Database deciphering

  • Hi,

    There is a programme developed by a company and I need to decipher their database so that I can create my own reporting application using their database. I have been through the tables in the database and had no luck. What else could I do.

    Any leads would be appreciated

    Thanks

  • Please post in the appropriate forum in future. The article discussion forums are for discussion of published articles.

    Other than looking at the tables, relationships, stored procs (if any) and any documentation that comes with the DB, I can't really suggest anything more than playing around with it. Is there no one that you can ask?

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass
  • Sorry my mistake.

    There isn't anyone I can ask really.

  • When faced with this I usually reverse engineer the database schema using one of the data modelling tools e.g. ERWin, ER/Studio. You can usually download a trial edition of one of these tools which lasts long enough to do the reverse engineering and print out a decent diagram. If there are no primary/foreign keys defined in the database, then this step won't help much.

    Then, if you have access to the main application, use the application to carry out various activities, while at the same time running SQL Profiler. That way you get some idea of what tables are updated by the various actions.

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