Can I add data without truncating via command line?

joshsensus

I'm trying to generate data while keeping application meta data present (200+ tables) without truncating all of it via the command line.  Is there a way to do this?

I'm not running a sqlgen file as that only supports a single version of a schema.  I'm running the data generator over many schema versions and maintaining a sqlgen file for each version is not a maintainable long term solution.

Tianjiao_Li

Hi @joshsensus

Can you elaborate a bit more about your first question?

SQL Data Generator doesn't support multiple databases, but can you explain a bit why you need to generate data for databases with slight changes?

joshsensus

I have built a test harness to deploy 20+ different previously released versions of our product.  These databases change on a daily basis depending on the tests being run.  I've incorporated running the SQL Data Generator into the test harness before we upgrade each of the test databases to the current version that is being developed.  The Redgate tool is being run via the command line for each database independently prior to attempting the upgrade to the current version.  Creating a generic sqlgen file isn't a possibility as our product has schema changes in every release and each one of the 20+ test databases will be different from each other.  The sqlgen files allow for tables to be added to instead of truncated / deleted but the command line does not offer that option.

I'm trying to keep all of our meta data in tact without having generated meta data for each one of the 20+ databases.

Tianjiao_Li

Thanks for your explanation. Can you kindly submit this feature request here?

SQL Data Generator does keep meta data like extended properties in tact. Have you seen anything missing?

joshsensus

I have not seen an issue with pure database metadata going missing, i.e. extended properties.  The meta data I'm talking about is default data that is needed to be in certain tables to run our product.  We have a wide variety of tables that contain data that only contains a full set of known data, tables that contain a mixture of default data + application user entered data (i.e. customizations), and tables that are 100% application user entered data (i.e. user data).  The SQL Data Generator command line does a good job at populating the tables that are 100% user entered data but is lacking when generating data and keeping data in the other 2 types of tables mentioned.

The request would be to add the /exclude options like in SQL compare and to allow the generator to add data without truncation or delete.

Tianjiao_Li

The request would be to add the /exclude options like in SQL compare and to allow the generator to add data without truncation or delete.

It will be very helpful if you can post this feature here as well!

Thanks.