July 2007 - Posts

PDF 64 bit iFilter at last

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The full version of this post can be found here., http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/PDF 64 bit iFilter at last
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If you use full text and wat to index pdf documents you might have found you run into problems on a 64 bit machine. This is because there is no 64 bit iFilter for pdfs. The iFiliter is the bit of code that interprets the code and spits out the information for the search service (full text) to use to generate its indexes.

... To read the complete version of this post go here, http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/PDF 64 bit iFilter at last

posted Wednesday, July 18, 2007 12:10 AM by SimonSabin with 0 Comments

How to speed up partition merging

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The full version of this post can be found here., http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/How to speed up partition merging
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The key to performance with partition management is to deal with empty partitions. That way all you have is meta data changes and no data has to be copied.

We recently encountered a situation where we had two partitions and wanted to merge them. In a merge you have 3 boundaries the left one, the middle one and the right one. In doing a merge you are going to get rid of the middle one and have 1 partition that is bounded by the left and right values. The partition on the left of the middle boundary was empty and the one on the right wasn't. We were using RIGHT partitioning so the partition value for the middle boundary was included in the RIGHT hand partition. We expected this to be very quick. The engine you take the RIGHT hand partition and use it for the new partition.

... To read the complete version of this post go here, http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/How to speed up partition merging

posted Tuesday, July 31, 2007 11:10 PM by SimonSabin with 0 Comments

SQL Server - TCP/IP Ports

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The full version of this post can be found here., http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/SQL Server - TCP/IP Ports
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Personally I think networks are a black art, I think there are probably less network admins that there are DBAs in the world. As for diagnostics and tools for network configuration, as a SQL Server person I feel I now know what its like configuring and running Oracle.

... To read the complete version of this post go here, http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/SQL Server - TCP/IP Ports

posted Monday, July 30, 2007 6:34 PM by SimonSabin with 0 Comments

SSIS - What is wrong with it

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The full version of this post can be found here., http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/SSIS - What is wrong with it
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I recently visited a client that was achieving wonders with DTS, I was there to give them pointers on SSIS. I spent a day gogin over SSIS from the control flow to configrations.

A couple of things really got me was that SSIS is a new world that youhave to learn and boy there is a lot to learn, SSIS has many ways of achieving the same thing and many ways of doing it badly.

... To read the complete version of this post go here, http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/SSIS - What is wrong with it

posted Friday, July 27, 2007 11:08 PM by SimonSabin with 0 Comments

SSIS - Enhanced Error Component

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For those that downloaded the enhanced error component I forgot to make it clear that the new version requires you to have service pack 1 installed. The reason being is that we are using an interface that allows us to look at the whol package in the component UI.

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

posted Thursday, July 26, 2007 11:17 PM by SimonSabin with 0 Comments

SSIS - Error outputs should you configure them

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Should you connect configure error outputs for your components in a data flow? I'm putting a SSIS crib sheet together I asked Jamie Thomson to have a look over it and one point he question was my statement on error outputs.

... To read the complete version of this post go here, http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/SSIS - Error outputs should you configure them

posted Tuesday, July 24, 2007 8:25 AM by SimonSabin with 0 Comments

SSIS - Variable lists for the script task are case sensitive

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The full version of this post can be found here., http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/SSIS - Variable lists for the script task are case sensitive
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I've just been tearing my hair out trying to get variables and locking working. It was only after one of those eureka moments that I realised that the variable names are case sensitive.

So the lesson learnt is make sure that you have a naming convention for your variables so you don't have to remember if your variables are all lower case (unreadable) , title case (my preference) or camel case.

... To read the complete version of this post go here, http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/SSIS - Variable lists for the script task are case sensitive

posted Monday, July 23, 2007 10:03 PM by SimonSabin with 0 Comments

SSIS - 64 Bit woes

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The full version of this post can be found here., http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/SSIS - 64 Bit woes
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I am starting to regret installing 64 bit vista on my laptop, my woes are continuing as I found out today I can't debug script tasks.

I do hope this is fixed in Katmai :)

The full limitations, and there are a few, can be found here

... To read the complete version of this post go here, http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/SSIS - 64 Bit woes

posted Monday, July 23, 2007 9:10 PM by SimonSabin with 0 Comments

SQL Server The Truth - Rebuilding a clustered index does not rebuild the non clustered indexes

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The full version of this post can be found here., http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/SQL Server The Truth - Rebuilding a clustered index does not rebuild the non clustered indexes
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It used to be fact that the leaf page of a non-clustered index pointed to the row for the page, because it pointed to the file, page and row if the file or page of the row changed the nonclustered index had to be updated.

... To read the complete version of this post go here, http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/SQL Server The Truth - Rebuilding a clustered index does not rebuild the non clustered indexes

posted Friday, July 20, 2007 10:32 AM by SimonSabin with 0 Comments

SQL Server The Truth - Instant file initialisation

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The full version of this post can be found here., http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/SQL Server The Truth - Instant file initialisation
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This is the first in a series of posts that are aimed at dispelling myths and beliefs as to how SQL Server operates. I have interviewed too many people and have been in too many sessions where statements are made as though they are fact when in reality they are not. Often the reason is due to a change in behaviour between versions or a mis-interpretation of some information.

... To read the complete version of this post go here, http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/SQL Server The Truth - Instant file initialisation

posted Friday, July 20, 2007 9:26 AM by SimonSabin with 0 Comments

Add-ins for Management Studio

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The full version of this post can be found here., http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/Add-ins for Management Studio
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This is one of the popular requests, unfortunately its not going to be in Katmai. A number of people have done it through Redgate being the major guys. However I came across Seans post about his snapshot Addin  ( I would love to see the code Sean)

... To read the complete version of this post go here, http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/Add-ins for Management Studio

posted Tuesday, July 17, 2007 12:39 AM by SimonSabin with 0 Comments

Debugging on a 64 bit machine

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The full version of this post can be found here., http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/Debugging on a 64 bit machine
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When moving from VB to C# a few years ago I relaly missed edit and continue. You can call me lazy but thats the way I work.

I was glad to see it come into .Net 2.0, I was therefore suprrised when I tried to do some work today on my 64 bit laptop and a dialog pooped up saying that Edit and continue was not available in 64 bit mode.

... To read the complete version of this post go here, http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/Debugging on a 64 bit machine

posted Tuesday, July 17, 2007 12:31 AM by SimonSabin with 0 Comments

SQLBits - Free SQL Server Conference October 2007

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The full version of this post can be found here., http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/SQLBits - Free SQL Server Conference October 2007
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I have pleasure in announcing SQLBits Community Day.On the 6th October we will be taking over building 3 at Microsoft's Head offices in Reading. To hold a full day of SQL Server content with speakers from the UK. There will be 20 sessions over 3 tracks of BI, Dev and DBA, plus some of the first content on Katmai.

... To read the complete version of this post go here, http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/SQLBits - Free SQL Server Conference October 2007

posted Tuesday, July 17, 2007 12:10 AM by SimonSabin with 0 Comments

SQL Server 2005 support to end - shocking news

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It came as a real suprise to me that support for the RTM edition of SQL Server 2005 is going to end in a few weeks. This is standard practice for service packs but does come as a suprrise.

You can obtain more detailed information of what is supported and when by going to the following web page

... To read the complete version of this post go here, http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/SQL Server 2005 support to end - shocking news

posted Wednesday, July 04, 2007 11:32 PM by SimonSabin with 0 Comments

TSQL : How to get messages sent first class

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Leo has posted a great tip about how to get messages output in a TSQL batch without waiting until the batch completes. The trick is to use RAISERROR with a level of 0

http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/leopasta/archive/2007/07/03/instant-gratification.aspx

... To read the complete version of this post go here, http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons/TSQL : How to get messages sent first class

posted Tuesday, July 03, 2007 12:25 AM by SimonSabin with 0 Comments

SSIS : Web Service task doesn't cut it but who cares

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18 months ago I was trying to use the SSIS web service task for a number of p