Exporting a Database

You can export the objects present in a Database into Single or Multiple SQL Script file by invoking the  Export Database option present at the top of every page, just below the main tab. A Snapshot of the "Export Database" screen is shown below :

Providing Database Connection Details

To export a live SQL Server database the following details are to be provided:

• Server: Provide the Machine name (Host name) in which the live SQL Server database is running. If the SQL Server instance is running a Port other than 1433, specify the same along with the Machine name and a colon. e.g. <machine_name>:<port_number>
• Connection Settings: You can login to the live SQL Server database either with Windows Authentication or SQL Server Authentication. Choose the appropriate radio button based on the authentication type that you want to use.
  • SQL Server Authentication (default): If you choose SQL Server authentication then provide the appropriate SQL Server user name and password to login. You cannot use this option if you do not have a separate SQL Server login account present in the database. (Refer SQL Server manual to know about creating a separate SQL Server login)
  • Windows Authentication: If you choose Windows authentication, DBChangeManager would use the credentials of the machine in which the DBChangeManager Server is running and would pass it to the SQL Server for authentication. The machine in which DBChangeManager Server is running should have a windows authentication account in the SQL Server database that is to be connected for successful login.
  • Test Connection: Once you choose the appropriate authentication type and have provided the required details, click on 'Test Connection' to test whether DBChangeManager server can connect to the SQL Server database with the provided connection details. If there is an error in connection you will be appropriately notified about it. You need a valid database connection to further proceed with exporting the database.
• Database: Choose/Type the SQL Server database to be exported, in the 'Database' field. You can fetch the existing databases present in the machine by clicking on the 'Refresh' link.

Export Option:

The Export Database utility comes with options to specify how the exported contents would be generated. You can choose to export the entire database object definitions into a single SQL Script file or choose to export the definitions into Multiple SQL Script files.

When you choose to "Export the objects to Multiple files", DBChangeManager creates one file per database object and stores the corresponding Object definition. The name of the file created will be the fully qualified name of the Database Object. The files will be stored categorized in various Folders named after the type of the Object (e.g. Tables, Functions, Users etc.)

If you choose to "Export objects to a Single file", the entire database object would be scripted into a single SQL script file, with each object definition being seperated by a GO statement.

Save Option:

Saving Exported Files in the Default Folder in DBChangeManager Server Machine:

When you choose the "Save in Default folder" option the exported SQL Files will be written into the DBChangeManager Server machine under a default folder, which is <product_home>/webapps/Exported_Databases/<host_name>/<database_name>/<time_stamp>", where <time_stamp> is the time at which the export was done. Also the SQL Files would be grouped under different sub-folders based on the type of the object ie all table related SQLs will be stored under 'Tables' folder etc., if you export the database into Multiple files.

Note that the "Save in Default folder" option would be enabled only when you access DBChangeManager from the same machine as that of the server machine.

Saving Exported files in a different location in DBChangeManager Server Machine:

If you would like to store the exported files in a different location in the server machine choose the "Save in a Different Location" setting. This would Zip the generated SQL file(s). If you had chosen to export the database as multiple SQL files then, the files would be grouped under different folders based on the type of the object and a zip file would be generated for you to save in your own prefered location.

Note that the "Save in a Different Location" option will appear only when you access DBChangeManager from the same machine as that of the server.

Saving in a Local Machine (not the DBChangeManager server):

If you are accessing DBChangeManager from some other machine (not the DBChangeManager server) and would like to store the exported SQL files in the local machine, you can do so by choosing the "Save in Local File" setting (note: this option will appear only when you connect to DBChangeManager from another machine, not the DBChangeManager server).

Choosing this option and exporting the database will generate the SQL file(s) and zip it in the same folder structure as above (SQL files grouped under different folders based on the type of the object) and provide a file for you to save in your own location in the local machine.

Export the database :

Once you provide the database connection details, and the options you can export the database by clicking on the 'Export' button at the bottom of the window. DBChangeManager will perform the following steps to export the database:

• Fetch the schema objects from the SQL Server database
• Script the schema objects into Single or Multiple SQL Script files based on the setting.
• Saves the exported File(s) in the default location or outputs the contents as a Zip file based on the "Save Option".

As mentioned earlier, the exported SQL Script files can be used as a source for schema comparison using DBChangeManager. SQL files can be compared with other SQL files or with a live database. Once compared, the exported files can also be Synchronized as per need