Dynamically Changing SQL ConnectionString For Live/test Environments
Sep 11, 2007
Hello. What I'm trying to do should be fairly simple, but after an hour of searching and trials, I can't seem to get it working.
When I run my website on my test machine, I would like it to use a certain value for my connectionString. But when it's run on the live server, it should use a different connection string. This way, when it's on the test server it'll use the test database.
In my Web.Config file, I have this:
<connectionStrings>
<add name="myConnectionString" connectionString="Data Source=TEST_DB;Initial Catalog=tester;Integrated Security=True"
providerName="System.Data.SqlClient" />
</connectionStrings>
I would like to be able to change the connectionString in something like the Global.asax file, when the application is loaded. I'd check for a certain environment variable, or some other condition, and change the value of the connectionString.
I tried this in my Global.asax, but it told me the value was read_only:
ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["myConnectionString"].ConnectionString = "Data Source=LIVE_DB;Initial Catalog=live;Integrated Security=True"
Does anyone have a good way of doing this, so I don't need to juggle Web.Config files when I publish my site?
We are setting up a test lab environment with 100 machines. We want one master testing db that gets replicated to each to run scripted application tests nightly.
My goal is to minimize the amount of work to move this thing to each of the 100 test machines. I am wondering if we need to even have the sql local and invest in a monster db server with 100 copies of the db we restore and each test machine point to their own db on that server, or if I should use db mirroring or something to get the master test db to each of those machines instead.
I was wondering if anyone has a neat (preferably automated) method of creating small testing databases from large production instances. My requirement would be to copy the schema and a subset of configuration data from a production database into a test database. The subset of data would be a full copy of a subset of tables, rather than a subset of data within one or more tables. There is a mixture of SQL2000 and SQL2005 servers involved in this requirement. I'm familar with the scripting mechanisms of Enterprise Manager and Management studio and DTS packages, sufficent to perform a process like this manually, but want to productionise and schedule this process to be performed automatically. I'm sure this must be a commonly performed task, so I'm interested to know if anyone has a "best practice" for this requirement.
We are setting up a new Reporting Services 2005 enterprise reporting tier that will support multiple developers, applications, and end users. We will have mirrored environments including development, test, and production each with their own database cluster, and reporting server.
We have multiple report developers who share a single Visual Studio solution which is saved in SourceSafe and is setup to have separate report projects for each business unit in the orgainzation. Each report project is mapped to a specific deployment folder matching the business unit. Using the Visual Studio Configuration Manager, we can simply flip to the envirnoment we want to deploy to and the reports are published to the correct environment and folder structure.
My problem lies with the common data sources. We are using a single master Common Data Sources folder to hold all of the data sources. The trick is that each and every reporting folder seems to have to have it's own copy of the data source in visual studio. There does not seem to be an easy way to change the data sources for the reports when you publish to various environment, i.e. development, test, production etc.
Ideally, we would have a single project for the common data sources that all reporting projects and associated folders would map to, and we would have a way to associate the appropriate data source for each environment when we deploy.
I'm looling for best practices on how to setup data sources for development and deployment in an enterprise environment that uses Visual Studio to develop and publish reports. We have 3 environments, and 6 data sources per environment and about 20 reporting folder / project in Visual Studio. That's 360 changes that have to be manged when deploying reports. Is there a best practices way to do this?
There has got to be a better way? Can anyone give me some insite into how to set this up?
If I have stored procedures that reference linked servers, is there any way to avoid changing the procedures when moving between environments (dev, qa, prod)?
Do i resort to dynamic sql? Use case statements to switch between environments?
I have two SQL Databases on separate servers, live and test. I have been asked to copy the data from the live system and put it into test. They are SQL Management Studio 2008 running on MS Server 2008R2.
Could a simple backup of the database, then copy that file to the test system and restore the database from that point work or it there more to it?
Are global variable parameters in a DTS package specific to "only" that one package and do not effect other packages?
I need to add a variable to a test package but am worried that if I add this parameter it might affect the live production Table. There are two different servers on different sides of the firewall, there are two different databases and there are two tables but with different names, and there are DTS packages but they reference different tables in the query code.
So is it ok to add the global variable which would allow this DTS to delete recent records from the "test" version and it wont do anything to my live version?
Hi, I wasn't sure if this was the correct place for this question since it involves both T-SQL and ODBC but i thought I would start here. A little system information to start. I'm using SQL 2005 on a Windows 2003 server. An application is connection to my database through ODBC and adds records to a table one at a time (no batches).
I have an Instead of Trigger created on a table that tests for the existence of a valid foriegn key. If the key doesn't exist in the related table I want to insert the record into a "bad records" table.
My trigger works perfectly when I add a bogus record to the table directly in the SQL Management Console table view or thorugh an insert query. However, when I try a live test with an application connected via ODBC that is adding records to the table the trigger fails to catch the errors and will not update the "bad records" table. If a record is legitmate (i.e. has a valid foreign key) then the final bit of trigger code fires without a problem.
Does anyone know of a problem with Instead Of Triggers working on multiple tables when connection through ODBC? It just seems weird that the trigger works perfectly in one situation but then doesn't work in another.
On a 64bit Itanium cluster, I'm having a problem dynamically setting the ConnectionString of a TextFile Source using the "EvaluateAsExpression" = True and setting the ConnectionString using an expression from a variable. I get the error message:
-1073647612,0x,The result of the expression "@[User::vFullFilePath]" on property "ConnectionString" cannot be written to the property. The expression was evaluated, but cannot be set on the property.
This is not a problem at all on a 32bit machine. I can run the same package on 32bit and it runs fine.
The funny thing is, I'm able to dynamically change the ConnectionString of a Logfile that we're writing all of the errors to, which I believe is using a TextFile Destination connection under the covers somehow (I'm using the SSIS Logging, to a textfile).
Hello all. I created an app locally with VWD Express and moved it to to our server but I am getting the following error... An attempt to attach an auto-named database for file D:WebApp_DataSurvey.mdf failed. A database with the same name exists, or specified file cannot be opened, or it is located on UNC share. This is the connectionstring from the web.config file used on the server. I did not change anything from the local copy. <connectionStrings> <add name="SurveyConnectionString1" connectionString="Data Source=.SQLEXPRESS;AttachDbFilename=|DataDirectory|Survey.mdf;Integrated Security=True;User Instance=True" providerName="System.Data.SqlClient" /> </connectionStrings> What settings do I need to change in order for this to work? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.
I have a package that I plan to run against about 700 databases to look for anomalies. I have several package variables in place that are passed in at runtime. One of them will hold the path and filename of the error log for the current database in process. I want each database to generate it's own error log for documentation and research purposes. However, when I run the package, it continues to use the path and filename that I entered when I created the File Connection Manager. I am trying to update that value in a Script Task by using the ConnectionManager class and setting the value for the "ConnectionString" property. This method is working for the OLEDB Connection Manager (which tells the package which Access database to process), but not for my File Connection Manager. Please help!
My requirement is to have my report display on one 11 by 8.5 page. Is there a way to programmatically change the PageHeight report property based on the number of rows returned in a table? i.e., if the rowcount for table x >= 10, change PageHeight to 9.5.
i am transfering the table from one database to csv file format..i did it.. again i want to shift that csv files to another databse as tables. how to do this task.. pls help me.. its very urgent..out TL had given me the dead line.. send reply soon....
I am creating SSRS reports on top of SSAS cubes. I want the default value of parameter to change dynamically based on the current year or it should select the last of the parameter values.
In my report, I've to print the address of the customer in a form which is in a pre-defined format. So while printing, the line number and position should be specified by the user. Is there any ways in SSRS to change the position of a textbox/any control dynamically by inputing the x and y coordinates? If there is a way please let me know that.
I want to transfer data from one server to another by using SSIS. i want the connection string to be dynamic and also according to the some other variable, the transforming data is changing.
Could you provide me the solution thet how i am able to change my connetction string dynamically and the other variable too.
i am using VS 2003 as front end and SQL server 2005 as a backhand.
Due to VS.NET 2003 i am able to create DTS packages but i have to migrate it and then anly i am able to use it in JOB in SQL server agent of SQL server 2005.
is that any code or any stored procedure from which i am able to migrate DTS packages to SSIS packages.
Hi Everyone,I have a question about dynamically changing the length of a varchar(n)field, in case the value I'm trying to insert is too big and will givea "truncated" error, but before the error is given! i.e. Is there somekind of a way to "test" the length of the field while Inserting thevalue into it, and to have it automatically increase its length to thelength of the value being inserted, in case the value is too big?I've been able to do this in a "primitive" way, simply by identifyingthe specific error number in case the value is being truncated, andthen increasing the length of the varchar(n) field by using the ALTERcommand, and then duplicating the insert statement, but is there astandard (shorter) way of doing this?Here is my code (I'm working in an ASP environment):<%var_txt = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz12345678789"sql = "Insert Into Table1 (text) Values ('" & var_txt & "')"On Error Resume Nextconn.Execute sqlIf err = -2147217833 ThenResponse.Write "Error Recognized Successfully!<br /><br />"sql = "ALTER TABLE Table1 ALTER COLUMN text VARCHAR(" &Len(var_txt) &") NOT NULL"On Error Resume Nextconn.Execute sqlIf err<>0 ThenResponse.Write "Error while trying to alter Column:<br/>" & err & "= " & err.description & "<br />"ElseResponse.Write "Column altered successfully to: " &Len(var_txt) &"<br />"sql = "Insert Into Table1 (text) Values ('" & var_txt &"')"On Error Resume Nextconn.Execute sqlIf err<>0 ThenResponse.Write "<br />Error number 2:<br />" &err.description &"<br />"ElseResponse.Write "Now it was added successfully!HaHa!<br />"End IfEnd IfElseResponse.Write "Success."End If%>Thanks in advance!
In my SSIS package I have a loop container that I am running the same code against 4 servers. I have the package export the SQL data to an Excel spreadsheet that has multiple tabs.
Is there a way I can change the tab on the fly or do I need to create a Connection for the same spreadsheet 4 times Each Connection pointing to a different tab?
I tried to set up a expression for the Excel Connection Manager to use the InitialCatalog for the tab and change it based on the script in the loop however this causes the following error:
An OLE DB error has occurred. Error code: 0x80040E21. An OLE DB record is available. Source: "Microsoft Native Client" Hresult: 0x80040E21 Description: "Multiple-step OLE DB operation generated errors. Check each OLE DB status value, if available. No work was done.". Cannot create an OLE DB accessor. Verify that the column metadata is valid.
Before I launch into a long description of the issue, I was wondering whether its possible to dynamically amend the file path held in a configuration string? (I'm looking at the Package Configurations Organizer)
Basically recreating the /CONF switch in the dtexec utility
So a parent package could somehow tell a child package to pull its configuration from a selection of different xml config files at run time... I couldn't see a variable in the child package to set from the former
My only idea at the moment is to replace the Execute Package Task with an Execute Process Task, and directly invoke the child using dtexec & an expression to dynamically set the /CONF switch..
Does anyone know how to change the task name displayed within a ForEach Loop Container (or of the ForEach Loop Container task itself) based on a variable. I am pretty familiar with setting variable values during task execution and using expressions to alter task properties based on variables. I have tried using an expression to alter the value of the Name property of the ForEach Loop Container but the name of the ForEach Loop Container does not change during execution. Since the color of the various tasks change during execution, I would think that the task names could be changed as well.
I have a scenario where we have to handle dynamically changing source columns.
For example , some times in the source files the number of columns will be increased or decreased, new columns can be added in the middle or in the end of the source file.
Hello everyone,I need advice of how to accomplish the following:Loop though records in a table and send an email per record. Emailrecipient, message text and attachment file name - that's all changesrecord by record.Is it doable from a stored procedure (easily I mean, or am I better offwriting a VB app)? There are so many options of sending mail from SQLserver - CDONTS, SQL MAIL TASK, xp_sendmail. What's easier to implementand set up?Thanks a lot!!!(links and fragments of sample code would be greatlyappreciated)Larisa
Now that we have a good programming model in SSIS - the question is whether to write automated unit tests for your packages, and would it generally be a good idea for packages?
Also - if yes to write tests - then where to find more informations regarding How to accomplish that?
hi every one, i need to test SSIS pacakge which will import data from different database where record count is around 5 millions. iam planning to test it through c# code as well as manually also. SSIS source : consist of 7 tables SSIS destination :consist of 7 tables Using c# code iam trying to run ssis package through batch file. i am putting expected rowcount, column count in an excel file and comparing same with destination tables by writing query implementing ADO.Net concept. am i going right way ,can any one suggest best and productive way to test the ssis package . what are the other things i need to test it. do any one can add test cases to it.
S.No
Test Case
1
Verify all the tables have been imported.
2
Verify all the rows in each table have been imported.
3
Verify all the columns specified in source query for each table have been imported
4
Verify all the data has been received without any truncation for each column.
5
Verify the schema at source and destination
6
Verify the time taken /speed for data transfer
7
Fields truncated due to difference in length of the field at destination. Regards Arif shareef
Currently have a single hard coded file path to the SSRS config file which parses the file and provides the reporting services web service url. My question is how would i run this same query against 100s of servers that may or may not share the same file path as the one hard coded ?
Is there a way to query the registry to find the location of the config file of any server ? which could be on D, E, F, H, etc.
I know I can string together the address followed by "reports" and named instance if needed, but some instances may not have used the default virtual directory name (Reports).
Am I going about this the hard way ? Is there a location where the web service url exists in a table ? I could not locate anything in the Reporting service database. Basically need to inventory all of my reporting services url's.
What different are there between connectionString (Part 1) and connectionString (Part 2) in web.config The CCWW is my PC's name, normally I can connect to the database ASPNETDB.MDF correctly either Part 1 or Part 2 in a web page,After I open Database Explorer panel and browse ASPNETDB.MDF, I can't connect to database using Part 2 when I open a webpage in Microsoft Visual Web Developer 2005 Express Edition,but I can correctly open a webpage using Part 1 after I open Database Explorer panel. What different are there between connectionString (Part 1) and connectionString (Part 2) in web.config? I guess while I use Part 1 to connect, maybe it will be cancel exclusive method of the database ASPNETDB.MDF first, but when I connect to database using Part 2, maybe two programms both Part 2 and Database Explorer visit ASPNETDB.MDF at the same time!
Right now, we have the production and development databases and ASP pages on one server. This is causing a strain on the performance, of course. Well, the finally, the customer agreed to get 2 less powerful servers. This is what we are planning to do with the 2 extra servers.
Server 1 : Original Server (fast) We will only have the Production Database (NO IIS)
Server 2: New Machine23 (faster box than Server 2) Offload IIS away from the production Database so we can allow more memory for Database processing.
Server 3: New Machine 3 (slower box we just got) Move the entire development environment to one server (SQL Server Database + IIS with all the ASP pages)
Does this sound OK? or should we have IIS sitting on one box (holding pages for Development and production) and the other machine just holds the Development database.
I would like to hear other opinions/stories on different IIS & SQL Server configurations to maximize performance.
This has probably been covered in other posts. I have been working with SSIS for the past month and I am trying to follow best practices on various items. Having worked with a different ETL tool prior to this, I am wondering what is the best approach to use for Connections and File Paths.
What I would normally do with DataStage for this would be to assign a Job Variable (and eventually Sequence Variable) of the type: Path. So, if I was developing a job I would create SourceFilePath, ErrorFilePath, etc. I would use these variables in a FlatFile or Dataset Stage. For instance I would assign a filename for a source as: #SourceFilePath#SourceFile1.txt. During execution the job would load the variable and then the filename would be: C:MyDocumentsDatafilesSourceFile1.txt.
When its time to move to another environment, I don't have to worry about changing values for file connections because it is managed dynamically by a config file or whatever method.
What is the best practice that emulates this behaviour for SSIS? I've been thick and can't get my head around this. Any direction to blogs or user sites would be great. Examples, even better!
I want to store each SQL Server's (prod, test, etc) connection string in XML to make deployment & configuration easy. However, the connection string must be encrypted. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions on how to accomplish both. I know how to encrypt it but I dont think SSIS can work with it.
