Generating Database Scripts

When we hear the phrase “database script generation”, or “scripting a database”, we use to think, oh that’s easy, simply right-click in Enterprise Manager or Management Studio, select “Generate Script”, and that’s it.

But there is more to scripting.

First of all, the built-in utilities occasionally fail because they do not analyze dependencies. If a view depends on another view, whose name is alphanumerically, you’re out of luck. Or you run across some kind of internal error.

So let’s have a look at what possible types of scripts we have to deal with:

• Database Object Creation and Deletion (and re-generation)
• Schema Migration (change scripts for database objects)
• Table Data
• Record Identifiers (“magic values” linking your code with the database)

All these kinds of scripts are necessary for development, versioning, and deployment.