SQL Jobs

  • Yeah, it's a poor question with a wrong answer. Granted, someone will always misinterpret the question, but doesn't this mimic real life? I get requests all the time when someone asks for one thing when they really want something else. A part of our job is to figure out what they really want from what they give us.

  • Ed Wagner (3/26/2015)


    Yeah, it's a poor question with a wrong answer. Granted, someone will always misinterpret the question, but doesn't this mimic real life? I get requests all the time when someone asks for one thing when they really want something else. A part of our job is to figure out what they really want from what they give us.

    Unless it is so unclear, self-contradictory, or poorly worded as to be unusable. Then we send it back to the product team/architects/[whatever they are called at your company] to fix the definition.

    :hehe:

  • What environment was this tested in?

    Why is there no supporting documentation from something like MSDN or Technet?

  • I think whether the file gets created depends on if the syntax error causes the package to fail validation or not. I think the second question also depends on how far the package makes it, so I hedged my bets as to which question was being asked and went with 'sometimes'.

  • I don't usually complain about the questions, but I agree that this was very badly worded. I use output logging as part of the jobs I set up, and definitely use it for debugging -- although I can't say for certain if a syntax error within the job step would cause it to NOT write to the file, I'd bet that it would be.

    Where and how was this tested? A specific example would definitely help show me how I misunderstood.

  • Xavon (3/26/2015)


    Ed Wagner (3/26/2015)


    Yeah, it's a poor question with a wrong answer. Granted, someone will always misinterpret the question, but doesn't this mimic real life? I get requests all the time when someone asks for one thing when they really want something else. A part of our job is to figure out what they really want from what they give us.

    Unless it is so unclear, self-contradictory, or poorly worded as to be unusable. Then we send it back to the product team/architects/[whatever they are called at your company] to fix the definition.

    :hehe:

    I find that people ask for things not really knowing what they want until they see that what they asked for isn't what they wanted. Then, after they see what they've asked for and know that it isn't what they want, they ask for something that's closer to what they really wanted. The trick is to find a balance so a pile of work isn't done writing what isn't wanted. I don't blindly accept first pass specifications. I talk it through with them to figure out what they really want. I find that spending some time (depending on the complexity of the request) helps to accelerate the whole process by eliminating (or at least reducing) the wasted time spent on what they asked for, but not what they wanted. 😉

    I really hope this came across clearly.

  • Buddy,

    your answer is wrong.. it should be NO only.

    Even last 2 statements in the question is quite different..!! 😉

  • This was removed by the editor as SPAM

  • Stewart "Arturius" Campbell (3/26/2015)


    Ed Wagner (3/26/2015)


    I find that people ask for things not really knowing what they want until they see that what they asked for isn't what they wanted. Then, after they see what they've asked for and know that it isn't what they want, they ask for something that's closer to what they really wanted. The trick is to find a balance so a pile of work isn't done writing what isn't wanted. I don't blindly accept first pass specifications. I talk it through with them to figure out what they really want. I find that spending some time (depending on the complexity of the request) helps to accelerate the whole process by eliminating (or at least reducing) the wasted time spent on what they asked for, but not what they wanted. 😉

    I really hope this came across clearly.

    Quite clearly

    When I was working a a business analyst, i always asked "why" when users wanted development done

    asking that about 5 or 6 times really makes the user think, and one usually finds out what exactly their actual requirements are.

    Good, thanks for the feedback.

    The questions "Why?", "What do you want to do with the data?", "What are you looking for?" and "What questions are you trying to answer?" really help them to think about what they want. I want to give them what they really want...the first time. Many times it bears very little resemblance to what they ask for.

    And I'm glad to hear that I'm not only one who repeats questions to get people to think. 😉

  • Stewart "Arturius" Campbell (3/26/2015)


    ...i always asked "why" when users wanted development done

    asking that about 5 or 6 times really makes the user think...

    It usually makes them think 'if he asks me again I'm going to punch him in the face'.:pinch:

  • sipas (3/26/2015)


    Stewart "Arturius" Campbell (3/26/2015)


    ...i always asked "why" when users wanted development done

    asking that about 5 or 6 times really makes the user think...

    It usually makes them think 'if he asks me again I'm going to punch him in the face'.:pinch:

    +1

    Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
    _______________________________________________
    I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
    SQL RNNR
    Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
    Learn Extended Events

  • sestell1 (3/26/2015)


    I think whether the file gets created depends on if the syntax error causes the package to fail validation or not. I think the second question also depends on how far the package makes it, so I hedged my bets as to which question was being asked and went with 'sometimes'.

    My thinking also.

  • SQLRNNR (3/26/2015)


    sipas (3/26/2015)


    Stewart "Arturius" Campbell (3/26/2015)


    ...i always asked "why" when users wanted development done

    asking that about 5 or 6 times really makes the user think...

    It usually makes them think 'if he asks me again I'm going to punch him in the face'.:pinch:

    +1

    You have to phrase it a little differently each time so they don't get anxious or irate. Remember, the goal is to take them from what they asked for to what they really want, not to drive them crazy. However, getting punched in the face might impact the time it takes to get the work done. 😉

  • My apologies, typo error... it should be "Yes"

  • sipas (3/26/2015)


    Joy Smith San (3/26/2015)


    I created a job with only the command

    "Select getdate())" which has syntax error in it.

    The job failed. But,

    1. It created the file when it was not there.

    2. It updated the file when it was already there.

    :w00t:

    Correct - the answer should be Yes.

    :hehe:

    +1

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