My First article on SQL SERVER Central about Access variables values from Trigger

I am glad to inform you all that, my article on "Accessing variable from Trigger", which I wrote a few days back, have been published by "SQL SERVER CENTRAL" site.

I would recommend all SQL lovers, to subscribe to the news letter of SQL SERVER CENTRAL, which consists of tips and tricks, useful in real world applications.

Please feel free to contact me at tejasnshah.it@gmail.com for any MS SQL SERVER query/help.

PS: Hope you all will read more and more articles from me, in forthcoming newsletters ;)

Enjoy Reading!!

SQL SERVER SSIS: Get File Name with Flat File Source, Data Flow Component

As I explained earlier about For Each Loop Container, which process each file from selected folder. There is a requirement to save File name along with record, so later on we can identify which record comes from which file. Let me explain it how to achieve with FileNameColumnName property of Flat File Connection to get it easily. 1. Setup Flat File Connection with CSV file, as mentioned Basic Example of Data Flow Task. 2. Right click on Flat File Source, and click on Show Advanced Editor: 3. Click on "Component Properties" and go to FileNameColumnName, Custom properties:   4. Setup FileNameColumnName value with desired column name. Let's say "File Name". Congratulations, This column is added to output list with actual filename of that connection.

Let me know your comments/questions.

 

SQL SERVER: Execute Stored Procedure when SQL SERVER is started

We have a requirements to execute Stored Procedure when SQL SERVER is started/restarted and we need to start some processes. I found that SQL SERVER provides a way to call Stored Procedure when SQL services are restarted.

SQL SERVER provides this SP: "sp_procoption", which is auto executed every time when SQL SERVER service has been started. I found this SP and it helps me to figure it out the solution for the request as following way.

Let me show you how to use it. Syntax to use SP:

EXEC SP_PROCOPTION     
@ProcName = 'SPNAME',    
@OptionName = 'startup',    
@OptionValue = 'true/false OR on/off'

• @ProcName, should be Stored procedure name which should be executed when SQL SERVER is started. This stored procedure must be in "master" database.
  
• @OptionName, should be "startup" always.
  
• @OptionValue, this should be set up to execute this given sp or not. If it is "true/on", given sp will be execute every time when SQL SERVER is started. If it is "false/off", it will not.

That's it, I hope this is very clear to use this feature.

Reference : Tejas Shah (http://www.SQLYoga.com)

SQL SERVER: SSIS - Derived Column Data Flow Transformation

As I explained earlier about Foreach Loop Container. One of regular reader of blog send me an email about one issue. Let me share that problem with all readers. With this example, Foreach Loop Container, What to do if we want to save file name along with each row, so we can come to know that which row is from which file ? This is very practical problem that we need to fix. To solve this, I come up with following solution. 1. I used "Derived Column", one of Data Flow Transformations in Data Flow Operations.    2. Configure Derived Column:   As we have variable, FileName, as defined in, SQL SERVER: SSIS - Foreach Loop Container. Here I used that variable as a new column. By dragging  that User variable to Expression. By default it assign UNICODE STRING DataType to this new column. We need to change it by: A. Right click on "Derived Column", Go to Show Advanced Editor B. Set DataType to String as: 3. That's it. Now just add it to Destination Column Mapping with your Database column. Let me know your suggestions.

SQL SERVER: Presentation at Ahmedabad User Group Meeting

Last Saturday, 19th December 2009, I presented session on "Write CROSS TAB Query with PIVOT".

 

This was a regular User Group meeting held every third Saturday of month. I have presented session with Jacob Sebastian (SQL SERVER MVP) and Pinalkumar Dave (SQL SERVER MVP).

 

If you need PowerPoint Presentation and Demo script, send me an email at:tejasnshah.it@gmail.com. If you want to register for Ahmedabad User Group meeting, please register at: Click Here

 

Tejas Shah (me)

Tejas Shah (Me), Presenting session

Tejas Shah (Me, Presenting session

Pinal Dave (SQL SERVER MVP), Presenting session

User Group Members with President, Jacob Sebastian, Pinal Dave

If you want to register for Ahmedabad User Group meeting, please register at: Click Here

SQL SERVER: SSIS - Transfer Jobs Task

The Transfer Jobs task can be configured to transfer all jobs, or only specified jobs. You can also indicate whether the transferred jobs are enabled at the destination.

The jobs to be transferred may already exist on the destination. The Transfer Jobs task can be configured to handle existing jobs in the following ways:

• Overwrite existing jobs.
• Fail the task when duplicate jobs exist.
• Skip duplicate jobs.

Let's take an example to easily understand how to use Transfer Jobs Task with SSIS.

1. Select and Drag, Transfer Jobs Task, from Container Flow Items to designer surface.

2. To configure a task, Right click on  Transfer Jobs Task, which we dragged to Design surface. Click on "Edit.", you will get page as:

3. SSIS Transfer Jobs Task - General : Here we need to assign unique name to this task and also we can specify brief description, so we will get idea why we need to design this task.

4. SSIS Transfer Jobs Task - Jobs : Jobs page of the Transfer Jobs Task Editor dialog box is required to specify properties for copying one or more SQL Server Agent jobs from one instance of SQL Server to another. 

Let's take a view how each properties are used.

SourceConnection: Select a SMO connection manager in the list, or click <New connection...> to create a new connection to the source server

DestinationConnection: Select a SMO connection manager in the list, or click <New connection...> to create a new connection to the destination server.

TransferAllJobs: Select whether the task should copy all or only the specified SQL Server Agent jobs from the source to the destination server.  This contains two options:

TRUE: Which copy all jobs

FALSE: Which copy only selected jobs.

JobsList: Click the browse button (.) to select the jobs to copy. At least one job must be selected.

IfObjectExists: Select how the task should handle jobs of the same name that already exist on the destination server.

This property has the options listed in the following table:

FailTask: If job of the same name already exists on the Destination Server then task will fail.

Overwrite: If job of the same name already exists on the Destination Server then task will overwrite the job.

Skip: If job of the same name already exists on the Destination Server then task will skip that job.

EnableJobsAtDestination: Select whether the jobs copied to the destination server should be enabled. This contains two options:

TRUE: Enable jobs on destination server.

FALSE: Disable jobs on destination server.

5. SSIS Transfer Jobs Task - Expressions: Click the ellipsis to open the Property Expressions Editor dialog box.

Property expressions update the values of properties when the package is run. The expressions are evaluated and their results are used instead of the values to which you set the properties when you configured the package and package objects. The expressions can include variables and the functions and operators that the expression language provides.

Now let's run task, by right click on task and click on Execute Task, as shown in following figure. You can either Execute Package by right click on Package name, from Solution Explorer.

Once you run this then all/selected jobs will be transferred to destination server as per given criteria.

SQL SERVER: How to Read Excel file by TSQL

Many times developers asked that, they want to import data from Excel file. We can do this by many ways with SQL SERVER. 1. We can use SSIS package 2. Import/Export Wizard 3. T-SQL Today, I am going to explain, How to import data from Excel file by TSQL. To import Excel file by TSQL, we need to do following: 1. Put Excel file on server, means we need to put files on server, if we are accessing it from local. 2. Write following TSQL, to read data from excel file SELECT Name, Email, Phone FROM OPENROWSET('Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0', 'Excel 8.0;Database=C:\SQLYoga.xls', [SQL$]) NOTE: Here, Excel file is on "C:\" named "SQLYoga.xls", and I am reading sheet "SQL" from this excel file If you want to insert excel data into table, INSERT INTO [Info] SELECT Name, Email, Phone FROM OPENROWSET('Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0', 'Excel 8.0;Database=C:\test\SQLYoga.xls', [SQL$]) That's it.

SQL SERVER: How to remove cursor

Many times developer ask me that How can they remove Cursor? They need to increase Query Performance, that's why they need to remove SQL SERVER Cursor and find the alternate way to accomplish the same. Please find this code to remove cursor with Table variable: --declare table to keep records to be processed DECLARE @Table AS TABLE(AutoID INT IDENTITY, Column1 VARCHAR(100), Column2 VARCHAR(100)) --populate table variable with data that we want to process INSERT INTO @Table(Column1, Column2) SELECT Column1, Column2 FROM <Table> WHERE <Conditions> --declare variables to process each record DECLARE @inc INT, @cnt INT --Assign increment counter SELECT @inc = 1 --Get Number of records to be processed SELECT @cnt = COUNT(*) FROM @Table WHILE @inc <= @cnt BEGIN --As we have AutoID declared as IDENTITY, it always get only one record. --Get values in Variable and process it as you want. SELECT @Column1 = Column1, @Column2 = Column2 FROM @Table WHERE AutoID = @inc --do your calculation here .... .... --Select next record SET @inc = @inc = 1 END By this way, we can remove CURSOR by Table variable. It is quite easy to implement. One more benefit is: It will process one record at a time, so it locks only that record at a time. Let me know if you have any questions.

SQL SERVER SSIS: How to assign Connection from variable

Last Article, SSIS - Foreach Loop Container, We need to assign dynamic connection to file connection, so SSIS For each loop Task can take each file from folder. Lets configure File connection from variable for SSIS - Foreach Loop Container. What we need to do is, we need to process each file from folder, so we need to assign value from variable to File connection, so SSIS Task will read that file and process that file. To assign FileConnection dynamicaly we need to do following. 1. Right click on File Connection, click Properties. 2. Set DelayValidation = "False", as we need to assign connection dynamically. 3. Click on "Expression", and enter variable  name, which we used in SSIS - Foreach Loop Container. That's it. It will assign connection from variable and process that file. Let me know if you have any question for the same.

SQL SERVER: SSIS - Foreach Loop Container

Today, I am going to explain SSIS For Each Loop Task. I am sure that it will be easy to configure SSIS Package with Foreach Loop task, after you read this article.

The Foreach Loop container defines a repeating control flow in a package. The loop implementation is similar to Foreach looping structure in programming languages. In a package, looping is enabled by using a Foreach enumerator. The Foreach Loop container repeats the control flow for each member of a specified enumerator.

Many times, user asks that I want to process all files from my folder to database. This is my answer to all of those users. SSIS comes up with For Each Loop which did the same.

Now I'm assuming that you're familiar with using the SQL Dev Studio tools and building basic packages. If this isn't the case, I recommend working your way through the Integration Services using my earlier posts.

1. SSIS Foreach Loop Container - General : Here we need to assign unique name to this container and also we can specify brief description, so we will get idea why we need to design this container.

2. SSIS Foreach Loop Container - Collection : Use the Collection page of the Foreach Loop Editor dialog box to specify the enumerator type and configure the enumerator.

Select the enumerator type from the list. This property has the options listed as follows:

1. Foreach File Enumerator: Enumerate files
   
2. Foreach Item Enumerator: Enumerate values in an item
   
3. Foreach ADO Enumerator: Enumerate tables or rows in tables
   
4. Foreach ADO.NET Schema Rowset Enumerator: Enumerate a schema
   
5. Foreach From Variable Enumerator: Enumerate the value in a variable
   
6. Foreach Nodelist Enumerator: Enumerate nodes in an XML document
   
7. Foreach SMO Enumerator: Enumerate a SMO object

Let me explain with Foreach File Enumerator

We can use this Foreach File enumerator to enumerate files in a folder.

The content of the folders and subfolders that the Foreach File enumerator enumerates might change while the loop is executing because external processes or tasks in the loop add, rename, or delete files while the loop is executing. This means that a number of unexpected situations may occur:

In Folder option, provide the path of the root folder to enumerate. In Files option, specify the files to enumerate.

If wildcard characters are specified in the Files option, then the fully-qualified paths that are returned match the filter.

1. Fully qualified: Select to retrieve the fully qualified path of file names.
   
2. Name and extension: Select to retrieve the file names and their file name extensions.
   
3. Name only: Select to retrieve only the file names.

3. SSIS Foreach Loop Container - Variable Mappings : Use the Variables Mappings page of the Foreach Loop Editor dialog box to map variables to the collection value. The value of the variable is updated with the collection values on each iteration of the loop.

Variable: Select an existing variable, or click <New variable...> to create a new variable.

Index: If using the Foreach Item enumerator, specify the index of the column in the collection value to map to the variable. For other enumerator types, the index is read-only.

Once we configured, For Each Loop container, Lets add the process that we want. Here what I am going to do is:

1. Data Flow Task.

NOTE: We can add any other tasks to this container. I took Data flow process, as its already explained by this BLOG.

Here lets see the logical scenario of For Each Container Task.

First, From the selected folder, fetch all the files and assign file path to the variable.

Second, For Data Flow Process, process the file from the folder and execute data flow.

NOTE: For Data Flow Process, we need to assign Connection from variable. ( as we assigned variable after each loop, we need to process new file from the folder). So How can we configure File connection to use new file?

Please refer to my next article for How to assign Connection from variable.

That's it. This is what we need to design for "For Each Loop".

Let me know if there is any difficulties you have to design this package.