Skip to main content

SnippetCompiler

Extensibility in SQL Server Integration Services and SQL Server Reporting Services is achieved by writing custom code inside your package or report. SSIS provides a great interface by using Visual Studio for Applications (2005) or Visual Studio Tools for Applications (2008), lightweight versions of the Visual Studio IDE. When you create a script task or component, you can write code using intellisense and error squiggles. SSRS, on the other hand, does not provide any IDE for writing custom code. If you want to create VB functions, you have a notepad-like window without colors, intellisense, or any error handling.

In comes SnippetCompiler, an application that allows you to write and compile snippets of code. You can download the executable here: http://www.sliver.com/dotnet/SnippetCompiler/. The current version allows code in both VB.NET 2.0 and C# 2.0. A .NET 3.5 version is in Alpha release and can be downloaded from the same location. Keep in mind that if you minimize the application, it becomes an icon in the system tray instead of showing up on the task bar.

I use this application when I write all of my custom code, especially in Reporting Services. It allows me to ensure my syntax is correct, as well as keep consistent formatting before copying the code into my package or report. I hope you find this tool useful as well!
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Reporting Services 2008 Configuration Mistake

To start working with the management side of SQL Server Reporting Services 2008, I decided to set up a report server and report manager. Unfortunately, I made a mistake while setting up my configuration that left me a little perplexed. Here are the steps I took to cause, track down, and solve the issue. Problem: I began by opening the Reporting Services Configuration Manager from the Start Menu. I clicked through each of the menu options and accepted the defaults for any question with a warning symbol, since warning symbol typically designate an action item. After two minutes, all of the warning symbols had disappeared, and I was ready to begin managing my report server. Unfortunately, opening up a browser and trying to open up the report manager resulted in the dreaded " The report server has encountered a configuration error. (rsServerConfigurationError) " message. Sherlock-ing it: I put on my sleuthing hat and went to the log file directory: C:\Program Files\Microsoft...
55 comments
Read more

Manipulating Excel Spreadsheets in SSIS

Tom, an attendee at last weekend’s SQLSaturday Olympia , asked me how to refresh a spreadsheet from within SQL Server Integration Services. My first thought was to turn on the connection’s “Refresh data when opening the file” option in the spreadsheet itself and avoid the situation entirely; however, this may not always be a viable solution. Here are the steps to perform the refresh from within an SSIS package. First, ensure that Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel is registered in the GAC. If not, install the 2007 Microsoft Office system Primary Interop Assemblies . This will need to be done on any machine where you plan on running this package. Next, create a script task in your SSIS package that contains the following code (include your spreadsheet name): Imports System Imports System.Data Imports System.Math Imports Microsoft.SqlServer.Dts.Runtime Imports Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel Public Class ScriptMain Public Sub Main() Dts.TaskResult = Dts.Results.Success Dim excel...
52 comments
Read more

SSIS Configuration to Configuration to Configuration Schema

I've gotten several requests to put down in writing the configuration schema that I use as the base of my SQL Server Integration Services framework. It contains a set of configurations: an indirect environment variable configuration, which points to an XML configuration file configuration, which points to a SQL Server configuration. I learned this configuration from the Project REAL Reference Implementation . If you're getting started with a BI implementation, I highly recommend that you download it for some great ideas and best practices. Steps to implement: 1) Create an environment variable on your machine with the name of SSIS_CONFIG_FILE and the value of: C:\SSIS\Config\MasterConfigFile.dtsConfig. 2) Create an SSIS configuration file at C:\ SSIS\Config\MasterConfigFile.dtsConfig with the line: <configuration valuetype="String" path="\Package.Connections[CONFIG_SERVER].Properties[ConnectionString]" configuredtype="Property"><configuredv...
29 comments
Read more