SQL Compare...

[GDX]

Hello,

I was wondering do you all know of a tool i can use to compare changes in 2 diffrent databases? For example lets say table "Companies" in DBase1 the field size was change from 15 to 20 characters, is there a tool to let me know this change needs to be made in Dbase2?

Thanks a lot

Gordon R. Durgha
gd@vslink.net

http://www.vslink.net

http://www.brainbench.com/transcript.jsp?pid=1217371

 

[NoCoolHandle]

Me tinks the answer is NO, but you could probaly write a tool/sp that does this and then schedule it to run. It could then raise an alert on a change event..

All col definitions live in syscolumns and if you checd the status col in the sysobjects table you can detect that a modification was made when the value is incremented from the last time you check it..

HTH

Rob

 

[dky1e]

check out

http://www.red-gate.com/sql/summary.htm

 

[SQLSister]

Agree with dkyle. I highly recommend SQL Compare. I couldn't work without it! ANd it's not even expensive.

 

[gfjzr]

I have to disagree with the people who recomend SQL compare. I have used the tool and it misses a lot of changes, as well as indactes changes where none exist.
If you are looking for a quick and dirty solution then SQL compare might be the answer, if you want real control then don't waste your money.

 

[DLSQL]

I have used SQL Compare quite a bit. The principle upon which it works is quite sound. It scripts out the two databases and then compares the scripts. It actually gives you a fair amount of granular control over what differences it will see. It's change scripts can not be trusted right off the bat, you do need to evaluate each one before running them. However, I have not personally seen an error.

There are some competing products including some freeware (I think I saw it on SourceForge). However, my colleague that tried it could not use it on Stored Procedures that have more than 8000 characters (apparently it only queried the first row of the syscomments table).

DL
MCDBA, MCSD, MCT, etc.

 

[SQLSister]

gfjzr, if you have a problem with SQLCompare what do you use instead? Yes, SQL compare does require the user to exercise some judgement (for instance, you need to consider what order to load your changes to the other database), but I have not had it miss anything and have been using it for more than a year.

 

[gfjzr]

If I were to list all of the issues that I found with SQL compare, then RedGate would be getting free debuging. I don't work for free! I have used both RedGate's SQL compare and Embarcadaro's Change Manager. Both of these tools fail as far as I am concerned. What tool do I use? After all the frustration, I developed my own comparison tool that does the job I need. It dosen't have any frills, but is effecient in compariing database structure, data types, precision, and length.
At the end of the day, the best tool is the one that does the best job for you.
Do testing for yourself, don't rely on other's opinions, download trial copies, use them on test machines, not on production machines, and do your own evaluation.

Good Luck

Gfjzr