SimonS' SQL Server Stuff

Biztalk 2006 Beta 1 enrole now

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To get BizTalk Server 2006 Beta 1:

1.  Log into https://beta.microsoft.com  <http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=3665973 >using your Microsoft ® Passport Network Account.
2. Click on “Sign in as Guest” and use the Guest ID “BizTalkBetaTeam”
3. On the top navigation under "Enrolled Betas" navigate through "BizTalk Server 2006" and click on "Program Info". Then on the left side click on “Survey” and complete the “BizTalk Server 2006 Open Beta Nomination Form”
4. Complete and submit the form.
Within 1-2 business days you should receive a confirmation letter from Microsoft welcoming you to the BizTalk Server 2006 Beta Program. This letter will contain additional information on where to download the Beta and access the support newsgroup.

... To read the complete version of this post go here, http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/Biztalk 2006 Beta 1 enrole now

Garbage Collection in 2005

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Well not quite .net but still. I have been working back in Central London for almost 6 months now and one thing that has started to bug me is rubbish. London isn't littered with rubbish :) but in some areas there just aren't any bins.

... To read the complete version of this post go here, http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/Garbage Collection in 2005

Virtual Earth is live

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I have been checking on and off for a while for the launch of Virtual Earth after then mentioned a July 15th drop on channel9. At the weekend the site fell off the web so I guessed something was going on.

... To read the complete version of this post go here, http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/Virtual Earth is live

IIS Log Parser in SQL Server Integration services

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I am working on a IIS log parser custom component for SSIS. This is my first SSIS custom component so getting to grips with,

metadata, column collections, nuances of debugging.

Well I have finally got it working. I will be blogging about it more later, but at the heart is log parser 2.2 so trying to integrate all the power of that into SSIS. Once you get round the basics of debugging etc, SSIS does provide a great framework for adding in custom components

... To read the complete version of this post go here, http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/IIS Log Parser in SQL Server Integration services

Metablog API enabled on SQL Junkies

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Looks like we now have the metablog api enabled.

 http://www.sqljunkies.com/Weblog/SQLJunkiesFAQBlog/default.aspx

... To read the complete version of this post go here, http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/Metablog API enabled on SQL Junkies

By Design

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So you may have noticed I've been raising suggestions/bugs against SQL 2005, and generally getting a good response from MS on them. However the latest just makes me laugh

http://lab.msdn.microsoft.com/ProductFeedback/viewfeedback.aspx?feedbackid=854e7cf0-2133-4c35-a740-7aec5e2b92e3

... To read the complete version of this post go here, http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/By Design

SQL 2005 tools v 2000 tools

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So I've got machines with SQL 2005 and some with SQL 2000 so I switching between QA and SSMS.

I've already mentioned what I thnk is great about SSMS, I've still got to do my list of fav items in the engine, and there are plenty. However there ones thing that gets me everytime I start QA.

... To read the complete version of this post go here, http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/SQL 2005 tools v 2000 tools

SQL 2005 Bugs/Suggestion raised in the past day

The following link will list any bugs suggestions raised in the past day.

http://lab.msdn.microsoft.com/productfeedback/

You can create your own search using the advanced search option. Keep an eye on anythign that is important to you and support the sugegstion/bug if it is.

Column headers when pasting from a grid

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A new feature of SQL 2005 allows you to include the column headers when copyig from the results of a query.

However when I've used it I found that only on rare occasions do I want to have the column headers and in most cases I just want the data. The settting is not easy to change which means I have opted to leave it off.

... To read the complete version of this post go here, http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/Column headers when pasting from a grid

SSIS syntax in a derived column expression

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Ok So in the picture of my last post I had a Derived Column. This was to see if having a single field with the address in changed the fuzzy lookup. So I add a derived lookup to concatenate the field

... To read the complete version of this post go here, http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/SSIS syntax in a derived column expression

SSIS Performance

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You might have gathered I've been using SSIS. One of the reasons is that it is usable. Let me explain. Previously I had Feb CTP I think installed, an old one anyway. and it took an age for the debugger to fire up and shut down. This meant developing was very very slow.

... To read the complete version of this post go here, http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/SSIS Performance

SSIS One step further

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So I've done my addresses, but what about my companies.

Well its easy.

1. Add another connection to get your companies
2. Add a fuzzy lookup on the company name of that
3. Sort the data (need to sort if your going to merge) by company key
4. Send to a merge operation
5. Add another sort
6. Join the Source of addresses to the second sort, and select the company key to sort on
7. Join Both sorts to the merge
8. The Merge infers the join by the sort keys
9. Join the merge back to the fuzzy lookup for addresses
10. Press F5

So now I am de-duping companies, then merging this data with the addresses, and deduping the addresses by company and addres and outputing the results. Without 1 single line of code.

... To read the complete version of this post go here, http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/SSIS One step further

SSIS Address clean up in 10 steps

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So just started playing with SSIS to convert a legacy app. Data is in a bad state, lots of duplicates especially addresses.

So what do you do, firstly this data is in Access, secured with a workgroup file.

... To read the complete version of this post go here, http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/SSIS Address clean up in 10 steps