pushed out to clients for product updates. Obviously, We could just
keep track of the changes on a pad or write a database that requires
us to input those changes and eventually hand write the update
scripts. I was wondering if anybody has any solutions that may help
automate this process.
Is there a way to write an application that will compare a current
(updated) database structure against the last realease that will give
us the fields that need to be changed?
As far as creating the scripts for the initial install, thats easy. We
can do that right from the SQL Enterprise Manager.
Call me lazy! Any ideas?
ThanksDuncan (duncan.loxton@.gmail.com) writes:
> I'm looking for ideas on how to write SQL scripts for updates that are
> pushed out to clients for product updates. Obviously, We could just
> keep track of the changes on a pad or write a database that requires
> us to input those changes and eventually hand write the update
> scripts. I was wondering if anybody has any solutions that may help
> automate this process.
> Is there a way to write an application that will compare a current
> (updated) database structure against the last realease that will give
> us the fields that need to be changed?
> As far as creating the scripts for the initial install, thats easy. We
> can do that right from the SQL Enterprise Manager.
There a couple of products on the market. SQLCompare from Red Gate does
indeed compare two databases. DBGhost likes to tout itself as being
good for this. I have not use any of them.
Whatever method, you should keep all your code under version control,
and all your update scripts should have their foundation in the
version-control system. Basically a shipment is all changes between
the label for the previous shipment and this one. With some files added,
like triggers or indexes for changed tables.
In fact, once you have a good version control system up and running,
composing your scripts manually is not daunting task - but admittedly
it becomes boring after a while. The flip side is that you learn to
understand your process.
In fact, I started in our shop with something like this many years
ago. This has now evolved to a versatile toolset that we use. It is
available as freeware for anyone who want to try, see
http://www.abaris.se/abaperls/index.html.
--
Erland Sommarskog, SQL Server MVP, esquel@.sommarskog.se
Books Online for SQL Server SP3 at
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/techin.../2000/books.asp
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