Does MS plan a GUI

Hello all,

We are planning to base a product on Microsoft SQL-2005 Notification services. However, one of the required properties from this software is to provide the client administrator a user interface to configure the Instance Configuration File (ICF) and Application Definition File (ADF). Working with XML files will not do for us, once the responsibility is delegated from a developer to an administrator.

Before going into the process of writing such an application from scratch, I would like to know if Microsoft has such an enhancement on the SQL-NS roadmap, and if so, when it is scheduled to.

Does anyone have any thoughts or knowledge?

Thanks

Ziv G.

I don't have any inside knowledge into what Microsoft is planning for future releases. But in the meantime if you're using the SSNS 2005, you can develop your own SSNS GUI to create and manage instances and applications using the SSNS API. I've given a few examples on my blog. Go to http://www.sqlns.com and enter a search criteria of nmo in the textbox in the upper left hand corner of the form.

HTH...

Joe

|||

Ziv,

Drop me an email, I may be able to help with the GUI. BTW, do you work in Israel, if so where?

-- Shaul Dar (shauld@.medcon.com)

|||

Hi Joe,

Thanks for your (quick) response. I had a look at the API supplied with SQL-NS, it seems pretty extensive, and well designed. The thing is that it seems to me that creating an ad-hoc solution should be pretty quick and simple. On the other hand, constructing a true user application, that takes into account SQL-NS integrative capabilities (custom event provider, protocols and so on), while providing default values for the internal components (SMTP delivery protocol for example), taking into consideration robustness and so on, would take a considerable time to design and write.

The thing is that it seems to me like a general-purpose software, that any NS developer would find beneficial, not an application you would expect each developer to write on his own (unlike subscription/subscriber management, which would probably be integrated into customer application, and therefore cannot be supplied with the product).

In any case, I appreciate your response, and I really enjoy your blog.

Thanx, Ziv G.

|||

Hi Ziv -

>>The thing is that it seems to me that creating an ad-hoc solution should be pretty quick and simple.
>>On the other hand, constructing a true user application, that takes into account SQL-NS integrative
>>capabilities (custom event provider, protocols and so on), while providing default values for the internal
>>components (SMTP delivery protocol for example), taking into consideration robustness and so on,
>>would take a considerable time to design and write.

Agreed. Creating an instance/application is typically much faster with the ICF and ADF rather than with the API. I think the API was added to the product to pave the way for Microsoft and 3rd parties to create toolsets. I keep intending to do that for my own practice, but alas I just haven't done it yet.

Joe

|||

I know this isn't going to be a very satisfying answer but at this point in the product cycle, we're not discussing what features we're thinking about for the next version of SQL Server.

Over time, you'll see us come out with more detailed plans for the overall product. If I remember correctly, it wasn't until 1.5 years into SQL Server 2005 that we did our Tech Preview and started the ball rolling on what features we were thinking about. These things take a little time to settle out.

Thanks,

-Lukasz

|||

Hi Luksaz,

Thanks for your answer. You are right, I wanted to get a different answer, but your answer makes sense to me.

Thanx again,

Ziv G.

Does MS plan a GUI

Hello all,

We are planning to base a product on Microsoft SQL-2005 Notification services. However, one of the required properties from this software is to provide the client administrator a user interface to configure the Instance Configuration File (ICF) and Application Definition File (ADF). Working with XML files will not do for us, once the responsibility is delegated from a developer to an administrator.

Before going into the process of writing such an application from scratch, I would like to know if Microsoft has such an enhancement on the SQL-NS roadmap, and if so, when it is scheduled to.

Does anyone have any thoughts or knowledge?

Thanks

Ziv G.

I don't have any inside knowledge into what Microsoft is planning for future releases. But in the meantime if you're using the SSNS 2005, you can develop your own SSNS GUI to create and manage instances and applications using the SSNS API. I've given a few examples on my blog. Go to http://www.sqlns.com and enter a search criteria of nmo in the textbox in the upper left hand corner of the form.

HTH...

Joe

|||

Ziv,

Drop me an email, I may be able to help with the GUI. BTW, do you work in Israel, if so where?

-- Shaul Dar (shauld@.medcon.com)

|||

Hi Joe,

Thanks for your (quick) response. I had a look at the API supplied with SQL-NS, it seems pretty extensive, and well designed. The thing is that it seems to me that creating an ad-hoc solution should be pretty quick and simple. On the other hand, constructing a true user application, that takes into account SQL-NS integrative capabilities (custom event provider, protocols and so on), while providing default values for the internal components (SMTP delivery protocol for example), taking into consideration robustness and so on, would take a considerable time to design and write.

The thing is that it seems to me like a general-purpose software, that any NS developer would find beneficial, not an application you would expect each developer to write on his own (unlike subscription/subscriber management, which would probably be integrated into customer application, and therefore cannot be supplied with the product).

In any case, I appreciate your response, and I really enjoy your blog.

Thanx, Ziv G.

|||

Hi Ziv -

>>The thing is that it seems to me that creating an ad-hoc solution should be pretty quick and simple.
>>On the other hand, constructing a true user application, that takes into account SQL-NS integrative
>>capabilities (custom event provider, protocols and so on), while providing default values for the internal
>>components (SMTP delivery protocol for example), taking into consideration robustness and so on,
>>would take a considerable time to design and write.

Agreed. Creating an instance/application is typically much faster with the ICF and ADF rather than with the API. I think the API was added to the product to pave the way for Microsoft and 3rd parties to create toolsets. I keep intending to do that for my own practice, but alas I just haven't done it yet.

Joe

|||

I know this isn't going to be a very satisfying answer but at this point in the product cycle, we're not discussing what features we're thinking about for the next version of SQL Server.

Over time, you'll see us come out with more detailed plans for the overall product. If I remember correctly, it wasn't until 1.5 years into SQL Server 2005 that we did our Tech Preview and started the ball rolling on what features we were thinking about. These things take a little time to settle out.

Thanks,

-Lukasz

|||

Hi Luksaz,

Thanks for your answer. You are right, I wanted to get a different answer, but your answer makes sense to me.

Thanx again,

Ziv G.

Does a checkpoint file record a package's state

The state of a package at any one point in time is determined by the values in all of its user variables as these are the only properties in the package that can be changed and persisted throughout the runtime of the package.

Is the package's state stored in a checkpoint file in the event that the package fails? In other words are the user variable values stored in the checkpoint file?

Thanks

Jamie

Can task A update an enivornment variable i.e. persist the state outside the package.

Out of interest viw does package B need to update a variable in package A.

|||

SimonSa wrote:

Can task A update an enivornment variable i.e. persist the state outside the package.

Not in this scenario!

SimonSa wrote:

Out of interest viw does package B need to update a variable in package A.

[I presume that word was "why" :)]

That's a question that needs to be answered at length - preferably over a few beers!

-Jamie

|||

Jamie,

Can you ellaborate on what this variable (PkgA) represents (I.E., some sort of count, threshold, clock/time, etc...)?

We've had scenerios where a variable needed to be updated and couldn't be done using a GLOBAL_ENV_VAR or some other global, it needed to be updated per client(job), and client(job) specific function. So what we did is created and modified text-based files to update the variables values.

Say for instance, you had to update variableA (which was a boolean true/false), you could create/modify a file specifc to that instance/job run, and change the "variableA=" to true of false. Then you could always refer back to that specific file to lookup the values - like creating your own checkpoint files.

|||

Jason,

The particular one one in question was a variable called PackageStack which maintains a comma seperated list of packages that have been called, in the order that they have been called.

Each package has an OnPreExecute event that "pushes" the name of the package into the PackageStack variable and an OnPostExecute event that "pops" it off.

-Jamie

|||

Similarly, you could log this using a log provider, however, you will run into the same problem I am facing - with that logging bug and only logging the immediately inherited pkg!!!

Maybe, whom ever answers this post can solve both our problems...

|||

Yes, the values of the variables are stored in the checkpoint file.

K

|||

I disagree, I believe this is only true for simple variables. I have stored a recordset in a variable and this wasn't stored in the checkpoint file.

Either object types aren't supported or there is something about what is saved.

What happens if a variable is changed in a loop. What is stored in the checkpoint, the variable value at the start of the loop or the value at the point of failure.

|||

Correct, object types are not stored.

ForEach loops start at the beginning of the collection.

For loops continue where they left off.

They all key off of the variables.

K

|||

KirkHaselden wrote:

Correct, object types are not stored.

Why not?

Will this change?

-Jamie

|||

I've just come across a differrent "problem" with this.

I have 2 packages pkgA and pkgB. pkgA calls pkgB

pkgB has 2 tasks taskA and taskB. taskA is a script task that updates a variable (varA) in pkgA. taskB is a data-flow that is failing.

pkgB uses checkpoints

Now, I can correct the error that causes taskB to fail but the problem I have is that when I rerun it using the checkpoint file taskA will not execute and therefore varA will have the wrong value in it.

There isn't a way around this problem currently but is there a way that this could be catered for in the future using checkpoint files? i.e. The checkpoint file for pkgB would have to store the value of varA even though varA is in pkgA.

-Jamie

Document properties

Can somebody point me to where I can learn how to query the properties
of files stored in an image field. I'm having troubles finding that
documentation. I'm using SQL 2005.
Larry Brown wrote:
> Hi,
> In Office documents for example, you have document properties like
> Doc_Author, or other properties that may have been created by the user who
> wrote the doc.
> In SQL Server 2005, it is possible to search into these properties
> (equivalent of Index Server ALL property). But is there any way to get the
> list of properties with their values ? Meaning to know that the value has
> been found in one property rather than in another ?
> Is there any difference if I use Sharepoint, Services or Portal ?
> My problem is that I'm using not only Office iFilter with document
> properties, but two other iFilters that I created for indexing PDF and
> another format specific to my company, with Index Server. Both these
> iFilters manage document properties, including possibility to create custom
> properties...
> Looks like I will have to do some programming...
> Many thanks in advance
Hello,
Its not possible.
Simon Sabin
SQL Server MVP
http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons
[vbcol=seagreen]
> Can somebody point me to where I can learn how to query the properties
> of files stored in an image field. I'm having troubles finding that
> documentation. I'm using SQL 2005.
> Larry Brown wrote:
|||So Larry was mistaken?
"In SQL Server 2005, it is possible to search into these properties
(equivalent of Index Server ALL property)."
|||You can query them if they are emitted by the iFilter. The best way to
determine if they are emitted is to run them through filtdump accessible
from the platform sdk.
Hilary Cotter
Looking for a SQL Server replication book?
http://www.nwsu.com/0974973602.html
Looking for a FAQ on Indexing Services/SQL FTS
http://www.indexserverfaq.com
<ddaiker@.gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1166470714.092854.303040@.79g2000cws.googlegro ups.com...
> Can somebody point me to where I can learn how to query the properties
> of files stored in an image field. I'm having troubles finding that
> documentation. I'm using SQL 2005.
> Larry Brown wrote:
>
|||It is possible to search on properties which are embedded in the document
and accessible through the iFilter-for example the summary properties in
office documents. For some documents, i.e. some pdf properties they are
actually stored in the file system and when you push them into the database
they remain in the file system and don't travel with the document itself.
The best way to see this is to put a value for the keyword metatag of an
html,. store it in an image datatype column and then search on the keyword
value. You will get a hit.
Hilary Cotter
Looking for a SQL Server replication book?
http://www.nwsu.com/0974973602.html
Looking for a FAQ on Indexing Services/SQL FTS
http://www.indexserverfaq.com
"ddaiker" <ddaiker@.gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1166473176.174934.179730@.f1g2000cwa.googlegro ups.com...
> So Larry was mistaken?
> "In SQL Server 2005, it is possible to search into these properties
> (equivalent of Index Server ALL property)."
>
|||Hello Hilary,
But you can't do search for a specific value in a specific property, like
you can with index server
Simon Sabin
SQL Server MVP
http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/simons
[vbcol=seagreen]
> You can query them if they are emitted by the iFilter. The best way to
> determine if they are emitted is to run them through filtdump
> accessible from the platform sdk.
> Looking for a FAQ on Indexing Services/SQL FTS
> http://www.indexserverfaq.com
> <ddaiker@.gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1166470714.092854.303040@.79g2000cws.googlegro ups.com...

Document properties

I am using FTI as a search engine in a document library that we are
developing. How can we search on the properties of the document such as size
or date created as well as preforming a full text search?
The iFilters used in SQL FTS do not emit the document properties like size,
creation date, modified date. You will have to store them in the database in
seperate columns.
Ie
Create Table Text
(pk int not null primary key identity(1,1),
CreateDate datetime,
Size int,
TextCol text
)
Querying is difficult, as you typically want to limit your results set to
the top 100 for performance reasons. So your query would look like this:
select * from text join containstable(text, *, 'Microsoft',100) as a
on a.[key]=text.pk
where createdate> getdate()-20
order by rank desc
The problem is lets suppose the top 100 ranked hits on Microsoft are all
more recent than getdate()-20. In this case you will get no hits to such a
query.
There is a performance penalty to pay for returning more than 2000 hits from
MSSearch in a query. The workaround is to try an expensive query like this
and hope you get a small results set returned from MSSearch:
select * from text join containstable(text, *, 'Microsoft') as a
on a.[key]=text.pk
where createdate> getdate()-20
order by rank desc
or to partition your text table into date ranges which match your search
criteria.
The same sort of logic applies for size.
For small tables this won't be a problem for you. For large tables it is a
problem.
Hilary Cotter
Looking for a SQL Server replication book?
http://www.nwsu.com/0974973602.html
"Rob 19" <Rob19@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:77698456-55A4-44DC-A67A-844A64F66685@.microsoft.com...
> I am using FTI as a search engine in a document library that we are
> developing. How can we search on the properties of the document such as
size
> or date created as well as preforming a full text search?
|||Thanks Hilary. Do we know if this problem will be addressed in SQL Server 2005?
"Hilary Cotter" wrote:

> The iFilters used in SQL FTS do not emit the document properties like size,
> creation date, modified date. You will have to store them in the database in
> seperate columns.
> Ie
> Create Table Text
> (pk int not null primary key identity(1,1),
> CreateDate datetime,
> Size int,
> TextCol text
> )
> Querying is difficult, as you typically want to limit your results set to
> the top 100 for performance reasons. So your query would look like this:
> select * from text join containstable(text, *, 'Microsoft',100) as a
> on a.[key]=text.pk
> where createdate> getdate()-20
> order by rank desc
> The problem is lets suppose the top 100 ranked hits on Microsoft are all
> more recent than getdate()-20. In this case you will get no hits to such a
> query.
> There is a performance penalty to pay for returning more than 2000 hits from
> MSSearch in a query. The workaround is to try an expensive query like this
> and hope you get a small results set returned from MSSearch:
> select * from text join containstable(text, *, 'Microsoft') as a
> on a.[key]=text.pk
> where createdate> getdate()-20
> order by rank desc
> or to partition your text table into date ranges which match your search
> criteria.
> The same sort of logic applies for size.
> For small tables this won't be a problem for you. For large tables it is a
> problem.
> --
> Hilary Cotter
> Looking for a SQL Server replication book?
> http://www.nwsu.com/0974973602.html
>
> "Rob 19" <Rob19@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:77698456-55A4-44DC-A67A-844A64F66685@.microsoft.com...
> size
>
>
|||No, its still a problem.
Hilary Cotter
Looking for a SQL Server replication book?
http://www.nwsu.com/0974973602.html
"Rob 19" <Rob19@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:BA69E42E-7999-4165-9547-5D4BECC3997E@.microsoft.com...
> Thanks Hilary. Do we know if this problem will be addressed in SQL Server
2005?[vbcol=seagreen]
> "Hilary Cotter" wrote:
size,[vbcol=seagreen]
database in[vbcol=seagreen]
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from[vbcol=seagreen]
this[vbcol=seagreen]
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