Documentation Best Practices

  • How do y'all document your databases / users?

    I'd like to document all of my databases, tables, views, procedures, etc. with meaningful descriptions, but the only way I have found to do so is with Extended Properties, and that is a little annoying, and it's difficult to get people to take the time to do it.  Does anyone know of any software products that help with this?  I've found a couple that do pretty good documentation of databases once the extended properties are added, but none that will help you add the extended properties.

    I'm also looking for a secure way to store passwords to all of the SQL users we have.  I've tried a few demos of products that are OK, but none I would pay money for.

    Thanks in advance,

    Jason

    The Redneck DBA

  • Jason,

    I second your motion!  I am looking for the exact same thing.  Right now Ext Prop is the only way - and the hard way!  Needs to be lots easier to get lazy developers (like me) to do it.

    It would be nice, too, if reviewers could keep notes separate from the developer; or just that multiple users could keep notes and they could be separated - like it a column is used for one developer's system and another developer decides to extend it for a different system.  That all has to mosh into the same description now.

    My $.02.

  • Right after I posted this, I noticed the little banner for APEXSql tools (apexsql.com) and have been playing arround with a trial version of their ApexSQL Doc product. 

    It doesn't do exactly what I was looking for, but does about the next best thing. 

    When you are creating Stored Procedures and Views, you can put little --##Summary, etc. comments arround, and it will pick those up with you run the documentation tool.  Sort of the same concept as JavaDoc I guess.

    The only thing missing is stuff for tables, but when you create tables using Enterprise Manager, it's easy to add extended properties describing every field, and a general one describing the table.

    Has any one else out there been using any APEX products? 

    The Redneck DBA

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