My SSIS problems

TheViewMaster


There are things I just don't get about MS programming:

1. Text file source - recognizes column as "database date [DT_DBDATE]" - but not able to process it as date - values like "2006-12-06T13:16:04"

2. When using import export wizard - it errors out when trying to transfer large amount of rows (40 million) - 1st time out of space error - but the db is in simple recovery model - and even though I increased logs to max & moved them to different HDD - I DO NOT NEED the logging.

3. MS Full text search & full-text index performace issues - our keyword search more often than not times out (it's probably not related to SSIS - but if anyone has suggestions - please do)

I just wish that I could spend more time on doing stuff - so any help on those problems are appreciated.
Thanks,

TheViewMaster


The fact I got problem no.2 makes me look stupid - and I don't like to look stupid - so therefore I blame the thing which made me look stupid = MS.

What you need to do to solve number 2 is: save wizard output to SSIS package, change destination setting "Maximum insert commit size" to appropriate value (1mill in my case).

By default Import/Export wizard tries to save all records in 1 transaction - BUT saving 40 million rows in 1 shot (even in simple recovery model) is STUPID STUPID STUPID

Phil Brammer

TheViewMaster wrote:

By default Import/Export wizard tries to save all records in 1 transaction - BUT saving 40 million rows in 1 shot (even in simple recovery model) is STUPID STUPID STUPID

I disagree. What should the default be, then

jwelch

If only they'd add the mind reading interface I keep requesting

MatthewRoche

Perhaps another way to look at this is in the context of "reasonable defaults." I would not expect the default import/export size to be 40 M rows, so I personally do not think that the package created by default should need to handle this data volume without some sort of review or modification.

Still, it would not hurt to have an "Advanced Options" (or whatever - pick your name) page in the wizard that asked data size and volume questions, and set some of these properties more intelligently based on this input.

Phil Brammer

MatthewRoche wrote:

Still, it would not hurt to have an "Advanced Options" (or whatever - pick your name) page in the wizard that asked data size and volume questions, and set some of these properties more intelligently based on this input.

This is a good idea. Either yourself or TheViewMaster should post a Connect feedback item requesting this feature to be added.

MatthewRoche

Phil Brammer wrote:

MatthewRoche wrote: Still, it would not hurt to have an "Advanced Options" (or whatever - pick your name) page in the wizard that asked data size and volume questions, and set some of these properties more intelligently based on this input. This is a good idea. Either yourself or TheViewMaster should post a Connect feedback item requesting this feature to be added.

Posted: https://connect.microsoft.com/SQLServer/feedback/ViewFeedback.aspx FeedbackID=278281

Odd that there is no SSIS category available...

jw6587

I'm having a heck of a time converting a very simple text file import dts package (takes 2 minutes to create the whole thing in dts). Initially, I had the same problem as you - couldn't get the date columns to work no matter what I tried. Finally I changed the destination columns to strings (now I'll see if I can convert the strings in that table to another table with the proper 'date' data type.

I'm also having trouble with the thing telling me it can't import a column (from the same file) because of potential data loss (I've tried real, float, numeric types). The source data is not that large (less than 10,000,000.00).

I 've been a huge fan of Microsoft, SQL Server (especially dts) since SS 7.0. So far, this is the worst software product I've ever encountered.

MatthewRoche

jw6587 wrote:

I'm having a heck of a time converting a very simple text file import dts package (takes 2 minutes to create the whole thing in dts). Initially, I had the same problem as you - couldn't get the date columns to work no matter what I tried. Finally I changed the destination columns to strings (now I'll see if I can convert the strings in that table to another table with the proper 'date' data type. I'm also having trouble with the thing telling me it can't import a column (from the same file) because of potential data loss (I've tried real, float, numeric types). The source data is not that large (less than 10,000,000.00). I 've been a huge fan of Microsoft, SQL Server (especially dts) since SS 7.0. So far, this is the worst software product I've ever encountered.

Wow.

I certainly cannot argue with your experience, but for me the opposite was true. For me, DTS was practically impossible to work with for anything but the most trivial uses. My standard line when speaking on BI topics is that would prefer to chew off my own mouse finger rather than work with DTS on a project. SSIS certainly has its faults (and upgeading DTS packages is definitely not one of its strengths), but for data warehousing and other real-world ETL purposes it is light-years ahead of DTS.

Phil Brammer

MatthewRoche wrote:

Posted: https://connect.microsoft.com/SQLServer/feedback/ViewFeedback.aspx FeedbackID=278281 Odd that there is no SSIS category available...

There is... Sort of. It's DTS.

Can you edit the posting and change it to DTS

Thanks,
Phil

MatthewRoche

Phil Brammer wrote:

MatthewRoche wrote: Posted: https://connect.microsoft.com/SQLServer/feedback/ViewFeedback.aspx FeedbackID=278281 Odd that there is no SSIS category available... There is... Sort of. It's DTS. Can you edit the posting and change it to DTS Thanks, Phil

Apparently not. The only field that I can edit is the private/public flag.

Phil Brammer

MatthewRoche wrote:

Apparently not. The only field that I can edit is the private/public flag.

That is weird. I just checked one of mine and I can edit most fields. Especially the category drop down, which is what needs to be changed in this case. I can't offer any help on that, I guess.

TheViewMaster

Awesome feedback (and at least I am not the only one who experiences technical difficulties with this product ) - thanks guys.

The only improvement over DTS I see is the error handling/logging mechanism. Since working with SSIS close to a year now - I've trimmed down my toolbox to just "Execute SQL", "Script Task" and Very Simple data-flow.

One thing I've spent a lot of time on though is setting up the proper data types for text file (I've already moaned about how cumbersome that is - there should be a way to input your format file instead of typing & mouse selecting) - but by looking that SSIS can't handle datetime + it is difficult to correct production SSIS package when text file field changes (with the amount of files we process it happens quite often - few times a month perhaps) - our consultant suggested to import all data as string to database - and then use SQL to do conversions. In that case when a file changes - you only need to modify your SQL (views)

So what are your thoughts about trimming down SSIS to just importing everything as text to database

Jamie Thomson

TheViewMaster wrote:

So what are your thoughts about trimming down SSIS to just importing everything as text to database

My thoughts are its a stupid idea.