If
your source is SQL Server database (and not DAC package), it might contain
certain objects, which are not supported by Data Tier Applications; the third
screen also gives an objects list, which cannot be imported into project, if it
finds any, as shown below. For a
complete list of supported objects can be found on
MSDN.
Figure 7 - Importing Data Tier Application 5
When
you click on the Finish button, the import process starts and the status is displayed
on the screen as shown below. Click on the Finish button to close the wizard
after import.
Figure 8 - Importing Data Tier Application 6
Once
the project has been imported, a data tier application project structure will
be created as shown below. You can browse through the imported objects using
the Solution Explorer or Schema View window. You can change the definition of
existing objects or author new objects in the project.
Figure 9 - Data Tier Application Project Structure
Once
the data tier application project has been created, you can change the project --
the location where the DAC package will be created after build, the name of the
DAC package, version of the DAC package, when it will be built, etc. Right
click on the project in the Solution Explorer and click on the Properties menu;
a screen similar to that shown below will appear. In the Project Settings page
you can specify the version, description etc.
Figure 10 - Data Tier Application Properties - Project Settings
In
the build page, you can specify default collation, which will be used in the
generated DAC package during deployment, location where DAC package will be
created, and name of the DAC package as shown below.
Figure 11 - Data Tier Application Properties - Build
In
the Build Events page you can specify commands to be executed before and after
the project is built.
Figure 12 - Data Tier Application Properties - Build Events
In
the Deploy page, you specify a connection string if you want to build and
deploy the project. Next you also specify the name of the database/application
to be created on the specified connection string during deployment.
Figure 13 - Data Tier Application Properties - Deploy
Code
Analysis is new feature, which analyzes the SQL code for any violation and
reports it as a warning or error during build. On this page, you can select
which rules you want to consider during building the project for analyzing.
Figure 14 - Data Tier Application Properties - Code Analysis
Data
tier application has a cool new feature (also a much awaited feature) to
declare deployment intent, which means you can check the pre-requisite for your
application deployment even before deployment and if it satisfies the specified
criteria/policy then deploy it. For example, I want to deploy my data tier
application on SQL Server 2008 (Version: 10) and higher and this is what I have
declared below. To define deployment intent, double click on the ServerSelection.sqlpolicy
file under Properties in Solution Explorer, which will bring up a page like
this.
Figure 15 - Deployment Intent Declaration
To
build your project simply hit F6 or press CTRL+SHIFT+B or go to the Build menu
and click either on Build Solution or Rebuild Solution menu as shown below. This
will create a DAC package (with *.dacpack extension, you can watch the Output
window for detail) in the specified location.
Figure 16 - Building Data Tier Application
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