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Eytukan12-Sep-18 19:26

Eytukan

12-Sep-18 19:26

You should be supporting the real men way of doing things bro. Smile | :)

Starting to think people post kid pics in their profiles because that was the last time they were cute - Jeremy Falcon.

CPallini12-Sep-18 23:54

CPallini

12-Sep-18 23:54

You know, I am "lost in a haze of alcohol soft middle age". Wink | ;)

englebart11-Sep-18 2:07

englebart

11-Sep-18 2:07

I did like unions for things like:

union ColorMashup {
    long ARGB;
    struct {
       byte alpha;
       byte red;
       byte green;
       byte blue;
    }
}

where the same data could be accessed as a whole or part.

Polymorphism solves most "union" problems a lot better, but the memory will probably be spread around a lot more.

You had to squeeze every drop of memory and performance out of the old unix machines.

DSewhuk11-Sep-18 8:21

DSewhuk

11-Sep-18 8:21

Most useful for hardware registers and even software registers. You can view register broadly via the long/int/short or via the fields contained within it. Save a copy:
myCopyReg.bits = mySrcReg.bits. As a bonus your get a copy of the "undefined" bits.

Beats myRegCopy.fld0 = myRegSrc.fld0; myRegCopy.fld1 = myRegSrc.fld1; myRegCopy.fld2 = myRegSrc.fld2; et. nauseum

Jerry W. Manweiler, Ph.D.

Jerry W. Manweiler, Ph.D.11-Sep-18 11:31

11-Sep-18 11:31

Thank you for this posting.
I am currently working on the conversion of some very old FORTRAN software for the NASA Voyager data processing as we are one of the instrument teams still working the Voyager Interstellar Mission and I have been struggling to find an option in C# to do exactly this, i.e. as mentioned in a reply this is like the FORTRAN COMMON BLOCK statement.

Now I think I will be able to finish my conversion project a lot easier than attempting to write my own version of a COMMON statement and figuring out how to implement all of the various possibilities.

Jerry W. Manweiler, Ph.D.
Fundamental Technologies, LLC

Eytukan12-Sep-18 19:26

Eytukan

12-Sep-18 19:26

Starting to think people post kid pics in their profiles because that was the last time they were cute - Jeremy Falcon.

Data Dictionaries

NeverJustHere9-Sep-18 23:42

NeverJustHere

9-Sep-18 23:42

I'm looking for some guidance on best practices for data dictionaries.

I've seen them done poorly (i.e. a dump of sys.columns from the database), sometimes with a brief description but I've never seen them done usefully.

I guess, to provide more context, I'm looking at this more from an analyst perspective, wanting to query a database rather than work with or enhance the application that uses the database.

The sort of thing I think might be useful would be some commentary on when/where a record can change and how. Has anyone seen documentation at this level?

Another way of looking at the question is: If you have found useful data dictionary documentation on a database (either a transaction application or ODS/DW type of DB) then what specifically made it useful? What did it contain?

Also, what systems are around for tracking this - is Word being used - are there more interactive, automated data dictionary systems around that work well. I know some of the ETL tools try in this space - do they work well or are there independent systems you've liked?

Cheers

modified 10-Sep-18 5:49am.

dan!sh 10-Sep-18 0:19

dan!sh

10-Sep-18 0:19

I am not really sure about the best practice but this is something we track in spreadsheet and then on an internal portal.

Table name (logical)
Table name (physical)
Business description for the table (what you are probably looking for)
#1 - #3 for all the columns as well in the table. Along with this constraints are also mentioned for each table.
For foreign key columns, source table (logical) is to be mentioned

So, if anyone needs to get say, all user addresses, they can take a look at spreadsheet/portal and write a query to get the details.

"It is easy to decipher extraterrestrial signals after deciphering Javascript and VB6 themselves.", ISanti[^]

#realJSOP10-Sep-18 2:30

#realJSOP

10-Sep-18 2:30

There are aftermarket apps that serve a useful purpose in terms of documenting databases.

These guys have some interesting stuff, some of which is free.

ApexSQL Doc - SQL Server and BI documentation tool | ApexSQL[^]

".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
-----
You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
-----
When you pry the gun from my cold dead hands, be careful - the barrel will be very hot. - JSOP, 2013

Mycroft Holmes10-Sep-18 14:35

Mycroft Holmes

10-Sep-18 14:35

Taking the lead from JSOP Red-Gate do an excellent suite of tools SQL Toolbelt[^]. They are NOT free, quite expensive actually. We have been using some of their stuff for year but not the documentation tool.

Never underestimate the power of human stupidity
RAH

englebart11-Sep-18 2:15

englebart

11-Sep-18 2:15

I would add comments directly on the tables and columns.

Foreign Keys and constraints also help define the data dictionary.

For SQL server, search for "SQL Comments on Create Table on SQL Server 2008" for some good examples.

Worse case, create some additional tables for high level documentation.

WSO CCC OTD 2018-09-10

OriginalGriff9-Sep-18 21:57

Re: WSO CCC OTD 2018-09-10

9-Sep-18 21:57

Walk the pain and blame right out perhaps? (13)

Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640
Never throw anything away, Griff
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

PeejayAdams9-Sep-18 22:34

PeejayAdams

9-Sep-18 22:34

Perambulation - anagram of pain blame r out.

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect. - Mark Twain

Re: WSO CCC OTD 2018-09-10 - we have a winner

OriginalGriff9-Sep-18 22:38

every Saving's kitten's savior saves humanity, even if pythons go hungry

9-Sep-18 22:38

Well, it lasted 40 minutes ... Laugh | :laugh:

You are up tomorrow!

Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640
Never throw anything away, Griff
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

BillWoodruff9-Sep-18 21:00

BillWoodruff

9-Sep-18 21:00

Just when a five-meter python had his mouth around kitty, his 63 year-old love slave, Mrs, Saving, and neighbors, and local snake--busters, to the rescue. Note the story is written in a form of mutilated English expats sometimes refer to as "Tainglish:" [^]

Rascal python is getting deported to a far forest where perhaps he'll enjoy backpackers.

«... thank the gods that they have made you superior to those events which they have not placed within your own control, rendered you accountable for that only which is within you own control For what, then, have they made you responsible? For that which is alone in your own power—a right use of things as they appear.» Discourses of Epictetus Book I:12

Re: every Saving's kitten's savior saves humanity, even if pythons go hungry

OriginalGriff9-Sep-18 21:17

Re: every Saving's kitten's savior saves humanity, even if pythons go hungry

9-Sep-18 21:17

Google translate isn't being a whole lot of help here:

Quote:
Mrs. Saving, age 63, the owner of the house heard his cat cats in the back of the house to walk to see that the big boar is eating his own cat. They use a snake bite until the serpent to the wall of the house's mortar by the cats themselves are injured bite the abdomen. Before the rescue team to help.

I think I see what is happening, but ... Laugh | :laugh:

Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640
Never throw anything away, Griff
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

glennPattonWork39-Sep-18 21:20

glennPattonWork3

9-Sep-18 21:20

Always said Python was dangerous... WTF | :WTF:

Re: every Saving's kitten's savior saves humanity, even if pythons go hungry

the goat in your machine9-Sep-18 22:26

the goat in your machine

9-Sep-18 22:26

BillWoodruff wrote:
Rascal python is getting deported to a far forest where perhaps he'll enjoy backpackers.

That's the "official" version for westerners. Meanwhile:
... the villagers are enjoying a meal from a "very long chicken."
... the cat is back enjoying "playing" with other small indigenous wildlife.

Re: every Saving's kitten's savior saves humanity, even if pythons go hungry

CodeWraith9-Sep-18 23:29

CodeWraith

9-Sep-18 23:29

lopati: roaming wrote:
villagers are enjoying a meal from a "very long chicken."

Good. Just think of how long Kentucky Fried T-Rex has been out of business.

I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats.

His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.

Re: every Saving's kitten's savior saves humanity, even if pythons go hungry

Joe Woodbury11-Sep-18 6:51

Joe Woodbury

11-Sep-18 6:51

I liked the pictures from another article of an undamaged pickup truck and a totaled front end of a sedan.

I was sent this, and...

OriginalGriff9-Sep-18 5:25

9-Sep-18 5:25

... I never knew Yoda was in a band[^]

Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640
Never throw anything away, Griff
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

DRHuff9-Sep-18 6:21

DRHuff

9-Sep-18 6:21

Yo! Da sixth Beatle has been identified!

Socialism is the Axe Body Spray of political ideologies: It never does what it claims to do, but people too young to know better keep buying it anyway. (Glenn Reynolds)

Mike Hankey9-Sep-18 8:35

Mike Hankey

9-Sep-18 8:35

All you need is Yoda!

and coffee!

Everyone has a photographic memory; some just don't have film. Steven Wright

User 110609799-Sep-18 8:45

User 11060979

9-Sep-18 8:45

black coffee

It does not solve my Problem, but it answers my question

modified 19-Jan-21 21:04pm.