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Sql Server 2005 - SMS "Modify Table option" times out when trying to 'alter' very large table

Author
19 Jan 2006 7:30 PM
frostbb
We've found that Sql Server 2005 SMS "Modify Table option" 'croaks' when
trying to insert a startcard_nbr INT column into the following table just
above the last_updt_date column.  It throws an error window with the
following ...

-----------------------------------------
Post-Save Notifications

! Errors were encountered during the save process. Some dtabase object were
not saved.

'wl_startcard_image' table
- Unable to modify table.
Timeout expired. The timeout period elapsed prior to completion of the
operation or the server is not responding.
---------------------------------------

The table contains approximately 52,000 records with a .pdf image in the
image column for each record (about 13.5G of disk space)

We can SUCCESSFULLY run the actual Sql Script that the "Modify Table" action
creates in the Query Analyzer. Takes about 25 minutes.   The script creates
a temp table with the new column,  uses insert into to move the data from
the original data across, drops the original table and renames the temp
table.

Is there some type of Time Limit on the SMS Table Modify Functions or is the
clicky pointy interface simply limited to smaller "more normal" alter table
operations ??

Just curious.

Barry
in Oregon

== BEFORE ==
CREATE TABLE dbo.Tmp_wl_startcard_image
(
sc_image_id              int                 NOT NULL IDENTITY (1, 1),
sc_image                  image            NULL,
last_updt_date         datetime         NULL,
last_updt_userid       varchar(20)    NULL,
rec_creation_date    datetime         NULL
)  ON [PRIMARY]
  TEXTIMAGE_ON [PRIMARY]

== AFTER ==
CREATE TABLE dbo.Tmp_wl_startcard_image
(
sc_image_id              int                 NOT NULL IDENTITY (1, 1),
startcard_nbr            int                 NULL,
sc_image                  image            NULL,
last_updt_date         datetime         NULL,
last_updt_userid       varchar(20)    NULL,
rec_creation_date    datetime         NULL
)  ON [PRIMARY]
  TEXTIMAGE_ON [PRIMARY]

When I try to update the table SMS Query Analyzer running on the server
console pauses for about 30 seconds and then returns an error window with
the following information ...

Author
19 Jan 2006 8:31 PM
Andrew J. Kelly
I suspect there is somewhere in the gui a connection with a timeout set
other than infinity. Operations like this should always be done with scripts
that have been tested first anyway.  As you can see the gui does not always
do the best job when altering tables and such. If you didn't care about
where the column is physically in the table (and data wise there is no
benefit to that) youcould have done a simple alter table to add the column
and it would have been a few second operation instead.

--
Andrew J. Kelly  SQL MVP


Show quote
"frostbb" <frostbb@newsgroups.nospam> wrote in message
news:OTAcV7SHGHA.516@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> We've found that Sql Server 2005 SMS "Modify Table option" 'croaks' when
> trying to insert a startcard_nbr INT column into the following table just
> above the last_updt_date column.  It throws an error window with the
> following ...
>
> -----------------------------------------
> Post-Save Notifications
>
> ! Errors were encountered during the save process. Some dtabase object
> were not saved.
>
> 'wl_startcard_image' table
> - Unable to modify table.
> Timeout expired. The timeout period elapsed prior to completion of the
> operation or the server is not responding.
> ---------------------------------------
>
> The table contains approximately 52,000 records with a .pdf image in the
> image column for each record (about 13.5G of disk space)
>
> We can SUCCESSFULLY run the actual Sql Script that the "Modify Table"
> action creates in the Query Analyzer. Takes about 25 minutes.   The script
> creates a temp table with the new column,  uses insert into to move the
> data from the original data across, drops the original table and renames
> the temp table.
>
> Is there some type of Time Limit on the SMS Table Modify Functions or is
> the clicky pointy interface simply limited to smaller "more normal" alter
> table operations ??
>
> Just curious.
>
> Barry
> in Oregon
>
> == BEFORE ==
> CREATE TABLE dbo.Tmp_wl_startcard_image
> (
> sc_image_id              int                 NOT NULL IDENTITY (1, 1),
> sc_image                  image            NULL,
> last_updt_date         datetime         NULL,
> last_updt_userid       varchar(20)    NULL,
> rec_creation_date    datetime         NULL
> )  ON [PRIMARY]
>  TEXTIMAGE_ON [PRIMARY]
>
> == AFTER ==
> CREATE TABLE dbo.Tmp_wl_startcard_image
> (
> sc_image_id              int                 NOT NULL IDENTITY (1, 1),
> startcard_nbr            int                 NULL,
> sc_image                  image            NULL,
> last_updt_date         datetime         NULL,
> last_updt_userid       varchar(20)    NULL,
> rec_creation_date    datetime         NULL
> )  ON [PRIMARY]
>  TEXTIMAGE_ON [PRIMARY]
>
> When I try to update the table SMS Query Analyzer running on the server
> console pauses for about 30 seconds and then returns an error window with
> the following information ...
>
>
>
>
>
Author
19 Jan 2006 9:48 PM
frostbb
Andrew,

Thanks for the quick response.   Appreciate the info.

I suspect you are correct about the "Table modify option" being limited in
some way by the SMS connection to the db engine, even from the Server
console.  Could find no hint of a problem in the Server logs or elsewhere.

We're migrating our enterprise db from Informix on UNIX to Sql Server 2005
and I'm constantly 'agog' at the capabilities of the clicky - pointy
environment.  Its truly mind blowing for someone used to the Unix command
line environment. The last time I had any REAL dba experience with Sql
Server was back in '96 / '97 with (I think) 6.5.   The changes between 6.5
and 2005 are truely stunning.

This is actually the first limitation I've really encountered with the 2005
SMS GUI and I've exercised it pretty hard while setting things up for the
migration.  If nothing else I find the GUIs are really nice for the purpose
of learning Sql Server's particular brand of sql syntax 'lingo'.

Again thanks for the reply.

Barry
in Oregon


Show quote
"Andrew J. Kelly" <sqlmvpnooospam@shadhawk.com> wrote in message
news:OX7$jdTHGHA.528@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
>I suspect there is somewhere in the gui a connection with a timeout set
>other than infinity. Operations like this should always be done with
>scripts that have been tested first anyway.  As you can see the gui does
>not always do the best job when altering tables and such. If you didn't
>care about where the column is physically in the table (and data wise there
>is no benefit to that) youcould have done a simple alter table to add the
>column and it would have been a few second operation instead.
>
> --
> Andrew J. Kelly  SQL MVP
>
>
> "frostbb" <frostbb@newsgroups.nospam> wrote in message
> news:OTAcV7SHGHA.516@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
>> We've found that Sql Server 2005 SMS "Modify Table option" 'croaks' when
>> trying to insert a startcard_nbr INT column into the following table just
>> above the last_updt_date column.  It throws an error window with the
>> following ...
>>
>> -----------------------------------------
>> Post-Save Notifications
>>
>> ! Errors were encountered during the save process. Some dtabase object
>> were not saved.
>>
>> 'wl_startcard_image' table
>> - Unable to modify table.
>> Timeout expired. The timeout period elapsed prior to completion of the
>> operation or the server is not responding.
>> ---------------------------------------
>>
>> The table contains approximately 52,000 records with a .pdf image in the
>> image column for each record (about 13.5G of disk space)
>>
>> We can SUCCESSFULLY run the actual Sql Script that the "Modify Table"
>> action creates in the Query Analyzer. Takes about 25 minutes.   The
>> script creates a temp table with the new column,  uses insert into to
>> move the data from the original data across, drops the original table and
>> renames the temp table.
>>
>> Is there some type of Time Limit on the SMS Table Modify Functions or is
>> the clicky pointy interface simply limited to smaller "more normal" alter
>> table operations ??
>>
>> Just curious.
>>
>> Barry
>> in Oregon
>>
>> == BEFORE ==
>> CREATE TABLE dbo.Tmp_wl_startcard_image
>> (
>> sc_image_id              int                 NOT NULL IDENTITY (1, 1),
>> sc_image                  image            NULL,
>> last_updt_date         datetime         NULL,
>> last_updt_userid       varchar(20)    NULL,
>> rec_creation_date    datetime         NULL
>> )  ON [PRIMARY]
>>  TEXTIMAGE_ON [PRIMARY]
>>
>> == AFTER ==
>> CREATE TABLE dbo.Tmp_wl_startcard_image
>> (
>> sc_image_id              int                 NOT NULL IDENTITY (1, 1),
>> startcard_nbr            int                 NULL,
>> sc_image                  image            NULL,
>> last_updt_date         datetime         NULL,
>> last_updt_userid       varchar(20)    NULL,
>> rec_creation_date    datetime         NULL
>> )  ON [PRIMARY]
>>  TEXTIMAGE_ON [PRIMARY]
>>
>> When I try to update the table SMS Query Analyzer running on the server
>> console pauses for about 30 seconds and then returns an error window with
>> the following information ...
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
Author
19 Jan 2006 10:56 PM
Andrew J. Kelly
Yes and you have already found the ability to see the changes that the gui
will make.  Although it sometimes does things the hard way it can be very
helpful in seeing what it is doing. You can also use profiler to see how the
gui does things as well.

--
Andrew J. Kelly  SQL MVP


Show quote
"frostbb" <frostbb@newsgroups.nospam> wrote in message
news:O1dffIUHGHA.1088@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> Andrew,
>
> Thanks for the quick response.   Appreciate the info.
>
> I suspect you are correct about the "Table modify option" being limited in
> some way by the SMS connection to the db engine, even from the Server
> console.  Could find no hint of a problem in the Server logs or elsewhere.
>
> We're migrating our enterprise db from Informix on UNIX to Sql Server 2005
> and I'm constantly 'agog' at the capabilities of the clicky - pointy
> environment.  Its truly mind blowing for someone used to the Unix command
> line environment. The last time I had any REAL dba experience with Sql
> Server was back in '96 / '97 with (I think) 6.5.   The changes between 6.5
> and 2005 are truely stunning.
>
> This is actually the first limitation I've really encountered with the
> 2005 SMS GUI and I've exercised it pretty hard while setting things up for
> the migration.  If nothing else I find the GUIs are really nice for the
> purpose of learning Sql Server's particular brand of sql syntax 'lingo'.
>
> Again thanks for the reply.
>
> Barry
> in Oregon
>
>
> "Andrew J. Kelly" <sqlmvpnooospam@shadhawk.com> wrote in message
> news:OX7$jdTHGHA.528@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
>>I suspect there is somewhere in the gui a connection with a timeout set
>>other than infinity. Operations like this should always be done with
>>scripts that have been tested first anyway.  As you can see the gui does
>>not always do the best job when altering tables and such. If you didn't
>>care about where the column is physically in the table (and data wise
>>there is no benefit to that) youcould have done a simple alter table to
>>add the column and it would have been a few second operation instead.
>>
>> --
>> Andrew J. Kelly  SQL MVP
>>
>>
>> "frostbb" <frostbb@newsgroups.nospam> wrote in message
>> news:OTAcV7SHGHA.516@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
>>> We've found that Sql Server 2005 SMS "Modify Table option" 'croaks' when
>>> trying to insert a startcard_nbr INT column into the following table
>>> just above the last_updt_date column.  It throws an error window with
>>> the following ...
>>>
>>> -----------------------------------------
>>> Post-Save Notifications
>>>
>>> ! Errors were encountered during the save process. Some dtabase object
>>> were not saved.
>>>
>>> 'wl_startcard_image' table
>>> - Unable to modify table.
>>> Timeout expired. The timeout period elapsed prior to completion of the
>>> operation or the server is not responding.
>>> ---------------------------------------
>>>
>>> The table contains approximately 52,000 records with a .pdf image in the
>>> image column for each record (about 13.5G of disk space)
>>>
>>> We can SUCCESSFULLY run the actual Sql Script that the "Modify Table"
>>> action creates in the Query Analyzer. Takes about 25 minutes.   The
>>> script creates a temp table with the new column,  uses insert into to
>>> move the data from the original data across, drops the original table
>>> and renames the temp table.
>>>
>>> Is there some type of Time Limit on the SMS Table Modify Functions or is
>>> the clicky pointy interface simply limited to smaller "more normal"
>>> alter table operations ??
>>>
>>> Just curious.
>>>
>>> Barry
>>> in Oregon
>>>
>>> == BEFORE ==
>>> CREATE TABLE dbo.Tmp_wl_startcard_image
>>> (
>>> sc_image_id              int                 NOT NULL IDENTITY (1, 1),
>>> sc_image                  image            NULL,
>>> last_updt_date         datetime         NULL,
>>> last_updt_userid       varchar(20)    NULL,
>>> rec_creation_date    datetime         NULL
>>> )  ON [PRIMARY]
>>>  TEXTIMAGE_ON [PRIMARY]
>>>
>>> == AFTER ==
>>> CREATE TABLE dbo.Tmp_wl_startcard_image
>>> (
>>> sc_image_id              int                 NOT NULL IDENTITY (1, 1),
>>> startcard_nbr            int                 NULL,
>>> sc_image                  image            NULL,
>>> last_updt_date         datetime         NULL,
>>> last_updt_userid       varchar(20)    NULL,
>>> rec_creation_date    datetime         NULL
>>> )  ON [PRIMARY]
>>>  TEXTIMAGE_ON [PRIMARY]
>>>
>>> When I try to update the table SMS Query Analyzer running on the server
>>> console pauses for about 30 seconds and then returns an error window
>>> with the following information ...
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

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