How do I customise the CREATE DATABASE statement in VSTS DB Edition Deploy?

Question

Hi, I'm using VSTS Database Edition GDR Version 9.1.31024.02

I've got a project where we will be creating multiple databases with identical schema, on the fly, as customers are added to the system. It's one DB per customer. I thought I should be able to use the deploy script to do this. Unfortunately I always get the full filenames specified on the CREATE DATABASE statement. For example:

CREATE DATABASE [$(DatabaseName)]
ON 
PRIMARY(NAME = [targetDBName], FILENAME = N'$(DefaultDataPath)targetDBName.mdf')
LOG ON (NAME = [targetDBName_log], FILENAME = N'$(DefaultDataPath)targetDBName_log.ldf')
GO

I'd expected something more like this

CREATE DATABASE [$(DatabaseName)]
ON 
PRIMARY(NAME = [targetDBName], FILENAME = N'$(DefaultDataPath)$(DatabaseName).mdf')
LOG ON (NAME = [targetDBName_log], FILENAME = N'$(DefaultDataPath)$(DatabaseName)_log.ldf')
GO

Or even

CREATE DATABASE [$(DatabaseName)]

I'm not going to be running this on an on-going basis so I'd like to make it as simple as possible, for the next guy. There are a bunch of options for deployment in the project properties, but I can't get this to work the way I'd like.

Any one know how to set this up?

Answer 1

Hmm, well it seems that the best answer so far (given the over whelming response) is to edit the file after the fact... Still looking

Answer 2

We do this using a template database, that we back up, copy, and restore as new customers are brought online. We don't do any of the schema creation with scripts but with a live, empty DB.

Answer 3

Better late than never, I know how to get the $(DefaultDataPath)$(DatabaseName) file names from your second example.

The SQL you're showing in your first code snippet suggests that you don't have scripts for creating the database files in your VSTS:DB project, perhaps by deliberately excluded them from any schema comparisons you've done. I found it a little counter-intuitive, but the solution is to let VSTS:DB script the MDF and LDF in you development environment, then edit those scripts to use the SQLCMD variables.

In your database project, go to the folder Schema Objects > Database Level Objects > Storage > Files. In there, add these two files:

Database.sqlfile.sql

ALTER DATABASE [$(DatabaseName)]
ADD FILE (NAME = [$(DatabaseName)], 
    FILENAME = '$(DefaultDataPath)$(DatabaseName).mdf',
    SIZE = 2304 KB, MAXSIZE = UNLIMITED, FILEGROWTH = 1024 KB) 
    TO FILEGROUP [PRIMARY];

Database_log.sqlfile.sql

ALTER DATABASE [$(DatabaseName)]
    ADD LOG FILE (NAME = [$(DatabaseName)_log], 
    FILENAME = '$(DefaultDataPath)$(DatabaseName)_log.ldf', 
    SIZE = 1024 KB, MAXSIZE = 2097152 MB, FILEGROWTH = 10 %);

The full database creation script that VSTS:DB, or for that matter VSDBCMD.exe, generates will now use the SQLCMD variables for naming the MDF and LDF files, allowing you to specify them on the command line, or in MSBuild.