The new SQL Server Pivot Script producer

A new producer is available since the latest builds!

Enter the “SQL Server Pivot Script” producer.

This producer purpose is to allow you to deploy CodeFluent Entities-generated SQL Server databases on any machines (production servers, etc.) much easier.

Before that, during development phases, the CodeFluent Entities SQL Server producer was already able to automatically upgrade live SQL Server databases using an integrated component called the Diff Engine. We all love this cool feature that allows us to develop and generate continuously without losing the data already existing in the target database (unlike most other environments…).

Now, this new producer provides the same kind of feature, but at deployment time.

It generates a bunch of files that can be embedded in your setup package or deployed somewhere on the target server. These files can then be provided as input to a tool named the PivotRunner. This tool will do everything needed to upgrade the database to the required state. It can create the database if it does not exist, add tables, columns, view, procedures, and keys where needed, etc. It will also add instances if possible.

Here is some diagram that recaps all this:

SQL Server Pivot Script Producer

• Add the SQL Server Pivot Script producer to your project and set the Target Directory to a directory fully reserved for the outputs this tool will create. Don’t use an existing directory, create a new one for this.
• Once you have built the project, this directory will contain at least one .XML file, but there may be more (if you have instances and blob instances for example). If you set ‘Build Package’ to ‘true’ in the producer’s configuration, the output will always be one unique file with a .parc (pivot archive) extension.
• Copy these files where you want, or add them to your setup projects.

Now, at deployment time you have two choices:

1) Use the provided tool (don’t develop anything).

Use the CodeFluent.Runtime.Database.Client.exe (CLR2) or CodeFluent.Runtime.Database.Client4.exe (CLR 4) binaries. Just copy them to your target machine. You will also need CodeFluent.Runtime.dll and CodeFluent.Runtime.Database.dll. The tool is a simple command line tool that takes the pivot directory or package file as input.

2) Use the PivotRunner API.

The tool in 1) also uses this API. It’s a class provided in CodeFluent.Runtime.Database.dll (you will also need to reference the CodeFluent.Runtime.dll). The PivotRunner class is located in the CodeFluent.Runtime.Database.Management.SqlServer namespace.
This is very easy:

            PivotRunner runner = new PivotRunner(pivotPath);
            runner.ConnectionString = "This is my SQL Server connection string";
            runner.Run();

If you need to log what happens, just gives it an instance of a logger, a class that implements IServiceHost (in CodeFluent.Runtime), for example:

        public class PivotRunnerLogger : IServiceHost
        {
            public void Log(object value)
            {
                Console.WriteLine(value);
            }
        }

What happens in the database during diff processing can also be logged, like this:

            PivotRunner runner = new PivotRunner(pivotPath);
            runner.Logger = new PivotRunnerLogger();
            runner.ConnectionString = "This is my SQL Server connection string";
            runner.Run();
            runner.Database.StatementRan += (sender, e) =>
                {
                    Console.WriteLine(e.Statement.Command);
                };

Note: This producer is still in testing phase, the forums are here if you need help!

Happy diffin’

The R&D team.