I have a sql sever database on 2 servers. The structure of it is the same on both. A problem that I have is that I want to copy data between both databases - but the problem is I need to drop and recreate all the constraints first.
Any quick and easy way to script the differences between both databases, regarding data?
Yes, stop spending hours and hours trying to write a script that does this. Use a tried and true tool that handles all of that effort and debugging for you:
http://www.red-gate.com/products/sql-development/sql-data-compare/
There is a trial edition and there are several alternatives as well. Read this to see why you shouldn't re-invent the wheel:
http://madelinebertrand.com/2012/04/20/re-blog-the-cost-of-reinventing-the-wheel/
Just throwing my 2 cents in. If you have Visual Studio 2010 Premium or Ultimate, you can actually use feature called "Data Compare" to compare data between two databases. And it will be able to generate update script for target database as well.
I can only repeat the same opinion as Aaron Bertrand has, and to add to that, I had success using XSQL for this kind of task.
As far as I remember, it was a nice, consistent tool to use...
First you would need to turn the constraints off by altering the table in question such as:
alter table [table name] nocheck constraint all
Then you could query from the other server by linking or query directly using the following format:
select [cols] from [local table], [remote server.remote DB.remote table]
Related
I have a stored procedure function as well as table in the SQL Server enterprise 2014. I also have data in the table. Now I need same table and data in PostgreSql(pgAdmin4).
Can anyone suggest to me the idea to migrate data to POSTGRESQL or any idea on creating the SQL script so that I can use psql to run the script?
Depending on how much data you have, you could script out the table and data. Then you could tweak the script as needed for PostgreSQL:
Right click on the SQL database > Tasks > Generate Scripts
On the "Choose Objects" screen, select your specific table then select "Next>"
On the "Set Scripting Options" screen, select "Advanced"
Find the option called "Types of data to script", then select "Schema and data" and select "OK"
Set the filename and continue through the dialog until the file is generated
Tweak the sql script for any specific PostgreSQL syntax
If there is a larger amount of data, you might look into some type of data transfer tool like SSIS.
Exporting the table structure and data as Josh Jay describes will likely require some fixes where the syntax doesn't match, but it should be doable if not tedious. Luckily there are existing conversion tools available to help.
You could also try using a foreign data wrapper to map the tables in SQL Server to a running instance of PostgreSQL. Then it's just a matter of copying tables. Depends on your needs and where each database server is located relative to one another.
The stored procedures will be far more difficult to handle unfortunately. While Oracle's pl/sql language is substantially similar to PostgreSQL's pl/pgsql, MS SQL Server/Sybase's TransactSQL dialect on the other hand is different enough to require rewrites. If the TransactSQL functions also access .Net objects, the migration task may end up far more difficult as you reimplement dependencies or find logical equivalents.
I need to export/update schema without loosing existing data. I found that there are two Red Gate tools which you are probably have heard about:
SQL Compare;
SQL Data Compare;
Which one of them could help me to solve migration?
You need SQL Data Compare, because SQL Compare is only synchronizes the schema not the data.
It depends on the nature of the change. SQL Compare will preserve your data when it makes a schema change, even if a change that requires a table rebuild.
However, if you make a change such as a table rename, or a table/column split, SQL Compare won't understand the 'intent' and may produce a script that isn't as you would expect.
The solution to that would be to use SQL Compare in conjunction with SQL Source Control and its migration scripts feature, which makes it highly customizable.
SQL Compare would be sufficient, If the warning is a result of a table rename, you can simply use the table mapping tab in the 'project settings' to tell SQL compare that they are the same table.
P.S. I know this post is ancient, but it's best to use the right tool :)
I had a notion to use a database column of type replication ID, but have since changed my approach and want to use this column for another purpose.
However, I'm unable to use SQL to drop the column to remove it from my database.
My SQL is:
ALTER TABLE foo_bar DROP COLUMN theFoo;
However, I get a "syntax error" and I'm assuming this has something to do with this column being a replication ID.
I'd rather not download the file and edit it directly using the MS Access application, but not sure if that's my only recourse.
Thanks so much in advance.
Regards,
Kris
If you have access to the database in a command shell, Michael Kaplan's Replication System Removal Fields utility should do the trick. However, I've found that in some circumstances, it's unable to do the job. Also note that the utility will only work with a Jet 4 format database (MDB), not ACE format (ACCDB).
If all else fails, you can recreate the table structure and append the existing data to it. That can get messy if you have referential integrity defined, though, but it will get the job done, and likely most of it is scriptable (if not all possible using just DDL).
Here is a link that may help you, I had a similar idea but when browsing the web found this
AccessMonster - Replication-ID-Field-size
EDIT: Well I don't have much time but what I was thinking of first was if you could alter the column to make it different (not a replication ID) and then drop it. (two separate actions). But I have not tested this.
I would like to copy parts of an Oracle DB to a SQL Server DB. I need to move the data because the Oracle box is being decommissioned. I only need the data for reference purposes so don't need indexes or stored procedures or contstaints, etc. All I need is the data.
I have a link to the Oracle DB in SQL Server. I have tested the following query, which seemed to work just fine:
select
*
into
NewTableName
from
linkedserver.OracleTable
I was wondering if there are any potential issues with using this approach?
Using SSIS (sql integration services) may be a good alternative especially if your table names are the same on both servers. Use the import wizard via and it should create the destination tables for you and let you edit any mappings.
The only issue I see with that is you will need to execute that of course for each and every table you need. Glad you are decommissioning the oracle server :-). Otherwise if you are not concerned with indexes or any of the existing sprocs I don't see any issue in what you are doing.
The "select " approach could be very slow if tables are large. Consider writing pro*C in that case or use Fastreader http://www.wisdomforce.com/products-FastReader.html
A faster and easier approach might be to use the Data Transformation Services, depending on the number of objects you're trying to copy over.
I'm looking for a way to validate the SQL schema on a production DB after updating an application version. If the application does not match the DB schema version, there should be a way to warn the user and list the changes needed.
Is there a tool or a framework (to use programatically) with built-in features to do that?
Or is there some simple algorithm to run this comparison?
Update: Red gate lists "from $395". Anything free? Or more foolproof than just keeping the version number?
Try this SQL.
- Run it against each database.
- Save the output to text files.
- Diff the text files.
/* get list of objects in the database */
SELECT name,
type
FROM sysobjects
ORDER BY type, name
/* get list of columns in each table / parameters for each stored procedure */
SELECT so.name,
so.type,
sc.name,
sc.number,
sc.colid,
sc.status,
sc.type,
sc.length,
sc.usertype ,
sc.scale
FROM sysobjects so ,
syscolumns sc
WHERE so.id = sc.id
ORDER BY so.type, so.name, sc.name
/* get definition of each stored procedure */
SELECT so.name,
so.type,
sc.number,
sc.text
FROM sysobjects so ,
syscomments sc
WHERE so.id = sc.id
ORDER BY so.type, so.name, sc.number
I hope I can help - this is the article I suggest reading:
Compare SQL Server database schemas automatically
It describes how you can automate the SQL Server schema comparison and synchronization process using T-SQL, SSMS or a third party tool.
You can do it programatically by looking in the data dictionary (sys.objects, sys.columns etc.) of both databases and comparing them. However, there are also tools like Redgate SQL Compare Pro that do this for you. I have specified this as a part of the tooling for QA on data warehouse systems on a few occasions now, including the one I am currently working on. On my current gig this was no problem at all, as the DBA's here were already using it.
The basic methodology for using these tools is to maintain a reference script that builds the database and keep this in version control. Run the script into a scratch database and compare it with your target to see the differences. It will also generate patch scripts if you feel so inclined.
As far as I know there's nothing free that does this unless you feel like writing your own. Redgate is cheap enough that it might as well be free. Even as a QA tool to prove that the production DB is not in the configuration it was meant to be it will save you its purchase price after one incident.
You can now use my SQL Admin Studio for free to run a Schema Compare, Data Compare and Sync the Changes. No longer requires a license key download from here http://www.simego.com/Products/SQL-Admin-Studio
Also works against SQL Azure.
[UPDATE: Yes I am the Author of the above program, as it's now Free I just wanted to Share it with the community]
If you are looking for a tool that can compare two databases and show you the difference Red Gate makes SQL Compare
You didn't mention which RDMBS you're using: if the INFORMATION SCHEMA views are available in your RDBMS, and if you can reference both schemas from the same host, you can query the INFORMATION SCHEMA views to identify differences in:
-tables
-columns
-column types
-constraints (e.g. primary keys, unique constraints, foreign keys, etc)
I've written a set of queries for exactly this purpose on SQL Server for a past job - it worked well to identify differences. Many of the queries were using LEFT JOINs with IS NULL to check for the absence of expected items, others were comparing things like column types or constraint names.
It's a little tedious, but its possible.
I found this small and free tool that fits most of my needs.
http://www.wintestgear.com/products/MSSQLSchemaDiff/MSSQLSchemaDiff.html
It's very basic but it shows you the schema differences of two databases.
It doesn't have any fancy stuff like auto generated scripts to make the differences to go away and it doesn't compare any data.
It's just a small, free utility that shows you schema differences :)
Make a table and store your version number in there. Just make sure you update it as necessary.
CREATE TABLE version (
version VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL
)
INSERT INTO version VALUES ('v1.0');
You can then check the version number stored in the database matches the application code during your app's setup or wherever is convenient.
SQL Compare by Red Gate.
Which RDBMS is this, and how complex are the potential changes?
Maybe this is just a matter of comparing row counts and index counts for each table -- if you have trigger and stored procedure versions to worry about also then you need something more industrial
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