[Replication] List your subscriptions, including articles, from the subscriber machine

Sometimes you need to know what articles you've received via a subscription. From Computer B (which is a subscriber), you can run this against Computer a (the publisher or distributor) and get a list of articles (tables) that are being replicated. A rare thing to need, but durn handy. You will need a linked server on Computer A that can read from Computer B, and you need to run it against each replicated database.

(remember that are you need to copy even though you can't see the whole line
DECLARE @sqlstatement VARCHAR(1000)
SELECT @sqlstatement = 'SELECT identity(int, 1,1) as ID,
* INTO ##Publications FROM OPENQUERY([computera],
''SET FMTONLY OFF {call replicated_db..sp_helpsubscription}'')'

EXEC(@sqlstatement)
SELECT * FROM ##publications where subscriber = @@servername
DROP TABLE ##publications

[Query] Case-sensitive query on a case-insensitive server

SQL Collations play an important role in queries - if you're lucky enough to have a case-insensitive server (which many are; it's the default), then you are saved from having to make sure EveryThing Is Capitalized just Right.

However, there are times when you need it.
http://www.mssqltips.com/tip.asp?tip=1032

SELECT *
FROM dbo.CaseSensitiveTest
WHERE Value1 LIKE '%Test%' Collate SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS
GO

That will give you only the values that are capitalized like "Test" is.

[SQL] BULK INSERT and BCP -n

I came across this while rereading the man pages for BCP and BULK INSERT:


http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms188365.aspx

DATAFILETYPE value	All data represented in:
native	Native (database) data types. Create the native data file by bulk importing data from SQL Server using the bcp utility.

I like BULK INSERT more than BCP, but you need BCP to export data. I was unaware that you could BCP a file out in Native format, and use BULK INSERT to import it. Doh!

Latkes!

This picture does not do them justice. They were awesome. Took about 20 minutes to make, another 20 to cook. Came out really well, considering I've never made latkes (potato pancakes) before. Only change I made was to add more oil in the pan - 2 tbl of oil isn't enough. And since I hadn't made them before, I decided to skip the ricer - layer paper towels and potatoes in a bowl, then push down with all your might and get as much water out as possible.

The below link is safe, but the page with the recipe does have some... interesting pictures.

http://www.boingboing.net/2008/12/29/susie-bright-the-lea.html

Why is this baking? Easy - store them in a warm oven while you make them. And this way you're not worrying about the others getting cold.

[Sweets] Nutella Biscotti

And now for something actually baked.

Recipe from here: http://bakingbites.com/2005/06/nutella-biscotti/ Note that my picture doesn't look as good as their picture. But I will say, it came out quite well following the recipe as written.