How does handling of duplicate rows behave

vanram · January 25, 2012 11:37AM

I have data that for the best custom key i can define still results in duplicate rows. I want to know how Data compare will handle duplicates when maybe some of the rows match left to right but some do not. I have configured data compare to not show identical rows.

Eddie D · January 25, 2012 3:32PM

Thank you for your post into the forum.

As you most likely aware, SQL Data Compare requires some sort of comparison key to match rows of data. The application will automatically set a comparison key is your tables as a Primary Key or unique constraint.

As you have found if the product cannot find an automatic comparison key, you need to set a manual comparison key. You can configure multiple columns to make the comparison key if required, I helped a customer some time ago where very column in table needed to be selected to configure the comparison key.

The problem is if you have duplicate rows, you will see weird and unreliable results. I cannot accurately inform on what you will see in the results screen.

Also depending how the tables and constraints are created in the target database, you will most likely experience failure during the synchronization phase.

Many Thanks
Eddie

vanram · January 25, 2012 6:55PM

I agree this situation is not desirable. But it is not allways possible to have unique rows, and i agree that the sync would be problematic. My situation i am using this to prove data equality, not for sync'ing. I believe it is definable as to how SQL Data compare will behave. I can if required provide some specific example, but these are standard, that are the same ones you would list if you had to enumerate the interesting scenarios that you would want to know the handling behaviour.
do i have to enumerate some of these situations?

Eddie D · February 2, 2012 1:10PM

Sorry for the delay in replying to you.

A support call has been created for you, the call reference number is F0056664.

Can you please send to us via e-mail, a copy of the table creation script from each data source. The columns you have selected to be the custom comparison key and screen shots of the behaviour you are seeing.

Hopefully we will be able to provide an answer to you. Please send the e-mail to support@red-gate.com and include the above call reference number in the subject field on the e-mail.

Many Thanks
Eddie

How does handling of duplicate rows behave

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