Clone on Data Compare

SQL_Rookie

OK I have a db that has few hundred tables but within the schema I only want to compare like 150 tables. I have a Dev, QA, UAT, Stage, Train and PROD db's which resided in different SQL servers. I just completed a data compare for that tables I want from Prod and Train. Now I cloned that project and reviewed the tables selected which were correct. THen I selected the Data Source tab and changed the connection to a different server and database then clicked on the table&View tab again and I see more then the tables that I just compared using the original project. But not ALL tables that can be selected are selected. So I'm wondering were is Data Compare getting that selected list from? I have also just changed the database and not the server on the cloned project and sill have the same behavior. I also would like to know is the project name would change to reflect the databases that I would compare on the clone project or does it keep the original project name?

Brian Donahue

I seem to recall that if the tables didn't exist in the original project that you'd copied, then the new tables default to not being selected. Do you think this is the problem?

SQL_Rookie

no since the schemas are the same. It's just more tables are selected more then I had selected on the original project. And another thing is you can edit the clone but you most run the compare to save it....that is no good incase I wanted to just set it up and run it later in the day.

James Moore

Hi SQL_Rookie,

Data Compare projects work in the following fashion in regards to this -

When you select/deselect/map/unmap a table/view this action is recorded in the project then when you try and get the mappings - IE switch to the tables and views tab - these actions are replayed over the set of mappings created to try and generate the same mappings/selections you had previously - if any step of this replaying fails all tables are selected (the default state).

This can lead to the incosistency you describe since if you hit select all then deselect half a dozen tables when it replays it will try and do the same thing - IE any tables which were not explicitly deselected will be selected - if the schemas are identical (please check with SQL Compare in case keys are missing etc) - then you should have the same selection made.

If the above does not explain the behaviour you are seeing then please let us know.

Sorry for any inconvience; we tried to pick the most intuative behaviour for the projects in relation to this but which ever way we went we were always going to get it wrong for a few people.

Many thanks,

- James
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James Moore
Red Gate Software Ltd