SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

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SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

Some time ago i've written about the TableDiff.exe utility. It's a great tool for quick table comparisons and i've grown tired of typing it in the command line.

That's why I created this simple TableDiff GUI to help me along and i've decided to share it with the world. :)

You can download it here.

Hope you find it usefull.

Print | posted on Friday, August 10, 2007 11:58 AM

Feedback

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

Screenshot would be nice! :)

8/13/2007 4:55 PM | David

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

Take a look at this url http://devintelligence.com/blogs/netadventures/archive/2007/08/13/ui-for-ms-sql-server-tablediff-tool.aspx to see the screenshot .

8/13/2007 10:02 PM | .Net Adventures

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

Where's the source code?

8/14/2007 7:47 PM | Chris Pietschmann

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

i didn't post the source code.
you can use reflector to see it.

8/14/2007 7:50 PM | Mladen

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

Thanks ! Very useful :)

8/15/2007 11:20 AM | Dan

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

The webpage shows "Server Error in '/' Application.", and the GUI exe never shows a GUI.

8/16/2007 4:08 PM | Bill

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

emm... what are you talking about, Bill?

what webpage?

8/16/2007 5:10 PM | Mladen

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

Great job! Thanks for sharing :-)

8/16/2007 7:36 PM | Normajean

# Great Utility, Thanks for posting

Thanks for posting this valuable tool. It is always nice to have a GUI wrapper for command line tools with a lot of powerful options!

8/21/2007 4:16 PM | Michael David Austin

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

Thanks for the tool, works like a charm. This is a good way to transfer data between databases on different servers, such as qa to prod, where typically you cannot link them due to network restrictions.

8/30/2007 4:11 PM | Just Don't Know

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

glad you like it!

8/30/2007 4:12 PM | Mladen

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

Will this work on SQL 2000?

Jen

8/30/2007 10:59 PM | Jen

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

since tablediff.exe works on 2000 this will too :)
how ever tablediff.exe comes with sql server 2005.

8/30/2007 11:04 PM | Mladen

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

Just curious...what needs to be done in regards to get this to work...I have both the tablediff.exe and the tablediffGUI.exe on my computer and am attempting to connect to a server...each time I try to connect either via the SA or via Win Auth I get a failed to connect message...

It would be a little helpful to know some of the workings and how this tries to connect...

Do you need a DSN or anything to connect to the server? does something on the server need to be enabled?

Also a little constructive criticism...it doesn't appear to be any error handling in regards to blank fields...the couple of times I messed around with this it still allowed you to run the tablediff even if you didn't have all the fields entered which basically had my machine locked up...

Looks like a great tool I just wish I could get it to work !!!

11/2/2007 5:35 PM | Lee

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

well you have to tell the gui where the tablediff.exe is.
also try running it on the servers since tablediff.exe was never meant
to be run on the client.

i've added only most basic error handling to blank fields
what gui does is simply build the cmd string and runs the tablediff.exe

11/2/2007 5:41 PM | Mladen

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

ah...ok I will have to get the server up to the correct version of .NET as it is calling for v2...

I will give that a try

11/2/2007 6:34 PM | Lee

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

What's with all the abrupt comments ! Efforts appreciated sir

11/7/2007 10:28 PM | Bigpa

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

Greetings.

The gui applications looks like a good easy way to go however i am having a few problems.

The gui comes up and allows me to enter connection info but i get the following message on attempting to connect.

"Failed to retrieve data for this request."

The connection info is correct as far as i can tell and i can connect to the db through server manager.

any clues suggestions etc...

thanks

Peter

1/10/2008 12:24 AM | Peter Brighton

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

Oh so sweet. Nice job.

1/11/2008 8:58 PM | NFG

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

Thank you for this. great job!

1/31/2008 6:26 PM | AJ

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

Thanks n really a gr8 work, but i am not able to generate the SQL Syn Scripts using the tool (even i hav tried in command prompt). Can any one help me out in generating the differential scripts using this tool? reply asap...

2/6/2008 8:08 AM | Karthikeyan Kannan

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

How do you specify an alternate port in TableDiffGui ?

2/26/2008 10:21 PM | jeff

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

OK, what id I have a bunch of tables .... how can we work abt it ...

3/5/2008 4:27 AM | fakeDBA

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

what about omitting a unique column, theres no way to omit columns and compare the rest. I have a date column on my 2 tables and when i compare both it says every row is deifferent because both tabels have a diffent date yet the data in the other columns are identical. If i could only be able to omit the date columns and compare the rest this would work better.

4/14/2008 10:39 PM | jay

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

Where can I download tablediff.exe?

4/22/2008 11:26 AM | pippo

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

tablediff.exe is a tool that comes with sql server. it's also installed on the server.
it can't be downloaded by itself.

4/22/2008 11:40 AM | Mladen

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

I installed SQL server 2005, and SP2, but I have not tablediff.exe in my server.
Where can I find it?

4/22/2008 11:58 AM | pippo

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\90\COM\TableDiff.exe"
or in another directory than the C:\Program Files\ depending on your install path

i don't know if it comes with the sql server express version.

4/22/2008 1:26 PM | Mladen

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

My laptop with SQL Server Express has tablediff.exe

5/3/2008 7:39 PM | Rob Bohn

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

I've found this tool and think it will be useful for me, but I didn't succeed to run it. I have Sql2000 on my Development Server W2k3, and tablediff.exe runs well from command line, but tablediffgui.exe won't. After specifying the path for tablediff.exe I try to connect to my LOCAL (same machine) instance, using both Win auth and Sql Auth, trying specify instance name on gui, or also adding a 'Client Network Alias', but I always get the message 'Failed to retrieve data for this request.'.
What I'm doing wrong? I can't understand.
TIA
Luigi

5/5/2008 11:48 AM | Luigi VISINTIN

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

Mladen
This is a fantastic little tool thanks.
I only wish it could compare SQL against microsoft access as well it would save me a whole load of hassle.
Thanks again
Martin

5/9/2008 9:53 PM | Martin

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

It is really helpful utility... I winder if any one create SP to use this to insert the result into table and then script it so script can be run on the destination DB.... It will be very handy and useful to save valuable Time of DBA.

Thanks in Advance

5/22/2008 9:57 AM | sonny

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

Well played Sir, this is brilliant!

7/18/2008 4:59 PM | Nick

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

Is there a way to run it for all tables especially when the replication transactional from publisher to subscriber is not in sync.
So i can then just run this to update the subscription tables with the necessary data.

9/12/2008 6:30 PM | tracey

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

great tool... will this tool detect if data has changed between two database table that use different collation? we are converting a database from one latin collation to the the sql server default latin collation and i want ot ensure no data is different in the destination...

I am not looking for help doing the collation, we have that covered, just wondering if this tool/tablediif can do the data integrety checks.

10/16/2008 3:38 PM | Scott B

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

no clue. never tried that. try it on a test table and see :))

10/16/2008 3:53 PM | Mladen

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

yep thats the plan. just wondering if you had seen it used in that manor before. Thanks

10/16/2008 4:44 PM | Scott B

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

Hi, just a quick question here, this tool only compares tables between tables from sql 2k5 right? it can't compare between tables from previous versions of sql server to 2k5 right? Thanks.

10/21/2008 12:38 AM | Renato Marroquin

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

as far as i know i works on 2000 too. haven't tried it though.

10/21/2008 10:30 AM | Mladen

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

This an excellent tool!

Could I suggest some enhancements?

1. A facility to select views aswell as tables. Our replication works by replicating to source tables that have an additional column (identifying the publisher), so a direct comparison of Source Table to Destination Table is not possible, but I can compare a Source View (that includes the additional column) with the Destination Table. If the GUI could do that then it would allow us to use it.

2. A facility to compare multiple views/tables.

Thanks.

11/7/2008 4:10 PM | Chris O'Donnell

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

hi,
i've stopped development of this a long while ago... if you want i can send you the source and you can change it by yourself.

11/7/2008 4:43 PM | Mladen

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

Thanks a bunch!

11/12/2008 10:51 PM | BeeradG

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

Hi Mladen,

Thanks for such handy tool.

I have some similar requirements but I cannot use this tool as it is. I need to customize this tool to fit my requirements. Would it be possible for you to share source code for this tool?

Thanks,
Jignesh

11/14/2008 11:48 PM | Jignesh

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

Great tool! Thx!

11/21/2008 1:52 PM | Dominik

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

Very nice tool! Thanks for sharing.

11/28/2008 4:14 AM | Kevin Bailey

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

Brilliant program. Thank you very much for making it available to all of us.

Kind regards,

Polly Anna

2/11/2009 12:16 PM | Polly Anna

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

good program, tq so much

2/15/2009 3:58 AM | zam

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

Is there are way with the tablediff.exe or your tablediffgui.exe utilities that the insert/update/delete statements can be sent directly to a specified database table rather than the text file?

Thanks.

3/2/2009 9:35 PM | Keith Lunevich

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

don't think so.

3/2/2009 9:37 PM | Mladen

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

Thanks for sharing this helpful tool!
Great work by the way...

4/29/2009 5:18 PM | Jaime

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

Great Tool!

This doesn't seem to work for SQL Server 2008.
Is that Correct?

5/11/2009 8:23 PM | Oran

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

i have no idea since i haven't really tried. but if the tablediff utility has changed then it won't work oherwise i don't know why it shouldn't.

5/12/2009 9:57 AM | Mladen

# re: SQL Server 2005: TableDiff.exe GUI

Where does it send the Output "TableName" if you are comparing across 2 DB's?

5/15/2009 5:36 PM | Jack Shaftoe

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