Backup database structure only

Sometimes you need to back up the database structure (schema) only – it can be because you simply would like to maintain an audit trail of database schema changes or because you need to compare the schemas of two databases that you can’t access directly from one location.

Whatever your reasons maybe xSQL Object provides the ideal solution to accomplish this – with a click you can take a snapshot of the SQL Server database schema. The schema snapshot contains all the schema information but no data and consequently is a very small size file. You can then use xSQL Object to compare this schema snapshot to other snapshots or to live databases and see exactly what changed from one schema version to another.

T-SQL: set end date to first or fifteenth of the month

Here is a simple assignment: if the subscription date is from first to 15th of the month then the expiration date should be set to the 15th of the same month a number of years later; if the subscription date is from 16th to the end of the month then the expiration date should be set to the first of the following month a given number of years later.

I am sure there are many ways to do this but here is one:

DECLARE @sDate DATETIME -- subscription date
DECLARE @sYears tinyint -- number of years the subscription will last
SET @sDate = getdate()
SET @sYears = 1

IF datepart(dd, @sDate) <= 15
SELECT DATEADD(year, @sYears, @sDate) - datepart(dd, @sDate) + 15
ELSE
SELECT DATEADD(year, @sYears, DATEADD(mm, DATEDIFF(m,0,@sDate)+1,0))

Script Executor - package t-sql scripts into executables

In addition of allowing you to deploy multiple scripts to multiple databases directly from the interface Script Executor also allows you to package all your scripts into an executable.

An executable package in the context of the Script Executor is a small, dynamically generated executable file that contains embedded in it scripts, list of databases against which the scripts will be executed, and a small piece of code to run these scripts. You can run it as you would run any other Windows program.

Executable packages are suited for deploying Sql script to the end-users/clients. A user can run it without having Script Executor, or SSMS installed.

SQL Server execute scripts - multiple scripts, multiple databases

You launch SQL Server Management Studio – open script #1 and execute it against database 1 on SQL Server 1, then execute it against database 1 on SQL Server 2… then open t-sql script #2 and execute it against database 1 on SQL Server 1 etc… what a painful process, you dread the day you have to go through this (sometimes that is everyday). What a waste of resources too – a $100K database administrator spending hours executing scripts on tenths of server!

No more! You can now use Script Executor to take care of this job for you. One time only, you will go through a simple, and may I suggest fun, process of organizing your scripts into virtual containers and your databases into groups; then, map those script containers to the database groups; set an order of precedence if you need to and voila you have a package that you can now execute with a single click; or, you can even schedule it to run before you even make it to the office.

Script Executor will execute each script in the order you have defined against each database based on the mappings you have defined and once completed it will generate a comprehensive report allowing you to see how the script execution went on each target and also easily “flip through” the result sets that those scripts may generate.

Deploying (executing) multiple scripts against multiple SQL Server databases has never been easier.

You can download a free trial version of Script Executor from: http://xsqlsoftware.com/DownloadDetails.aspx?PackageID=40&ProdID=ScriptExecutorLic

A free community edition of Script Executor with limited functionality is also available: http://www.xsqlsoftware.com/Download.aspx

Applies to:

• SQL Server execute t-sql scripts
• SQL Server execute multiple scripts
• SQL Server deploy scripts to multiple databases
• SQL Server package t-sql scripts
• SQL Server run multiple scripts

Kindle, Zune, iPod - a free gift with every purchase

This month only we are giving away a free cool gift with every license purchase - kindle wireless, Zune, iPod Touch etc. Check out the details here: http://xsqlsoftware.com/nov_gift_choices.aspx

Is Bing beating Yahoo already?

Looking at our site stats today I was surprised to see that in the last 30 days we have received about 20% more “organic” visitors from Bing than from Yahoo! Is this just an aberration or is Bing already beating Yahoo? What you seeing on your site? Please answer the poll on the right panel here and leave your comments below.

The poll has been closed - the final result was 60% for Bing and 40% for Yahoo however, the number of responses we got was statistically insignificant so I would put no stock on these results.

$100 for your SQL puzzle

We are planning to bring back the “puzzle of the month” program and this time the puzzles will come from you. We are asking you to send us the hardest SQL puzzles you have come across or that you can come up with.

If your puzzle is chosen to be published on our site we will:

• Send you a $100
• Link from the puzzle page to your blog or your site

The harder your puzzle the higher the chances that it will be picked, however,

The puzzles should fall into one or more of the following categories: SQL Server, T-SQL, Database Management Systems

Submit your puzzle here: http://www.xsqlsoftware.com/Submit_SQL_Puzzle.aspx