Renaming DTS Tasks and Steps

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Renaming DTS Tasks and Steps

Robert W Marda

SSChampion

Points: 13413
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December 13, 2002 at 9:43 am

#105356

Thanks to a post by jfb to answere one of my questions I have finally discovered how to rename DTS package tasks and steps.
I have always disliked the error logs generated by DTS packages because the step names logged never match the description name you give the task and step. To me the logs would be much easier to read if they logged the descriptions such as "copy data from t1 to t2" and "delete rows from t1" instead of "DTSStep_DTSDataPumpTask_1" and "DTSStep_DTSExecuteSQLTask_2".
Now I've learned that by right clicking the white space in a DTS package and selecting disconnected edit I can actually go in and change the name of each task and each step. For the logging I only need to change the step name.
Now the questions I have are these:
Do any of you rename the steps so that the error logs are easier to read?
Is this a good idea or bad idea to rename the steps? Why?
Robert W. Marda
SQL Programmer
bigdough.com
The world’s leading capital markets contact database and software platform.
Robert W. Marda
Billing and OSS Specialist - SQL Programmer
MCL Systems

Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

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philcart SSC-Forever Points: 47794 More actions · Answer 1

We don't rename the steps or tasks in our packages. Have found it best to leave well enough alone.

As for logging messages, we have seperate tables where "english" messages are logged. eg: rather than "DTSStep_DTSDataPumpTask_1", we know that the task being perfomed is inserting data into TableX. So we log a message saying "Failed to insert into TableX", or "nn records inserted into TableX".

Gives the support people meaningful messages to track down whats happening and doesn't involve renaming anything. If you're renaming steps and tasks, it only takes on missing edit to break things. I always forget to change the TaskName property of the step

Thanks

Phill Carter

Edited by - phillcart on 12/15/2002 7:32:02 PM

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Colt 45 - the original point and click interface

Antares686 SSC Guru Points: 125444 More actions · Answer 2

I personally prefer to name them just for easy reference in documentation and just looking at the package the names provide a logical answer to what it is for. However, the logging features of SQL have never worked right with regards to the new names. When you look at the log tables or the log files it will still state

DTSStep_DTSDataPumpTask_1

or whatever. This has been reported to MS and they have yet to do anything with it.

Robert W Marda SSChampion Points: 13413 More actions · Answer 3

I have found that the error log will log the step name not the task name. Also, I can rename the step without renaming the task and thus avoid the problem of missing one as mentioned by Phillcart.

So another question is, do you think it would be a bad thing to leave the task names as is and just rename the step names? These are the names that show up in the logging and that you can see when viewing the workflow name.

Robert W. Marda

SQL Programmer

bigdough.com

The world’s leading capital markets contact database and software platform.

Robert W. Marda
Billing and OSS Specialist - SQL Programmer
MCL Systems

Antares686 SSC Guru Points: 125444 More actions · Answer 4

I don't believe it will effect you one way or the other so entirely up to you. And I am glad you pointed out was Step and not task. Never bothered with step (learned something new). As long as you have soemthing logical to id you steps I don't think is a major issue.

jfb SSCrazy Points: 2469 More actions · Answer 5

It's not a problem to rename tasks and steps but I think will be tedious to rename objects for a pkg with 30 o more steps...

Just an opinion.

Johnny

philcart SSC-Forever Points: 47794 More actions · Answer 6

quote:
I have found that the error log will log the step name not the task name. Also, I can rename the step without renaming the task and thus avoid the problem of missing one as mentioned by Phillcart.

Renaming just the step is ok, but for some DTS tasks, execution information is logged at task level not just step level. So if you rename the tasks to be more descriptive, you also need to rename the TaskName property of the step, otherwise the step won't know what task is associated with it. That's the bit I seem to miss.

Thanks

Phill Carter

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Colt 45 - the original point and click interface

Lane Tharp SSC Enthusiast Points: 128 More actions · Answer 7

Just posted a script that will create a copy of a DTS package and rename all tasks and steps to incluse task type and description text. The only downside is the layout gets redone by designer in the renamed copy. The resulting package logs meaningful text.

In creating the script it was discovered that the package can become uneditable so be careful. Otherwise it works well.

ArticleID: 815126 on Microsoft

Best of Luck!

Lane Tharp SSC Enthusiast Points: 128 More actions · Answer 8

An ActiveX Script is now available that handles this issue.

Search "Rename Task"

Best of luck!