Category: SQL Server Management Studio

  • Easy SQL Server Snapshot Script / Proc

    Man!!!! Why is the code to create a database snapshot so ridiculously complicated? Actually, I guess I understand why but how about allowing it to be done through SSMS and then setting a bunch of the parameters as defaults for us? Come on Microsoft! Help a SQL brother out! Well luckily, where Microsoft fails, I’m […]

  • How To Set Variables Using The SSIS Execute Package Utility

    Yay! There’s a GUI to execute SSIS packages! Boo! It’s really hard to figure out how to pass variables through it! You may have seen a message that looked something like this: TITLE: SSIS Execution Properties —————————— DTExec: Could not set Package.Variables[User::MyVarA].Value value to Data Source=DevServ1. —————————— BUTTONS: OK —————————— Here are the three most […]

  • SQL Server To GreenPlum MPP/Postgres Transition

    I’m working with a team building a data warehouse using Pivotal’s GreenPlum MPP (Massively Parallel Processing) database which is based on PostgreSQL. Although, all the data modeling basics transition easily from RDBMS to RDBMS there’s a bit of a learning curve switching tools and syntax. Listed below are some of the items I’ve noted during the […]

  • Who Has The DAC?: Or How I Found Out I Had The Dedicated Admin Connection On SQL Server

    Here’s a quick little snippet of T-SQL script that will hopefully prove handy to someone (and that I’ll end up googling at some point and find my own blog post). Are you trying to determine who is currently using the dedicated admin connection (aka DAC) on a particular SQL Server? Did SSMS give you a […]

  • Error when trying to use DAC connection in SQL Server

    So, one of my local databases got stuck in single-user mode. Easy solution? Connect to my instance using SQL Server’s Dedicated Admin Connection (aka DAC) and flip the database back to multi-user. Easy! Wait. What? TITLE: Connect to Database Engine —————————— Cannot connect to ADMIN:localhost\SQL2012. —————————— ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: A network-related or instance-specific error occurred while […]

  • SQL Server Impact Analysis Query

    Ugh. Impact analysis is one my least favorite tasks. And despite the fact it’s gotten easier over the years with the addition of being able to check object dependencies natively within SQL Server Management Studio, I still find myself resorting to wildcard searches of object definitions for various reasons. (For example: dependencies on objects accessed […]

  • Formatting MDX and DAX: Free Online Tool From Microsoft

    Ever cut and paste a mess of generated MDX from Excel? How about a coworker who doesn’t know how to use the “tab” key when working in SQL Server Management Studio? I came across this no frills online MDX formatter from “Microsoft Labs” and have been using it for the last few days to clean […]

  • SQL Server Management Studio: Recover Lost Files

    Nooooooooo!  Power outage+unsaved files SQL Server Management Studio files=Panic!!!  Wait a sec.  Don’t panic.  Every modern application, especially Microsoft apps, prompts you after a crash and asks you if you want to recover your lost files right?  Right!?!  Somehow, SSMS does NOT include this feature.  Why?  No idea.  Blame Management Studio’s stability.  It rarely shutsdown […]

  • Use F5 To Execute A Query In Visual Studio

    If you’re coming to Visual Studio 2010 from SQL Server Management Studio you’re probably getting annoyed by the fact that pressing the F5 does not execute your SQL when using the T-SQL Editor window. Do not fear! Like the $6 Million Dollar Man, “we have the technology… Better… Stronger… Faster.” Instead of the three buttons […]