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Procedure documentationUnloading a Database

Procedure

Another tool for finding the source of a database problem is using the DBUnload utility. By unloading the database and reloading it in segments, you can identify where the problem lies and whether it is a structural or data-related issue.

To unload a database or table:

  1. Using ‘SQL Central’, right-click the database or table you want to unload.

  2. In the drop-down list, click Unload. The Unload Database Table dialog box appears.

  3. If choosing to unload individual tables, click to check the table(s) you want to include in the unload, or click All to select all tables.

  4. Once the desired tables have been checked, click Next.

  5. In the next dialog box specify the path where the ‘Reload’ executable will be stored, then click Next.

  6. In the third window of the ‘Unload’ dialog box you must specify the components of the database to be unloaded.

    • Database Structure

    • Data

    • Structure and Data

  7. Specify whether the unloaded file is to be stored on the server or whether it is to be stored on some client machine.

  8. Specify the full path to the directory where the unloaded files will be stored, and then click Next.

  9. Complete any Other Information in the fifth window of the Unload dialog box, and then click Next.

    Other Information includes the levels of view dependency within the database (if applicable), the ability to order the data (if checked), and the user name of the Data Base Owner.

  10. Review the summary information in the final window of the dialog box, then click Finish to unload the specified table(s).

  11. The end result of the ‘Unload’ is a placement of all unloaded tables as .dat files into the Unload directory specified in step 6, and a reload.SQL file in the directory specified in step 3.