[dba-SQLServer] Is it my imagination?

Here is a good SQL FAQ. Needs registration
and you may have to remove quotes surrounding some of the lowerlevel 
url's in your IE address bar.
http://www.sqlservercentral.com/faq/listfaq.asp?categoryid=2


John W. Colby wrote:

>Francisco,
>
>I appreciate all you assistance in this stuff.  Your patience and knowledge
>are a godsend, and on SUNDAY at that!!!  8-)
>
>So how do I run this backup?  Don't worry, I am heading out to buy a SQL
>Server 2K admin book which will hopefully assist me in all this stuff.  In
>the meantime I need to get this log truncated so that I can start the
>imports back up before I go.
>
>  
>
>>BACKUP LOG DBName WITH TRUNCATE ONLY
>>    
>>
>
>Is this run in the SQL query window (as a query)?  Do I need to somewhere
>tell SQL Server where the backup files are going to go?  
>
>  
>
>>DBCC SHRINKFILE (DBName_Log, 10)
>>    
>>
>
>Do I need to do the shrink?  I am going to continue the import which will
>grow the container again.  Is the space reused if I don't shrink it or is it
>like Access where the file just adds NEW space and ignores old empty space.
>The help seems to indicate that the freed up empty space will be reused.
>
>While I have your attention...
>
>The following is what I see in the BOL for truncate.
>
>
>Truncate Method
>The Truncate method archive-marks transaction log records.
>
>Applies ToTransactionLog Object   
>
>Syntax
>object.Truncate( )
>
>Parts
>object
>
>Expression that evaluates to an object in the Applies To list
>
>How do I "call" this code.  It appears that object is an object to be called
>from code.  Can I do this from Access (since that is my comfort zone)?  Do I
>have to reference this thing somehow.  IOW What the h&^% is this and how do
>I use it?  I am an accomplished programmer (or like to think so) but I
>haven't a clue how to get started with this stuff.
>
>John W. Colby
>www.ColbyConsulting.com 
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: dba-sqlserver-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
>[mailto:dba-sqlserver-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Francisco
>Tapia
>Sent: Sunday, September 05, 2004 11:57 AM
>To: dba-sqlserver at databaseadvisors.com
>Subject: Re: [dba-SQLServer] Is it my imagination?
>
>
>I know your rant on this one John, but the truth is that Truncating a log is
>something that must be done w/ care depending on how you want it to be done,
>the point to a Transaction log file is to keep an additional redundancy to
>the recently added/modified data.  So you don't want to just blindingly
>truncating logs.  Additionally, I think the mentality is diffrent when
>dealing w/ Sql Server than it is w/ something like Access.... Now it's not
>impossible for them to give you a gui tool to do this: (where DBName is your
>database name)
>
>BACKUP LOG DBName WITH TRUNCATE ONLY
>DBCC SHRINKFILE (DBName_Log, 10)
>
>the 10 is the size you want your newly truncated log to be the size of.  If
>you simply just backup the log you will also "Clear checkpoints" and fully
>commit data from the log to the database.  But running a point such as the
>above w/ TRUNCATE ONLY could be dangerous in a production environment
>because you "could" potentially loose data if some user were trying to
>append a series of large records at that point in time.  I suspect that is
>why they don't just give you a GUI button for it.  Because you know people,
>the moment you make something easier, they take that route instead of doing
>things the right way...
>
>
>On Sun, 05 Sep 2004 11:23:20 -0400, John W. Colby
><jwcolby at colbyconsulting.com> wrote:
>  
>
>>Is it my imagination or is SQL Server just not particularly friendly?  
>>Yea, I know, it is a BIG database and you are supposed to know what 
>>you are doing but still...
>>
>>
>>    
>>
>
> For example, I need to truncate my log files.  I am doing this BCP and 
>  
>
>>three of the 4 BCPs I had running last night failed due to the log 
>>file running our of room.  SIGH!
>>
>>Now I can find a help page on Truncating the log file, but nowhere 
>>does it actually say "do this".  It seems that this would be something 
>>that needs to be done manually once in awhile if for no other reason 
>>than (like this case) to get back in operation quickly.  So you would 
>>THINK there would be a "truncate log file" menu item somewhere.
>>
>>Ah yes, research is sooooo good for the soul.  I have a TON of real 
>>(paying) work waiting to be done and I'm trying to figure out how to 
>>do a simple thing like truncate the log file!
>>
>>    
>>
>
>
>
>  
>

-- 
Marty Connelly
Victoria, B.C.
Canada