Hi all,

I have sql server 2005 express edition installed. i want to
take a backup of sql database Using the sql management studio, under
tools, in tasks, i see a backup option , but this backup is in binary
format.. i wanted to know is there a way to take sql database backup
in text format.. & also i want to compare the databases in same sql
server 2005 server.. Is there any sql delta tool for this.. please do
guide me with appropriate links, documents.. how can i do these...

Thanks in Advance

<johnhitashi (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote

Not easily. You can script through and do some form of BCP of each table to
a file.
However, you can't guarantee a consistent backup this way unless you stop
ALL updates to the database while you perform the backup.


Google for that, there's definitely some commercial and probably some
freeware solutions out there.




--
Greg Moore
SQL Server DBA Consulting Remote and Onsite available!
Email: sql (at) greenms.com http://www.greenms.com/sqlserver.html

(johnhitashi (AT) gmail (DOT) com) writes:
The nature of a backup is such that it is not meaningful to have a
text format for it. The purpose of a backup is make it possible to
restore a consistent version of the database in case of a disaster.

Goto http://www.red-gate.com/ and have a look at SQL Compare and SQL Data
Compare.

--
Erland Sommarskog, SQL Server MVP, esquel (AT) sommarskog (DOT) se

Books Online for SQL Server 2005 at
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro...ads/books.mspx
Books Online for SQL Server 2000 at
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/prodinf...ons/books.mspx

AlfaAlfa's SQL Server Comparison Tool (SCT) - www.sql-server-tool.com
- can check the schema differences between two databases, as well as
it can compare data between databases.

Comparison "sessions" can be saved and re-played later without need of
re-entering the parameters. Command line parameter can be used to
fully automate comparisons.

SCT works with SQL Server 2005, 2000 and 7.0 and between these
versions. SCT has 30 days of free evaluation period, which can be
extended to 90 days.


Dariusz Dziewialtowski.