Question

Data Compare

Asked by: AlexPonnath

Hi,

i am looking for a simple way to log when my users change any data in a table via an
update of a row from an VB.6 App. I was wondering if there is a simple way to do this
without having to write table specific code.

Right now i query the row before the update, then compare every field and add then
write any dif to a string which i then insert into a table....

Hope there is a simpler way to do this..

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Asked On
2004-05-17 at 12:20:49ID20992292
Topic

VB Database Programming

Participating Experts
5
Points
500
Comments
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Answers

 

by: leonstrykerPosted on 2004-05-17 at 12:29:40ID: 11092048

Well there is a transaction log file which is generated on the database and you can place a trigger on the table(s).  

But, to tell the truth, I think the easiest method is to it is to setup a Audit table where you will log the user, name of the table modified, the column,the old value, the new value, and posibly the reason for modification.

Leon

 

by: dechPosted on 2004-05-18 at 02:07:41ID: 11096268

I agree with leon, the best method is to have an audit table. But depending on your requirements on detail a shadow audit table might serve you better.

A shadow audit table contains the same fields as your original table with the only difference being for example extra field for "last modified timestamp" and "last modified by" to show who made the change and when. Each time a user updates the record in the original table, you add the new state of the record to the shadow audit table (not replacing - but adding). This way you will have a complete backup of the history of the record from when it was first created.

Only negative here is that your shadow table will be large (depending on the amount of update activity your users do, it could be huge).

 

by: dechPosted on 2004-05-18 at 02:08:42ID: 11096274

Another good point is that you dont need to do any field comparisons.

 

by: CleffedUpPosted on 2004-05-18 at 06:05:43ID: 11097707

Alternatively, you could append a new boolean (True/False) or bit (0/1) field to the tables you wish to track called "Dirty" or the like and include "Dirty = True" to your update queries.  You could likewise add a TimeStamp field called "LastUpdate" and set the field to Now() in each of your queries.  IMO, either of these are ultra-KISS, but would generally prefer either Leon's or Dech's approach, or some variation thereof, in having a dedicated table for tracking updates.  It all boils down to what level of granularity you need.

 

by: pg_indiaPosted on 2004-05-18 at 09:07:14ID: 11099468

well u can use timestamp datatype for a column which takes care if the data has been updated by user2, between the display and updating the records on user1 screen.

 

by: AlexPonnathPosted on 2004-05-18 at 09:20:25ID: 11099608

thanks for the inside, but i was well aware of timedate option, log and seperate tables. My question was
if there was a easy way to compare values in a table with the update values.
i am trying to come up with a module which handels this for all tables and i only want 1 table to log all changes...
so there will be some keyvalues like userid , formane, changedate etc and then a txtfield which
will hold the new and old value like

customername changed from "Miller" to "Miller Light",
Zipcode changed from "85120" to "78977"

and so on...

right now i do this via

if customernameodld <> customernamenew then
tmpstring = tmpstring & "customername changed from " & customernameold & " to " & customernew & ","
end if

and i do this for all fields....

 

by: dechPosted on 2004-05-19 at 01:44:46ID: 11106185

Are you able to place your code into a for loop and compare using .field(i)

 

by: dechPosted on 2004-05-19 at 01:46:29ID: 11106195

this way you dont have to know the column names (i.e. not table specific)

 

by: dancebertPosted on 2004-05-28 at 07:51:11ID: 11180830

Don't you think 14 open questions is excessive?

 

by: leonstrykerPosted on 2004-05-28 at 07:54:37ID: 11180871

dancebert,

As long as the questions are maintained, I do not see a problem.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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