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Building Output with Trend Lines

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 17:34:33 GMT

This week's installment of I-Data Weekly focuses on Building Output with Trend Lines. We'll use SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services for our example, and will cover the following: Defining the end result of how we want the chart to look (a bar chart that shows monthly sales, and then 2 trend lines to show sales from last year, along with a monthly sales goal), Laying some groundwork by constructing some necessary MDX calculations to support the chart , Building the base MDX query for the chart , Designing the chart in SQL Server Reporting Services Customizing the chart to show monthly sales from last year, along with sales goal, as trend lines

Charting with PerformancePoint Server 2007

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 21:55:37 GMT

This week's installment of I-Data Weekly focuses on charting with PerformancePoint Server, and will cover the following: Defining the end result (a dual-axis chart that shows both monthly product sales and sales as a % of category, where the user can select a date range and a product Laying some groundwork by constructing some necessary MDX calculations to support the chart and user selections How to build the chart, how to construct the necessary MDX query for the chart, and how to deal with filter parameters for date range and product How to create drop-down filters for user selections Creating a dashboard web page with the chart and the filters

MDX Named Sets in SQL Server 2005/2008

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:46:09 GMT

An MDX Named Set is a list of members, based on some pre-defined retrieval logic. You may have a named set that lists your Customers in zip code order or products sold for 2005 in sales order amount. Since an MDX Named Set is simply an MDX expression, you could create a more complex Named Set using other MDX functions like DESCENDANTS to build a list of members from a customer geography, starting at a certain level (Region) down to another level (Market).

Customizing the .NET Common Language Runtime - Part 3

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 13:16:02 GMT

In our previous code, we created a custom AppDomain manager which demonstrated that it was loaded by the CLR, but otherwise did nothing. We will now turn our attention to creating our first practical AppDomain manager. We wish to ensure that any code compiled in our small test application cannot do any damage to the system. One way to achieve this goal is to establish security limitations on the new AppDomain into which this code is loaded and executed.

SQL Server 2005: New Snaphot Isolation Level

Wed, 20 Jun 2007 06:53:19 GMT

Application developers who work in an environment where users retrieve data while others save/update data are probably familiar with the challenges of concurrency and isolation levels. This month I'll cover the standard SQL Server isolation levels in SQL Server 2000, and also talk about the new SNAPSHOT ISOLATION LEVEL in SQL Server 2005. In this article, I'll cover the following: What are Isolation Levels in general? An overview of the Isolation Levels in SQL Server prior to SQL Server 2005 The new Snapshot Isolation Level and how it improves on the existing Isolation Levels

Customizing the CLR Part 2

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 11:05:37 GMT

Our goal is to include custom loading of AppDomains as a part of the host's function, but first we must take a little time to review the fundamentals of the AppDomain itself.

Creating CLR Functions for SQL Server

Thu, 10 May 2007 12:16:14 GMT

One of the most exciting new features of MS SQL Server 2005 is its ability to host the .NET Common Language Runtime (CLR). This feature was not, however, designed merely to provide an alternative to Transact SQL (TSQL). In any development project, it is important to use the right tool for the right job. If you want to create a stored procedure that performs standard operations on relational data, then without doubt TSQL is the platform to choose. Since TSQL is designed solely for the purpose of manipulating relational data, it is superb at that job. However, there are many tasks which fall outside of the realm of relational data. It is for these tasks that CLR code might be a wise choice. Such tasks might include writing log information directly to disk or gathering data from a web service.

Customizing the .NET Common Language Runtime

Thu, 10 May 2007 12:13:43 GMT

The user double-clicks on a .NET program. The CLR loads it and runs it. Works like a champ. Why would anyone need to customize the .NET Runtime? In fact, there are several good reasons. Access to the debugging API is one. Low-level monitoring of things like garbage collection is another. But the most important reason for many developers is the creation of robust extensible applications. In addition to running their own code, extensible applications run code provided by the user. Any mishandling of memory or security could, in principle, damage the entire application. The user library which extends the application needs to be carefully managed. Experienced .NET programmers know that the unit of isolation for memory management and security within .NET is the AppDomain, much as the process is the unit of management within the operating system. The .NET 2.0 runtime provides new interfaces which permit developers to provide their own customized AppDomain management. While the CLR must be launched using unmanaged code, a custom AppDomain manager for version 2.0 can be written in C# or your favorite .NET language.

New T-SQL Capabilities in SQL Server 2005 - Part 3 of 3

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 04:16:01 GMT

In last month's article, I covered the new APPLY operator, Ranking functions, and the new TRY...CATCH capabilties in T-SQL 2005. This month I'll talk about two of the largest enhancements in the SQL 2005 language - Common Table Expressions (CTEs) and Recursive Queries. Both fo these are part of the SQL-99 standard. CTEs allow developers to more expressively identify a temporary result set (similar to a derived table or temporary view). Recursive Queries allow developers to more easily query hierarchies of data, by permitting developers (in a single SQL statement) to recursively query into a CTE that's also being populated). CTEs and Recursive queries can be a little difficult to initially grasp, so I'm going to show several code examples to demonstrate their value.

New T-SQL Capabilities in SQL Server 2005 - Part 2 of 3

Tue, 03 Apr 2007 09:31:01 GMT

In last month's article, I covered the PIVOT, OUTPUT, and TOP N capabilities in T-SQL 2005. This month I'll cover three more new language features in T-SQL 2005: The new APPLY operator that (as the term indicates) allows developers to more efficiently apply/integrate table-valued User-Defined Functions into SQL queries New Ranking functions to more easily and effectively assign sequential ranking numbers to a result set The new TRY..CATCH error handling capabilities to allow developers and DBAs to write more robust stored procedure code

New T-SQL Capabilities in SQL Server 2005 - Part 1 of 3

Wed, 28 Feb 2007 06:01:01 GMT

This month I'll start a three-part series on new Transact-SQL language features in SQL Server 2005. Microsoft added many new language features in SQL Server 2005, in response to developer requests and also in following compliance with the SQL-99 standard.

Take Five with SQL Server 2005

Tue, 06 Feb 2007 12:46:01 GMT

This is the first installment in a monthly, ten-part series on new developer features in SQL Server 2005. The objective of this series is to provide software developers with quick information and meaningful examples that demonstrate new capabilities in SQL 2005. Many developers can testify that being able to effectively utilize the tools in SQL Server can increase the value they bring to a software project. This series will cover the following: