Applied Visual Studio Team System

Phil Factor's SQL Sudoku Generator

Phil Factor demonstrates some snappy SQL programming with his Sudoku Generator - check it out!

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: SQL Server Sudoku Phil Factor Developer Community

Speaking Engagements: June 2006

In June, I'm speaking at the following locations / dates:

1 June 2006	- "Scrum with Visual Studio Team System" to the Richmond .Net Users Group.
8 June 2006	- "SSIS Tips and Tricks" to the Richmond SQL Server Users Group.
10 June 2006	- "Beginning SSIS Development", "SSIS Development with Team System", and a chalk talk on "Agile Database Development Practices" to the Reston, VA Code Camp.
27 June 2006	- "Scrum with Visual Studio Team System" to the Capital Area .NET Users Group.

If you read my blog and attend one of these events, please introduce yourself and let me know!

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: Developer Community Code Camp Speaking SSIS SQL Server Team System Team Foundation Server

SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) and Team System Source Control - the MSSCCI Provider

Source Control is important. To quote a former professor, "There are two types of developers: those who backup their work, and those who will." Team System provides integrated access to the Team Foundation Server Source Control engine for Visual Studio 2005 users.

Q: But what about those who use other Microsoft development platforms?
A: Microsoft Source Code Control Interface (MSSCCI).

The current version of the MSSCCI Provider allows applications that do not integrate with Team Explorer to utilize TFS Version Control. In addition to SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), supported applications include Visual Studio .NET 2003, Visual C++ 6 SP6, Visual Visual Basic 6 SP6, Visual FoxPro 9 SP1, Microsoft Access 2003 SP2, and SQL Server Management Studio. Previous versions provide integrated TFS source control for a variety of development platforms - including Visual Studio 6.0 applications.

To use SSMS with TFS Source Control, you need to download and install the current version of the .

If I open SSMS and click Tools, Options prior to installing the MSSCCI Provider,

I have no options for Source Control:

Install the MSSCCI Provider by double-clicking the file or right-clicking it and selecting Install:

The wizard starts - click Next to continue:

Accept the license agreement and click Next:

Select an installation folder, execute permissions, and click Next:

Click Next to confirm installation:

When installation completes, click Close:

When complete, I have to close and re-open SSMS to access TFS Version Control functionality:

 

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: SQL Server Team System Source Control TFS Visual Studio SSMS Management Studio

 

Configure Reporting Services to consume SSIS packages

A really cool feature of SQL Server 2005 is the ability to use a SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) package as the source for a SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) report. There's an example in chapter 17 of the Wrox book .

Before you can take advantage of this functionality, you have to make a couple changes to some SQL Server config files.

Note: SSRS and SSIS must be installed on the same server to utilize this functionality.

Important Note: There are security implications to consider. Please see  for more information.

Navigate to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\Common7\IDE\PrivateAssemblies (assuming you installed SQL Server on the C: drive) in Windows Explorer. Open the RSReportDesigner.config file in a text editor:

You can use any text editor - or even the Visual Studio 2005 IDE. Call me old-fashioned, I like Notepad. :)

Remove the comments from the config sections (there are two) beginning with the phrase: :

Don't forget the End Comment markup ("-->") at the end of each commented line. 
Save the file and close Notepad.

Next, navigate to C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.n\Reporting Services\ReportServer and open the rsreportserver.config file:

Note: On my demo machine, the file is located in ...\MSSQL.3\.... This will vary depending upon the number and type of SQL Server 2005 family of products you have installed on your machine.

Again, uncomment the section beginning with the phrase: :

 Save the file and close it.

Now, when you create an SSRS data source, you have the option of using SSIS as the data source:

How does this work? When your report refreshes, Reporting Services will call and execute the SSIS package. An important security consideration is the SSRS service account provides the security context for the SSIS package. For this reason, it is a good idea to hard-code SSIS connection string security data - you do not want to give the SSRS account the same permissions as you give an SSIS package.

:{> Andy

Technorati Tags: SQL Server 2005 SSIS SSRS Reporting Services Integration Services Data Source