Install the latest version of SQL Operations Studio (0.31.4)

I was using SQL Operations Studio (SQLOPS) Ver 0.26.7 and I am upgrading to the July 2018 Public Preview version 0.31.4.

It is Available on Windows, macOS and Linux and you can download from here:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/sql-operations-studio/download?view=sql-server-2017


Installation procedute for all the OS's available on the above site.

This is the file for Windows OS:
sqlops-windows-setup-0.31.4.exe (74.3 MB)

Double click the executable to launch the application.
Here are the installation screen shots.

Accept license terms.

 The program is added to the PATH and you can launch soon after installing.

I connected to the SQL Server 2016 named instance after launching.

In the Preview you can see a number extensions that you will be able to access.

SQL Server Reporting Services 2016 - Modes of Operation

The choices have not changed from previous versions. Your choice would depend on what you want to do. The resources needed will also influence your decision. For Example, the SharePoint mode would imply that you are running SharePoint Server or Services.

During SQL Server 2016 Installation you can choose to specify Reporting Services Configuration mode (review the screen shot).

There are two modes that you can specify Reporting Services Configuration:

Reporting Services Native Mode
Reporting Services SharePoint Integrated Mode

You can choose both modes or just one mode.

If you choose to install the Native mode there are two options:

Install and Configure
Install Only

Install and Configure option installs and configures the report server in Native Mode. However you need to do further configuration for your specific case. The Report Server is operaitonal with the Windows Service and the databases needed by Reporting Services in your named instance.

Install only installs the report server files. You need to use the RS Configuration Manager to compele configuration.

If you choose to install the SharePoint Integrated Mode you can only install the Report Server files but you will need SharePoint Central adminsitration to complete configuration.

Details for both modes of installation for SQL Server 2012 were described in my book:

ISBN 139781849689922

Paperback566 pages

Querying SQL Server 2017 Version 17.3 using SQLOPS

 There are already system databases. Make sure that the server has started. Start it if it has not started in Control Panel, or otherwise.

I have a default instance of SQL Server 2017 Verion 17.3 and I connect to it as described here.

Launch SQLOPS from its shortcut and click New Connection as shown

SQLServer17SQLOPS_0

The New Connection window opens as shown.

SQLServer17SQLOPS_1

Enter the items as shown.

SQLServer17SQLOPS_3

Click Connect.

You are connected as shown.

Click New Query to open a new query window as shown.

SQLServer17SQLOPS_6

Type S and a drop-down list appears.

SQLServer17SQLOPS_7

Complete a query as shown:

SELECT @@version

SQLServer17SQLOPS_8

Click Run and review the result as shown:

SQLServer17SQLOPS_9

Right click the result, copy and paste it in Notepad as shown:

Microsoft SQL Server 2017 (RTM) - 14.0.1000.169 (X64)  Aug 22 2017 17:04:49  Copyright (C) 2017 Microsoft Corporation Developer Edition (64-bit) on Windows 10 Pro Insider Preview 10.0 (Build 17025: ) (Hypervisor)

Note: It was mentioned that you type in msdb as a database. In fact just localhost is all that is neccessary to connect.

If you want to learn one programming language, it should be Python

Of course, you want the most popular and the most valuable.

According to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) , it is Python, the clear winner.

Here are the top ten in its rankings:

Why Python?

The answer appears to the fact that it iss now used for embedded applications and because it has beefed up its repertoire related to AI and Machine learning. It is for this reason R language (somewhat speccialized) has seen some decline.

Microsoft C# is still handing there at 5 and probably its place will be solid 5 for all types of programming - Web, desktop and Mobile. SQL is also there but does not show up as top 10 which is understandable given its area of usage.

Well here is the first 20. Find if your favorite is here

Well, you may want to know the basis for the ranking. You can get to know here.

You can find a lot of posts on R and Python on this site.

You can find a lot of Python and R posts in my blogs.

Upgrading SQL Server Management Services to version 17.8.1

Microsoft delivers message such as this one if you are using SQL Server Management (SSMS) of the previous version.

SSMSAug6_00

In SSMS you can get to the menu item easily.

SSMSAug6_0

When you click on this you will be taken to the site shown below next image.

SSMSAug6_1

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/ssms/download-sql-server-management-studio-ssms?view=sql-server-2017

You just download the executable (Not the Upgrade Package) shown.

SSMS-Setup-ENU.exe (806 MB)

By double clicking the executable you can install the new version.

Enabling Machine Learning in SQL Server - 2

Launch SQL Server, the version (herein, SQL Server 2017) for which you want to use and start a New Query. Run the following in the context of the server:

sp_configure 'external scripts enabled'

Depending on the response to this query, you can find whether Machine Learning is installed or not. If the run_value=0, ML is not enabled.

The Advanced Analytics Extensions was enabled and the above query was executed. The value of Value_run is still 0.

However, if you run the query:

sp_configure 'external scripts enabled', 1

The response is as shown (note that the previous script is also included for reference):

This screen shows that the extension is installed. However the run-value will still be 0. You need to start the Windows Service s(SQL Server Launch Pad for MSSQLServer) shown here:

You can start the service from the above screen and it gets started as shown:

After restarting you should restart the MSSQL Server service before the changes are made. Now you run the script:

sp_configure 'external scripts enabled'

Now you get the following response:

If you are using SQL Server 2016, the procedure is slightly different and you should use the related SQL Server Launch Pad service.

Connecting to SQLite using Power BI

Power BI is the Microsoft product for business intelligence. SQLite is well known for its use in mobile platforms and embedded apps.

There is no native way of connecting to SQLite using Power BI, but you could use the ODBC driver which was described in an earlier post.

Read here:

ODBC Drivers for SQLite:

Read here:

Creating ODBC DSN for SQLite3:

https://hodentekmsss.blogspot.com/2018/04/creating-odbc-dsn-for-connecting-to.html

Connecting to SQLite3 using Power BI is easy. Here are the steps.

Launch Power BI and open the Get Data menu as shown.

In the list in the Other clic on ODBC.

Highlight the DSN, ODBCSQLite and Click OK. 

Change it to Windows (this may not be necessary) and click Connect.

The From ODBC window is displayed. Click on Advanced Options to display the pane where you can write a SQL Statement.

It goes through from processing and since there is no table by that name, it returns an error.

Now change the SQL Statement to the following:

Select * from Users

After some processing it get connected.

Now you can find the table details in Navigator as shown.

Power BI does not show the tables and write a query you need to know the objects you created in SQLite database.