I am attempting to setup the DDT to begin a new project.  The database already exists.  I can connect to the DB and traverse all objects using the management studio.  When I run the import, I am not getting any tables.  The import takes a long time and the progress bars make me think something good is happening, but there are no tables.  The stored procedures are there.  The views are there.  The 102 tables are not.  I am a newbie to the DDT.  What am I doing wrong?

Thanks,
Bill

Ok.  I will try again after the next update.

As I pointed out, primary keys were being dropped.  Expect the unexpected, eh?

Certainly.  If there are gotchas or heads ups that I need to know about, then please let us know.  I have made basic assumptions about how the DDT works and each step has been met with show-stoppers.  I know that I can reproduce all of these tables on my own and handle any changes via sql scripts...and, I have no problem doing that.  It just seems like a nice thing to be able to import a DB schema into a tool so that I can manipulate it, then deploy the changes back to the original server.  If my understanding of what this tool does is wrong, then please correct me.  I can take it.

Thanks,
Bill

Bill,

Your last statement bothers me a bit.  You said that you keep running into "show-stoppers."  I am not sure how much you know about us as a company, but we actually have a very large medical application that we distribute nation wide.  We have a VERY complex database and distribution environment, and the DDT is the heart and soul of this.  Aside from our experiences as well, we have SF users that have extremely large and complex applications that are deployed with SF and the DDT....so this is one area that I will say that I already know that the DDT is a solid and proven environment.  Now as I have already mentioned, the import did break...my fault...sorry.  But the DatabaseMigrator (the class within the framework that deploys a package) is solid, tested, and proven.  Not that there are not things that have crept up and I would neve go as so far as to say that there may not be a bug under certain conditions.  But my faith is in the DDT as I know for a fact that when used properly...it works like a champ!

I am one of the most fallible developers on the planet.  So, with any error I encounter I make the basic assumption that it is my fault.  I always start there.  When I cannot figure it out, I then ask for help from the outside world to tell me where I am wrong, or what is the better way to do something.  Twice I attempted to use the DDT in a brand new project.  This is the first project in which I am using the DDT to do what it is designed to do: "a meta-data tool that is used to create, maintain, and deploy SQL Server schemas and data".  After each attempt I encountered a problem but I did not ask for help until I spent several hours reading, searching forums, testing and retesting my procedures.  Both times I was told that it was a problem that had to be resolved with an update to the DDT.  No big deal--however, I was unable to go forward with my development as I had desired to do it...a "show-stopper", so to speak.  I am not making a complaint here, at all.  I am trying to make sure that I am using this tool for what it was designed to do.  If not, I am hoping you, or someone else, will tell me.

Thanks!
Bill