There are four main database objects that contain stored SQL: VIEWS, TRIGGERS, FUNCTIONS and STORED PROCEDURES. Earlier today, I created a pattern searching tool for FUNCTIONS. I am going to clone and modify the code so that it will work with VIEWS. Again, I want to examine the dynamic SELECT statement that retrieves the user defined stored procedure names from a given database. This is the key element of the whole program. I took the liberty to modify the original code so that it will work standalone. The current code…
Tag: SQL Server
Searching Stored SQL – Part 3
There are four main database objects that contain stored SQL: VIEWS, TRIGGERS, FUNCTIONS and STORED PROCEDURES. Yesterday, I created a pattern searching tool for TRIGGERS. Today, I am going to clone and modify the code so that it will work with FUNCTIONS. Again, I want to examine the dynamic SELECT statement that retrieves the user defined stored procedure names from a given database. This is the key element of the whole program. I took the liberty to modify the original code so that it will work standalone. The current code…
Searching Stored SQL – Part 2
There are four main database objects that contain stored (compiled) SQL: VIEWS, TRIGGERS, FUNCTIONS and STORED PROCEDURES. Yesterday, I created a pattern searching tool for SQL code in STORED PROCEDURES. Today, I am going to clone and modify the code so that it will allow pattern searching on TRIGGERS. First, I want to examine the dynamic SELECT statement that retrieves the user defined stored procedure names from a given database. This is the key element of the whole program. I took the liberty to modify the original code so that…
Searching Stored SQL – Part 1
Today, I am going to start building on some the articles I did in the past. We are going to create tools to pattern search stored SQL statements. Four main objects that contain stored SQL are VIEWS, TRIGGERS, FUNCTIONS and STORED PROCEDURES. Recently at work, I was asked to find all SQL code that had a certain business rule. The task is to return all objects that reference to a certain temperature process named T1. One solution to this problem is to buy a tool like SQL Search from Red…
Full-Text Search – Part 1
Today, I want to go over why text searching for patterns is an expensive query operation. I am going to create a [WILD LIFE] database that contains a table called [ANIMALS]. A identity column called [ID] will be populated by the system automatically and a [NAME] column will be loaded with 445 animals names that I grabbed from WIKIPEDIA. The idea is to search for animals that have a root word in common. The snippet below creates the database and table. The full SQL script including insert statements is at…
Server Settings – Part 3
Tonight, I will be talking about default database paths that a DBA can change either manually or programatically. The automated process is to use undocumented extended system stored procedures to read from and write to the registry. The manual process is to use the Server Properties dialog box in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS). I am going to start with the database settings page that contains the default data file and log file directories. This setting determines where the data files (*.mdf, *.ndf) and log files (*.ldf) are stored. Just…
Server Settings – Part 2
Some of the settings that are listed in Server Properties dialog box in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) are stored in the local registry. These registry settings can be read from and written to by TSQL code. Thus, scripts can be created to standardize settings for all servers that you manage. The purpose of today’s talk is talk about security page of the Server Properties dialog box and how a DBA can change the settings. All of the settings can be changed by selecting the correct radial button, check box…
Server Settings – Part 1
The simplicity of installing SQL Server out of the box is very appealing to the accidental database administrator (DBA). Run the install program, select default options, and you have a running database. The ease of installation is a double edge sword. You now have a database management server (DBMS) that might be using settings that are not optimal for your company. The purpose of today’s talk is to introduce settings that a DBA can change to make the DBMS perform better. I will be showing where information can be found…
Command Shell
It is sometimes necessary to execute external commands in windows command shell from TSQL. The xp_cmdshell extended stored procedure allows you to do just that. Because this command shell can be a potential target for hackers, it is turned off by default. Today, I am going to use this command to solve a real world ETL problem. The following SQL snippet uses the sp_configure command to enable this option.
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<span style="color: #008000;">-- To allow advanced options to be changed. EXEC sp_configure 'show advanced options', 1 GO -- To update the currently configured value for advanced options. RECONFIGURE GO -- To enable the feature. EXEC sp_configure 'xp_cmdshell', 1 GO -- To update the currently configured value for this feature. RECONFIGURE GO </span> |
The xp_cmdshell command takes a valid DOS string as input and executes asynchronously in a windows command shell until the…
Import & Export Data Part 2
The BULK INSERT statement imports formatted data directly into a table or view of your choosing. The main advantage of this statement is that is minimally logged if the correct recovery model is choosen. Peforming a transaction log backup after each bulk insert reclaims the log space that was used. This statment has many parameters that can alter how the statement executes. Today, I am going to demonstrate the parameters that I think are most useful. We will be working again with the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) hypothetical database.…