Trigger: auto copy of data to other Column

  • Hi Guys, I'm new to SQL and i need your help.

    Scenario: I got a Table named ORDER_LINE and it has plenty of columns. One of them are CBM1 and CBM2. CBM1 is linked to a software and I cannot touch the settings and I have created CBM2 for my use. I want to make a trigger that will copy every new, deleted and updated data to CBM2 column.

    How am i going to do this?

    Thanks in advance.

  • jethrojet (1/30/2012)


    I got a Table named ORDER_LINE and it has plenty of columns. One of them are CBM1 and CBM2. CBM1 is linked to a software and I cannot touch the settings and I have created CBM2 for my use. I want to make a trigger that will copy every new, deleted and updated data to CBM2 column.

    The following example demonstrates adding a new CBM2 column and copying CBM1 values to the CBM2 column for new rows:

    USE tempdb;

    GO

    -- Example table

    CREATE TABLE dbo.OrderLine

    (

    OrderId integer NOT NULL,

    OrderLine integer NOT NULL,

    CBM1 integer NOT NULL,

    PRIMARY KEY (OrderId, OrderLine)

    );

    GO

    -- Sample existing data

    INSERT dbo.OrderLine

    (OrderId, OrderLine, CBM1)

    VALUES

    (1, 1, 165),

    (1, 2, 241),

    (1, 3, 645),

    (2, 1, 356),

    (3, 1, 863),

    (3, 2, 384),

    (3, 3, 184),

    (3, 4, 845);

    GO

    -- Add the new column and trigger in a transaction

    BEGIN TRANSACTION;

    -- Add column

    ALTER TABLE dbo.OrderLine ADD

    CBM2 integer NULL;

    GO

    -- Add trigger

    CREATE TRIGGER

    ON dbo.OrderLine

    INSTEAD OF INSERT

    AS

    BEGIN

    INSERT dbo.OrderLine

    (OrderId, OrderLine, CBM1, CBM2)

    SELECT

    i.OrderId,

    i.OrderLine,

    i.CBM1,

    i.CBM1

    FROM INSERTED AS i;

    END;

    GO

    COMMIT TRANSACTION;

    GO

    -- Set CBM2 = CBM1 for existing records

    UPDATE dbo.OrderLine

    SET CBM2 = CBM1;

    GO

    SELECT * FROM dbo.OrderLine AS ol

    GO

    -- Add a new order line

    INSERT dbo.OrderLine

    (OrderId, OrderLine, CBM1)

    VALUES

    (4, 1, 552);

    GO

    -- Show CBM2 has been populated

    SELECT * FROM dbo.OrderLine AS ol;

    GO

    -- Can update the CBM2 columns

    UPDATE dbo.OrderLine

    SET CBM2 = 100

    WHERE

    OrderId = 4

    AND OrderLine = 1;

    GO

    -- Final look at the table

    SELECT * FROM dbo.OrderLine AS ol;

    GO

    -- Tidy up

    DROP TABLE dbo.OrderLine;

  • A couple of things.

    First, Paul, why an INSTEAD OF TRIGGER? I'm assuming that will have some performance benefit over an AFTER trigger.

    Secondly, since the CBM2 column is one that you added to the table, why not use a computed column. You'd just need to do this:

    ALTER TABLE order_line

    ADD CBM2 AS CBM1

  • Jack Corbett (1/30/2012)


    First, Paul, why an INSTEAD OF TRIGGER? I'm assuming that will have some performance benefit over an AFTER trigger.

    That's one of the reasons, yes.

    Secondly, since the CBM2 column is one that you added to the table, why not use a computed column.

    I was assuming the CBM2 column would need to be writable, after being initialized with the same value as CBM1.

  • I mentioned the computed column because I wasn't sure if it needed to be writable.

    I'll have to play around a bit with the sample code to see how the INSTEAD OF compares to and differs from an AFTER trigger.

  • Jack Corbett (1/31/2012)


    I mentioned the computed column because I wasn't sure if it needed to be writable.

    I'll have to play around a bit with the sample code to see how the INSTEAD OF compares to and differs from an AFTER trigger.

    Double Update, Jack. INSERT comes in with blank CBM2. AFTER Trigger Fires, firing an UPDATE event on the dirty record the INSERT has already dropped off. Double write. using INSTEAD OF, you do a single INSERT event, and don't accidentally fire off an UPDATE trigger as well.

    You usually wouldn't notice because most triggers aren't self-affecting.

    On that note, however, Jethro, what in particular are you trying to translate the CBM1 data from/to in CBM2? I agree in general a calculated column would probably be less painful, if it can be made persisted, which means it has to be a hard formula. If you describe a few examples we can probably help you find that formula.


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  • Thanks for the reply m8s.

    I'll try everything you have said.

    I'll be back...

    Thanks

  • I have figured out that my trigger is not working because CBM2 in a Calculated Column.

    Correct me if i'm wrong guys...

    So, what i did is, I eliminated CBM2 and created a trigger with calculation on CBM1 and it worked.

    CREATE TRIGGER [dbo].[linecbm] ON [dbo].[ORDER_LINE]

    AFTER UPDATE

    AS

    IF UPDATE (CBM1)

    UPDATEsl

    SETsl.CBM1 = i.CBM * i.ORDER_QTY

    FROMORDER_LINE AS sl

    INNER JOINinserted AS i ON i.RECORD_IDENTITY = mt.RECORD_IDENTITY

    Thanks everyone

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