Free schema snapshot utility: SQL Snapper
David Atkinson
Redgate › Posts: 1,457 Rose Gold 2
SQL Snapper is a free utility that creates a SQL Compare schema snapshot of a SQL Server database. This snapshot can then be used as a database source in Redgate's SQL Compare. You will find SQL Snapper useful when you have databases deployed at a customer's site, and you need to use SQL Compare to compare the schema of a remote databases with your reference database. If the remote database cannot be accessed from your machine, you can ask your customers to use SQL Snapper to create a SQL Compare snapshot of their database's schema, and send the snapshot file to you. You can then load the snapshot into SQL Compare, and generate the appropriate upgrade script for the customer.
This release of Snapper generates SQL Compare snapshots that work with SQL Compare 7.0 or later.
SQL Snapper can be found in your SQL Compare install director.y
David Atkinson
Redgate Software
This release of Snapper generates SQL Compare snapshots that work with SQL Compare 7.0 or later.
SQL Snapper can be found in your SQL Compare install director.y
David Atkinson
Redgate Software
David Atkinson
Product Manager
Redgate Software
Product Manager
Redgate Software
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you have any plain to add the command line interface ? :oops:
Stefano Paparesta
some more things we need:
-deployment:
--self extracting single zip exe file
-configuration of behaviour
--command line options
--config file
it would be nice for me to be able to send to the client 2 files:
-the single self-extracting zipped exe file for the deployment
-a .BAT file, with command line arguments, already there by me, so the client wont have to do anything at all, only double click the .bat file i will send to him (provided of course, i know at least the database name and server).
thanks!
1 - Generate snapshot
2 - create email msg
3 - attach snapshot to email
4 - send email
for this operation :shock: i need a command line interface like SqlCompare Pro and xml file config.
Regards
Stefano
The only problem i have with this SQLSnapper utility is that when i send this utility to customers I want them to see the utility is created by us and not RedGate.
If its possible to add config file to Show/Hide the Image and of course a commandline interface will be a big help.
for deployment for such small utility i use Inno Setup [freeware installer]
which is almost like a Self extractor.
http://www.jrsoftware.org/isdl.php
If someone needs it i can send you the script file for it.
Thanks
Arun[/url]
any news on command line interface for the snapper ?
Thanks
Stefano
Do you want a command line version or simply a UI version that is auto-populated based on values you've provided in a config file?
David Atkinson
Red Gate Software
Product Manager
Redgate Software
SQLSnapper -sServer -dDatabase -uUser -pPwd -snp Snapshot path.
or even Config file will be great but i don't want to add user id or password in there.
I can create a utility to call SQLSnapper with command line parameters.
Thanks
It is a great product though, I can compare a Production DB without actually download & restoring them
DBA, MCITP
Thanks
Elliot Matthew
Red Gate Software
SQL Snapper V1.0.0.0
==============================================================================
Copyright Copyright © Red Gate Software Ltd 2008
RedGate.SQLSnapper.exe -
Options
=======
/database:<database> (Alias: /db)
The name of the database to create a snapshot of.
/username:<username> (Alias: /u)
The username for the database.
/password:<password> (Alias: /p)
The password for the database.
/server:<server> (Alias: /s) [Default: (local)]
The name of the SQL server.
/makesnapshot:<makesnapshot> (Alias: /mksnap)
Creates a snapshot of the database with the path specified.
perhaps support Windows Authentication on top of user/password as well
now the question is when we can expect it
DBA, MCITP
when you release the command line interface ??
Thanks
Stefano
http://labs.red-gate.com/index.php/Red_Gate_Snapper
Please let us know what you think.
Thanks,
David Atkinson
Red Gate Software
Product Manager
Redgate Software
Version: 7.5.0.28
I do have a question regarding user
- does it support Windows Authentication? if so how?
The GUI interface supports Mixed mode so that's why I asked
DBA, MCITP
I am interested if the RG snapshot is compatible with SQL SERVER snapshot format?
When I said that I meant:
Can I use RG snapshot from MSSMS, or can I use MSSMS snapshot from RG tool.
If yes please confirm, if no: What are your future plans regarding snapshots?
Do you have plans to use
a) the same format for snapshots as Microsoft?
b) compatible format with Microsoft snapshots?
MS SMS stands for Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio
Thanks
SQL Compare will read from its own snapshot, which doesn't store any data. The other supported formats are:
1) database
2) backup
3) set of scripts
I'd be curious to know what sort of compatibility you had in mind?
Kind regards,
David Atkinson
Red Gate Software
Product Manager
Redgate Software
Thanks for the kind reply, I am getting the picture now.
Unfortunately I cannot say it precisely because I don't have enough knowledge regarding snapshots (RG ones nor Microsoft's), but I can share with you that I believed it is possible to use only Microsoft snapshots in RG tool as snapshots Data Soruce.
I also believe that probable the Microsoft snapshot format is not optimal for the purpose you need in RG, so you needed something better than that.
Thanks,
A SQL Compare snapshot is a binary file containing a serialized version of the whole schema information from a database.
Does that make things a bit clearer?
Good links.
Thanks, for the clarification.
Hi Steve,
We have no 'immediate' plans to do this, although we will consider this as an option if enough people ask for it. It helps us to understand how the functionality would be used. If you can describe the scenario and the problem you'd be solving with this, we will raise an enhancement request.
Kind regards,
David Atkinson
Product Manager
Red Gate Software
Product Manager
Redgate Software
now with the release of sql compare 8.0 you align the snapper with this version ? The snapshot format file product from snapper its ok for sql cmapre 8.0?
Regards
Stefano Paparesta
Yes, snapshots generated by SQL Snapper should be compatible with SQL Compare 8.0 (please tell us if they aren't )
i have just found your toll SQLSnapper. Its fantastic for us because many of our customers have an own server that we can not reach from our systems. But if i use the snapper, i am missing the procedures an functions.
Is there a chance to get them with SQL Snapper?
regards
Tobias
The DBA may be willing to add read permissions to system tables or views if required.
Thanks
Software Engineer
NTS Data Services, LLC