really quick SQL Server question

AHarvey · 24 Mar 2017 at 12:42

Hi all,

I have access to our works SQL Server Management Studio and all the live data. I am very new to it.

I need to change the owners of some orders, I think I know how but I can't get hold of the director who does this normally, I've had a message from the old dev who says "in the live sql box there is a sql script that does it. Just find the id to transfer from and to"

Any idea where the live sql box is?

I've looked and can create scripts from new but can't find anything to reference what we need.

Sheff · 24 Mar 2017 at 14:47

Edit: Ignore

tom_e · 24 Mar 2017 at 15:06

Sounds like he means there is a stored procedure or DTS/SSIS package in one of the DBs on the live server that can be run to achieve what you want.

He's using the words "Live SQL box" to reference the server you're already logged onto at a best guess.

john_s · 24 Mar 2017 at 20:41

tom_e said:
Sounds like he means there is a stored procedure or DTS/SSIS package in one of the DBs on the live server that can be run to achieve what you want.

He's using the words "Live SQL box" to reference the server you're already logged onto at a best guess.

Yeah, that's how I read it too..

AHarvey · 24 Mar 2017 at 23:18

that's what I figured as well, but looking all over the place I've been unable to find anything that meets this. There's a standard replace procedure that covers the entire row for the table, but nothing specifically targeting ownership of an order.

Tech Director is over Tuesday or Wednesday, I'll ask him then whether what I've written is correct. I know it is to a point, it changes the info inside the order but not on the search page.

Hades · 25 Mar 2017 at 00:18

Please make sure you run the update on a test box first. No one will thank you for blitzing the wrong data on the live box.

OspreyO · 25 Mar 2017 at 01:18

The biggest problem with scripting a database is that it is easy to make make a mistake that effects far more records that you intended.
As a result, you really shouldn't be editing it unless you know what you are doing.

Thrash · 25 Mar 2017 at 08:23

Given your experience of sql, I would strongly recommend not to do this, get someone who knows what they are doing. If you must make this change, run in a dev environment and only when you are 100% sure you are not breaking anything, back up prod and run there.

chroniclard · 25 Mar 2017 at 08:29

I would be learning the table structure and examine exactly what the script does first. At least then you understand what you are doing.

And make a backup before you do anything and/or backup and restore to a test database.

OspreyO · 25 Mar 2017 at 14:16

I would doubt he would be able to do that.

AHarvey you just can't wing it with SQL databases. They really shouldn't have asked you to go near it unless you have some training or been taken through it by someone who knows the database. I would advise you waiting for your colleague to return.

If you wreck the database. If they don't have a proper backup in place, you could cause massive problems. You might not even realise there is a problem for days or weeks.

chroniclard · 25 Mar 2017 at 14:30

Though it could just be a case of changing one id field.

OspreyO · 25 Mar 2017 at 16:12

... Then there's that moment when you expect it to say one record updated, but it runs a bit longer than expected and it says half a million. Then you notice you didn't select where at the end of your query....

chroniclard · 25 Mar 2017 at 16:32

Ah, the slow creeping dread when a simple update takes ages when its supposed to be one row.

Vince · 25 Mar 2017 at 16:42

Echo what others have said, don't do it unless you know what you are looking at. As well as writing wrong code you could find yourself falling fail of triggers if you don't know the database schema. Put simply you could end up causing all kinds of problems. Most likely as tom_e has already said, there will be a stored procedure or similar that with a couple of variables will make the required updates. If you are not sure on what database, database server or script to run the safest thing to do is nothing at all. Wait until you can get hold of the people that do know and ask the right questions, don't try and be a hero

AHarvey · 27 Mar 2017 at 20:54

I know enough about coding and a basic knowledge of SQL to get by, turns out what I had written was spot on, it's fairly logical, but the director is over on Wednesday and is going to give me a full crash course over the software and a few other tasks I can take over

Thanks for the advice though

appreciate the responses

Cromulent · 27 Mar 2017 at 20:59

DON'T RUN THIS ON PRODUCTION DATA FIRST! Make sure you know what you are doing on a backup / development server first and only once you are 100% sure everything is correct run it on production. Seriously.

Ergates · 21 Jun 2017 at 12:44

"I have access to our works SQL Server Management Studio and all the live data. I am very new to it."

AWOOOOGA! AWOOOOOGA!

snips86x · 21 Jun 2017 at 12:48

OspreyO said:
... Then there's that moment when you expect it to say one record updated, but it runs a bit longer than expected and it says half a million. Then you notice you didn't select where at the end of your query....

yup, I've been there

Dj_Jestar · 21 Jun 2017 at 13:15

old but whatever: doesn't sound like DTS/SSIS at all.. he even says "sql script" so my money is on a *.sql file living on the live server's filesystem.

AHarvey · 21 Jun 2017 at 17:23

Ergates said:
"I have access to our works SQL Server Management Studio and all the live data. I am very new to it."

AWOOOOGA! AWOOOOOGA!

LOL, I've not broken anything yet, work on it daily now.

I've also applied, and IF they decide there is a second place available will be moving to a full time SQL analysts job in Stoke