Large number of INSERT statements - not all are executed

[Dmitri]

Hello!

I have a developer that is playing around with some SQL statements
using VB.NET. He has a test table in a SQL 2000 database, and he has
about 2000 generated INSERT statements.

When the 2000 INSERT statements are run in SQL query analyzer, all
2000 rows are added to the table. When he tries to send the 2000
statements to SQL Server through his app., a random number of
statements do not get executed. But, SQL Profiler shows that each of
the 2000 statements are getting sent to the server.

I suggested that he add a "GO" statement at the end of the INSERT
block, but the statement fails when that is sent to the server.

I know that this is not the ideal manner to insert bulk data to the
system, but now we are all just curious as to why SQL server doesn't
execute each individual INSERT.

Any thoughts?

[Marcin A. Guzowski]

Hi Dmitri,

I have a developer that is playing around with some SQL statements
using VB.NET. He has a test table in a SQL 2000 database, and he has
about 2000 generated INSERT statements.

When the 2000 INSERT statements are run in SQL query analyzer, all
2000 rows are added to the table. When he tries to send the 2000
statements to SQL Server through his app., a random number of
statements do not get executed. But, SQL Profiler shows that each of
the 2000 statements are getting sent to the server.

How were the statements sent to SQL Server?
One batch with 2k statements or one statement per batch?
What about transactions (autocommit mode)?
What events were set to be captured by Profiler?

I suggested that he add a "GO" statement at the end of the INSERT
block, but the statement fails when that is sent to the server.

Wrong suggestion. "GO" is not an SQL statement and can be used only in
Query Analyzer (Enterprise Manager, Management Studio). It signals the
end of a batch to MSSQL utilities, SQL Server doesn't understand it at all.
--
Best regards,
Marcin Guzowski
http://guzowski.info

[AlterEgo]

Dmitri,

SQL Server doesn't just ignore transactions. If the statements are showing
up in SQL Server Profiler, then SQL is executing or attempting to execute
them. There may be other reasons why you are not getting the expected
results. Try these steps:

1. Backup the database.
2. Run a trace. Remove the Existing Connection and Audit events before
starting the trace. They are not necessary for this exercise and create
additional noise. You may want to set up a filter that captures only the
application being tested.
3. Save the trace as a SQL Script.
4. Restore the database.
5. Open the SQL Script and run it.
6. See if there are any errors or warnings that are not being trapped by the
VB.NET application.

-- Bill

"Dmitri" <ni*********@gm ail.comwrote in message
news:11******** ************@s4 8g2000cws.googl egroups.com...

Hello!

I have a developer that is playing around with some SQL statements
using VB.NET. He has a test table in a SQL 2000 database, and he has
about 2000 generated INSERT statements.

When the 2000 INSERT statements are run in SQL query analyzer, all
2000 rows are added to the table. When he tries to send the 2000
statements to SQL Server through his app., a random number of
statements do not get executed. But, SQL Profiler shows that each of
the 2000 statements are getting sent to the server.

I suggested that he add a "GO" statement at the end of the INSERT
block, but the statement fails when that is sent to the server.

I know that this is not the ideal manner to insert bulk data to the
system, but now we are all just curious as to why SQL server doesn't
execute each individual INSERT.

Any thoughts?

[Erland Sommarskog]

Dmitri (ni*********@gm ail.com) writes:

I have a developer that is playing around with some SQL statements
using VB.NET. He has a test table in a SQL 2000 database, and he has
about 2000 generated INSERT statements.

When the 2000 INSERT statements are run in SQL query analyzer, all
2000 rows are added to the table. When he tries to send the 2000
statements to SQL Server through his app., a random number of
statements do not get executed. But, SQL Profiler shows that each of
the 2000 statements are getting sent to the server.

I suggested that he add a "GO" statement at the end of the INSERT
block, but the statement fails when that is sent to the server.

I know that this is not the ideal manner to insert bulk data to the
system, but now we are all just curious as to why SQL server doesn't
execute each individual INSERT.

Did he send one batch with 2000 statements, or 2000 batches? Without
seeing the code, it's difficult to know what we are talking about.

The most effective way of inserting data this way is:

INSERT tbl (....)
EXEC('SELECT ''thisvalue'', 1, ''thatvalue''
SELECT ''thisothervalu e'', 2, ''thatothervalu e''
...')

This keeps it down to one INSERT statement, but many small SELECT
statements that are easy to compile. (The alternative SELECT UNION
is very expensive to compile for 2000 rows.)
--
Erland Sommarskog, SQL Server MVP, es****@sommarsk og.se

Books Online for SQL Server 2005 at
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro...ads/books.mspx
Books Online for SQL Server 2000 at
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/prodinf...ons/books.mspx