection remains because the alias is intact. For example, if your lookup values were being stored as a collection of documents, I'd have the #DBColumn retrieve Document UNID|lookup value pairs. When in display mode, you could then retrive the value using #GetDocField. If the lookup values are in a different database, then you'd have to retrieve them for display using #DBLookup and construct a view that is keyed off of the UNID or whatever key you decide to use.The only drawback to this technique is that you wouldn't be able to display the field value in views as the actual value isn't stored in the document, just a reference to it. Using XPages, though, you COULD map the relationship into a dynamic datatable just like you would in a truly relational system.
It's tricky, but using LEI, you could also use Notes to front-end a relational backend system, also giving you the dynamic relationship you desire in your lookups.
Hope this helps!
The content of the lookup can change freely. A problem only arises (as it would on any other platform in the same circumstances) if the lookup key changes. You need to use a key that won't change. Human-readable text is an advantage, but if you want to be able to change your key description from, say, "Divisions" to "Business Units" and still have lookups work, you need to use an alias of some kind, which will presumably be mapped to your text description and only used internally. #Unique is pretty good for this, and gives a shortish key, if that is important to you. #DocumentUniqueID is most reliable, but as Ed pointed out, will change (must change - it's a new document) if you copy/paste or make a non-replica copy. This is easy to get around, though. Create a Computed-when-composed field (called, say, "LookupRef") on the form you are using for your reference document with the formula "#DocumentUniqueID". That will capture the ID at the time of creation, and it will not change on copy/paste etc. Use that as your key.
problem
how to best parse/access/extract "excel file" data stored as binary data in an SQL 2005 field?
(so all the data can ultimately be stored in other fields of other tables.)
background
basically, our customer is requiring a large volume of verbose data from their users. unfortunately, our customer cannot require any kind of db export from their user. so our customer must supply some sort of UI for their user to enter the data. the UI our customer decided would be acceptable to all of their users was excel as it has a reasonably robust UI. so given all that, and our customer needs this data parsed and stored in their db automatically.
we've tried to convince our customer that the users will do this exactly once and then insist on db export! but the customer can not require db export of their users.
our customer is requiring us to parse an excel file
the customer's users are using excel as the "best" user interface to enter all the required data
the users are given blank excel templates that they must fill out
these templates have a fixed number of uniquely named tabs
these templates have a number of fixed areas (cells) that must be completed
these templates also have areas where the user will insert up to thousands of identically formatted rows
when complete, the excel file is submitted from the user by standard html file upload
our customer stores this file raw into their SQL database
given
a standard excel (".xls") file (native format, not comma or tab separated)
file is stored raw in a varbinary(max) SQL 2005 field
excel file data may not necessarily be "uniform" between rows -- i.e., we can't just assume one column is all the same data type (e.g., there may be row headers, column headers, empty cells, different "formats", ...)
requirements
code completely within SQL 2005 (stored procedures, SSIS?)
be able to access values on any worksheet (tab)
be able to access values in any cell (no formula data or dereferencing needed)
cell values must not be assumed to be "uniform" between rows -- i.e., we can't just assume one column is all the same data type (e.g., there may be row headers, column headers, empty cells, formulas, different "formats", ...)
preferences
no filesystem access (no writing temporary .xls files)
retrieve values in defined format (e.g., actual date value instead of a raw number like 39876)
My thought is that anything can be done, but there is a price to pay. In this particular case, the price seems to bee too high.
I don't have a tested solution for you, but I can share how I would give my first try on a problem like that.
My first approach would be to install excel on the SqlServer machine and code some assemblies to consume the file on your rows using excel API and then load them on Sql server as assembly procedures.
As I said, This is just a idea, I don't have details, but I'm sure others here can complement or criticize my idea.
But my real advice is to rethink the whole project. It makes no sense to read tabular data on binary files stored on a cell of a row of a table on database.
This looks like an "I wouldn't start from here" kind of a question.
The "install Excel on the server and start coding" answer looks like the only route, but it simply has to be worth exploring alternatives first: it's going to be painful, expensive and time-consuming.
I strongly feel that we're looking at a "requirement" that is the answer to the wrong problem.
What business problem is creating this need? What's driving that? Try the Five Whys as a possible way to explore the history.
It sounds like you're trying to store an entire database table inside a spreadsheet and then inside a single table's field. Wouldn't it be simpler to store the data in a database table to begin with and then export it as an XLS when required?
Without opening up an instance Excel and having Excel resolve worksheet references I'm not sure it's doable at all.
Could you write the varbinary to a Raw File Destination? And then use an Excel Source as your input to whatever step is next in your precedence constraints.
I haven't tried it, but that's what I would try.
Well, the whole setup seems a bit twisted :-) as others have already pointed out.
If you really cannot change the requirements and the whole setup: why don't you explore components such as Aspose.Cells or Syncfusion XlsIO, native .NET components, that allow you to read and interpret native Excel (XLS) files. I'm pretty such with either of the two, you should be able to read your binary Excel into a MemoryStream and then feed that into one of those Excel-reading components, and off you go.
So with a bit of .NET development and SQL CLR, I guess this should be doable - not sure if it's the best way to do it, but it should work.