SQL Server: Return All Dates in a Range

This function will return a list of all dates between a start date and an end date.





SET ANSI_NULLS ON
GO
SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON
GO
-- =============================================
-- Author:        bryan valencia
-- Create date: 11/20/2018
-- Description:    returns the dates between start and end (inclusive).
-- =============================================
CREATE FUNCTION DaysBetween(@startdate DATE, @enddate DATE)
RETURNS @calendar TABLE
(
    calendarday DATE PRIMARY KEY
)
AS
BEGIN
        -- Fill the table variable with the rows for your result set

    WITH calendar AS
    (
      SELECT CAST(@startdate AS DATETIME) DateValue
      UNION ALL
      SELECT  DateValue + 1
      FROM    calendar  
      WHERE   DateValue + 1 <= @enddate
    )

    insert into @calendar(calendarday)
    (
    SELECT  cast(DateValue as Date) calendarday
    FROM    calendar
    )
    OPTION (MAXRECURSION 0)
   

    RETURN
END
GO






To call it: SELECT * FROM [dbo].[DaysBetween] ('01 jan 2018', '01 feb 2018')







...

---

Bryan Valencia is a contributing editor and founder of Visual Studio Journey.  He owns and operates Software Services, a web design and hosting company in Manteca, California.

How to Copy a MSSQL Server database to a New Webhost without RESTORE

This article explains how to copy a database from one server to another when Backup/Restore is not an option.

• This will work as long as you have SQL Server Management Studio access to the source and destination databases.


• This is very slow, and may take many hours to run on a big database.

1. First, open the database server you want to copy in SSMS.


2. Next, Right-click the database, Tasks -> Generate Scripts.
    


3. In my case I want all the scripts to completely recreate my database, so here are the steps.


4. Next
   


5. Script entire database and all database objects


6. Save to new query window (file is OK too).
   


7. Click Advanced (by default it will write a script to create all objects, but not copy data).
   
   Make sure to select Schema and data.
   


8. Review all the other settings to make sure you get the stuff you want on the destination database.  Click OK, then Next.


9. Review and Next (or previous if you need to change something.)


10. You'll get a checklist screen and then the script is done.  It should pop up in SSMS.

To restore the database...

1. Log SSMS into the destination database.


2. Back up what's there if there is any chance you'll need it.
   


3. In your script, if you need to rename the database to satisfy the new hosting company, do a global replace in the SQL script.  Make sure the FileNames reflect the destination database name not the source database
   


4. Copy the entire script to the clipboard.


5. right click the destination database and do a New Query (if the database hasn't been created yet, you can click the server name).
   


6. Paste the script into the new query editor.


7. If the database already exists, you may need to delete the CREATE statement and all the ALTER DATABASE statements, down to the [USE database] command.


8. Look in the scrollbar for possible problems...  Then fix them.
   


9. Run the script and see what happens.  Get coffee.  It's gonna be a while.  Call your Dad.  He misses you.

You're done.  Just in case you don't have all the same Generate Scripts options, this demo was from a SQLExpress2016 database, using all this stuff...



Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio                        14.0.17199.0

Microsoft Analysis Services Client Tools                        14.0.1008.227

Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC)                        10.0.16299.15

Microsoft MSXML                        3.0 4.0 6.0

Microsoft Internet Explorer                        9.11.16299.0

Microsoft .NET Framework                        4.0.30319.42000

Operating System                        6.3.16299

Absolutely no Fixed Bid Contracts - Ever!

I got a job from a client and it was a fixed bid.  We pay you x dollars and you finish the work.

BUT...

• The scope was ill-defined




• the "spec" for the project was "replace our existing system", not an objective set of criteria.  Therefore any variation between their old system and the new one could be considered incorrect.


• If there are features that we cant see from the 300 screen shots we have, then we'll have to do them all to be "finished"


• because there is no objective spec, this will end up where all fixed bid contracts end up




• the client will expect us to "finish" the project forever, because if they ever accept the work, then they will have to pay more for changes.


• the client will always have a giant list of 'fixes' whenever we show them the completed work.


• we will continue to push them to go live, and they will have every inclination to manufacture more and more changes, even if they are not in the original project.






• The estimate was based on a very simplified version of the work




• we showed the client a mockup with all the bells and whistles, and gave them an estimate.


• the client liked it, but wanted the work much, much cheaper.


• we offered a simplified approach to lower the cost.


• they didn't really listen and kept expecting everything at the lower cost.

This week I will finish the project.  I will build it to the demo server and the client will look at it.  We have exhausted ALL the hours assigned to the work.  They are going to have a list of things they want "fixed" before going live.  At that point we will want more money, but as far as they are concerned, it's a fixed bid.  They get whatever they want for the agreed price. 



Welcome to slavery.  Working free forever and never getting paid again.



Unless a project is less than 10 hours, NEVER accept a fixed bid contract.  It's a no-win scenario.



...

---

Bryan Valencia is a contributing editor and founder of Visual Studio Journey.  He owns and operates Software Services, a web design and hosting company in Manteca, California.

How to Check for any Changes in Table Data.

I am having a problem where some sneak process is changing the wrong


data in my inventory table. I wanted to discover how and when this was


happening, so I created a copy of my inventory table (on my local


machine, like this:



Select * from [dbo].[Inventory] into [dbo].[InventoryBASELINE]



Now I can check for discrepancies, like this...



select * from [dbo].[InventoryBASELINE] IB where CHECKSUM(*) <>


isnull((select CHECKSUM(*) from [dbo].[Inventory] I where IB.ID=I.ID),0)


union all


select * from [dbo].[Inventory] I where CHECKSUM(*) <> isnull((select


CHECKSUM(*) from [dbo].[InventoryBASELINE] IB where IB.ID=I.ID),0)


order by ID



This will show me any rows that are different, missing, or added between


my baseline table and my current table.


If I only cared about a few columns, I could use CHECKSUM(Customer, Qty,


Style) any columns I care about in all 4 checksum functions.

Issuing Direct SQL from MVC5

Recently I needed to add a quick updater that added a value to Table1


when someone copied data from Table2.




Now, the normal way to do this with Entity Framework is to load the


Entity, and change the value, then save the changed entity.




But I am a SQL guy from way back, and rather than fetch the entire


record and write it all back through Entity Framework, I figured it


would be Way more efficient if I just sent the database an update


directly. Turns out that for us old SQL developers, it's terribly easy


to do just that.




Here is my example subroutine, for your dining pleasure.

        /// 

        /// Updates a Toolkit with the number of the Assignment ID Created from it. If you are trying to remove an assignment id from a toolkit, use RemoveAssignmentFromToolkit()
        /// 
        /// The toolkit ID to be updated
        /// The AssignmentID to attach
        public static void UpdateToolkitWithAssignmentID(int ToolkitID, int AssignmentID)
        {
            using (ORM db = new ORM())
            {
                try
                {
                    db.Database.ExecuteSqlCommand(
                        "UPDATE [dbo].[ToolkitRequests] SET[AssignmentID] = @AID Where[UniqueId] = @ID",
                        new SqlParameter("@AID", AssignmentID),
                        new SqlParameter("@ID", ToolkitID)
                        );
                }
                finally
                {
                    db.Dispose();
                }
            }
        }

That's it! It's super fast, and there is no mucking about in Entity


Framework. NOTE that all the EF validity checking is skipped when you


do this, so use it in cases where it's a simple SQL and you can ensure


data integrity yourself. In my case, there is no way to get in this


routine without valid values in both params, so I know I won't get


surprised with a stray NULL.






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Data to MVC in 10 minutes.

Database

Assuming you created your table in SSMS already, It should look something like this:

Now drag select the 3 columns like and control+C copy them to the clipboard:

…and the clipboard…

ID              uniqueidentifier     Unchecked

International   bit                  Unchecked

Name            nvarchar(20)         Unchecked

Description     nvarchar(200)        Checked

BarPercent      int                  Unchecked

IncludesSteps   varchar(MAX)         Unchecked

Model

Go to Visual Studio and in your Solution Explorer, right click Models and Add, then Class

Make it easy on yourself:  Name it the same as your table.

Make the code look like this…

namespace SA.DS._0._2.Models  //this should match your other models, or leave it how Visual Studio created it

{

        using System;

        using System.Collections.Generic;

        using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations;

        using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations.Schema;

        using System.Data.Entity.Spatial;

        [Table("Lookups.StatusBarTypes")]  //This is the name of your table.  If the schema is left out, it assumes [dbo]

        public partial class StatusBarTypes

        {

                [System.Diagnostics.CodeAnalysis.SuppressMessage("Microsoft.Usage", "CA2214:DoNotCallOverridableMethodsInConstructors")]

                //a default constructor

                public StatusBarTypes()

                {

                }

        }

}

Now, we'll paste in the list from the clipboard.

                //a default constructor

                public StatusBarTypes()

                {

                }

                ID      uniqueidentifier        Unchecked

International   bit     Unchecked

Name    nvarchar(20)    Unchecked

Description     nvarchar(200)   Checked

BarPercent      int     Unchecked

IncludesSteps   varchar(MAX)    Unchecked

                Unchecked

        }

}

Then doctor it into object properties.  DO NOT rename any fields!  Make sure anything that says "Checked" is nullable.

Keep tabs on the string lengths and whether the columns are required or not. (not null means Requred)

                [Key]

                public Guid ID { get; set; }

                [Required]

                public bool International { get; set; }

                [Required]

                [StringLength(20)]

                public string Name { get; set; }

                [StringLength(200)]

                public string? Description { get; set; }

                [Required]

                public int BarPercent { get; set; }

                public int IncludesSteps { get; set; }

If you want, you can add display info, like prettier column names.

                [Key]

                public Guid ID { get; set; }

                [Required]

                [Display(Name="Intl")]

                public bool International { get; set; }

                [Required]             

                [StringLength(20)]

                public string Name { get; set; }

                [StringLength(200)]

                public string Description { get; set; }

                [Required]

                [Display(Name="Bar%")]

                public int BarPercent { get; set; }

                [Display(Name="Incl Steps")]

                public int IncludesSteps { get; set; }

OK save it and BUILD.

If all went well, we can…

Controller and View

In Controllers, right click Add, then Controller

Pick MVC5 Controller with Views, Using Entity Framework

Click Add.

Pick your new Model Class.

Make sure it's your correct Database, pick a layout page, and Add.

Note that it autogenerates your controller…

…and your CRUD views.

These Views are ALL WIRED UP and ready to use.  Open Index.cshtml in Visual Studio and run it.

Your empty data table awaits!  Add some records, edit them, delete them, modify them!

Select a List of Column Names in SQL Server

This gives a list of all the tables and columns in the tables in your database.  The TABLES table was included to exclude views.

Select
    COLUMNS.TABLE_SCHEMA, 
    COLUMNS.TABLE_NAME,
    COLUMNS.COLUMN_NAME
from INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS
inner join
    INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES
    on Tables.TABLE_CATALOG = Columns.TABLE_CATALOG
        and Tables.TABLE_SCHEMA = Columns.TABLE_SCHEMA
        and Tables.TABLE_NAME = COLUMNS.TABLE_NAME
        and Tables.TABLE_TYPE = 'BASE TABLE'
 

...

---

Bryan Valencia is a contributing editor and founder of Visual Studio Journey.  He owns and operates Software Services, a web design and hosting company in Manteca, California.