Mastering OLAP Reporting: Extending Conditional Formatting: SWITCH and

We will use SWITCH() to enact conditional formatting in a couple of different ways. First, we will use it to drive formatting of a value to meet requirements that are based upon the magnitude of the value itself. As a part of our practice with SWITCH() to achieve our ends, we will delve into a popular formatting convention for negative (and other "outlier") numbers.

SQL Server 2005 - SQL Server Integration Services - Part 6

In this article, we are continuing coverage of Foreach Loop container functionality, by discussing different types of loop enumerators. So far, we have presented methods for working with files in a folder as well as records in a recordset (using Foreach File and Foreach ADO enumerators, respectively). Our next enumerator is based on the SQL Server Management Objects technology (hence it is referred to as the SMO enumerator), which is the SQL Server 2005, .NET-based management framework providing replacement for COM-based DMO (Distributed Management Objects) that served an equivalent role in earlier versions of SQL Server.

Business Intelligence with SQL Server Reporting Services - Part 3

Reporting Services exposes web methods via XML web services to facilitate cross platform reports management and delivery. It's a simple SOAP based API makes it very easy to add full functionality of reporting services in your application. It provides a set of rendering and viewing functions as well as complete set of management routines. Reporting services web service is the one stop shop for subscription, management, publishing, scheduling and rendering reports.

Business Intelligence with SQL Server Reporting Services - Part 2

A look at Parameterized reports, stored procedures to retrieve data and the Report Viewer.

Enabling Drillthrough in Analysis Services 2005

Discover the new Analysis Services 2005 drillthrough architecture. See how to set up drillthrough in Analysis Services 2005 and get guidance on migrating drillthrough settings from Analysis Services 2000 databases.

Using TRY/CATCH to Resolve Deadlocks in SQL Server 2005

Deadlocks are unavoidable artifacts of today's RDBMS architecture–and all too common in high-volume OLTP environments. But thanks to .NET's Common Language Runtime (CLR), SQL Server 2005 provides developers with a new way to deal with error handling. In this month's column, Ron Talmage shows you how to harness TRY/CATCH to help resolve a deadlock.

Controlling Transactions and Locks in SQL 2000 and 2005 - Part 1

A look at controlling transactions and locks with hints and snapshots in SQL Server 2000 and 2005.

Database Geek of the Week - Shawn Wildermuth

Shawn Wildermuth is the “go-to guy” for information on ADO.NET. He is the author of Pragmatic ADO.NET: Data Access for the Internet World and numerous articles, is a Microsoft MVP, and works as an independent consultant in Atlanta.

Shawn’s web site, The ADO Guy, is a good resource for developers looking for answers to questions about ADO and ADO.NET. The site also lists interesting blogs, books and sites that are among Shawn’s favorites.

ADO.NET Data Sets

This article looks at how partial classes can be used to implement business logic into datasets so that they are more business aware and intelligent.

The dataset is an integral part of Microsoft’s new data access model ADO.NET. It introduces a simple offline method for retrieving and updating data. Before using the dataset, you should have an understanding of the Microsoft .NET platform and a basic understanding of the dataset model.

Michael Rys on XML in SQL Server 2005

Michael Rys is one of two program managers responsible for the XML features in SQL Server. He also represents Microsoft on the W3C XQuery Working Group, and on the ANSI working group for SQL. I asked him what is distinctive about the XML support in SQL Server 2005, as opposed to that found in rival database management systems. As Rys acknowledges, "all the three major vendors, Oracle, IBM and Microsoft, are moving towards second or third generation suppor