HowToDoThings.com SQL Server

Upgrading from Access to SQL Server

Sun, 21 Sep 2003 23:00:00 -0500

A quick note on upgrading from an Access DB to a SQL DB.

I see a lot of people in forums, and support sites for popular ASP Applications I use struggling with a conversion between Access and SQL Server.

There are many problems I have tried to help with. Stemming from using the DTS Wizard in Enterprise Manager to import the Access DB to redifing keys and default values.

Here's the situation. If you want to upgrade an Access Database to SQL Server 7 or 2000 the WORST way to do it is via Enterprise Manager or Query Analyzer.

The BEST way to upgrade from Access to SQL Server is using the Access "Upsizing Wizard. The reason is that when you import database information from Enterprise Manager you will successfully import all the data however you will loose table relationships, primary keys and default values.

How to update a Work Table across many user

Fri, 22 Aug 2003 23:00:00 -0500

This article explains how to share a work table across multiusers. It also address locking strategies.

If for example you have to use a reporting Software, like Crystal reports, sometimes you will need to have a Working table to display results. Crystal will not read data definition from a temporary table. But how do you share this table with multiple users without problems?

My solution was to add a reportid field. Each user running the report will add his own unique Reportid field and delete all his records once the report is produced.
All this can be accomplish within a stored procedure linked to the report.

There is also another issue that arise when updating data.
If you use SQL default locking mechanism you can read data that is being changed.

setting to exclusive mode for restore (or other operations)

Mon, 12 Nov 2001 23:00:00 -0600

When attempting to restore a database you'll often get an error saying you must be in exclusive mode...

well, when using the enterprise manager you can right click on the database in the left pane and select properties from the popup menu. Then go to properties and set the mode to single user. This will allow you to run your restore.

Hope someone finds this helpful :)

Attach / detatch a database

Peter5 — Tue, 28 Nov 2000 23:00:00 -0600

This article demonstrates how to attach / detatch a database using SQL commands

Open the query analyzer, and enter either

To detatch the database sp_detach_db StuckIndoors

To attach a database sp_attach_single_file_db @dbname = 'StuckIndoors', @physname= 'E:\MSSQLData\data\StuckIndoors.mdf'