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Can I read the transaction log?

I want to know what changes makes a program to a database.
I don't know what tables may be affected, or if it's updating, deleting or inserting records in one or more tables.
So I can do 2 things:
Compare the whole database "before" and "now"
Read the transactions that where inserted in the transaction log

I think the second solution might be easier, because the database is quite big...

So, how can I do it (step by step)?

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

arbert

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Chofo

ASKER

Brett: thank you for your answer, it's good to know which are all the different approaches to the subject

I've just downloaded a free trial, and I'm also developing some triggers to find out which tables change...
but I don't know how to learn what changed in the table without having to compare the whole table "before" and "after".
For instance, if the "delete" triggers, how do I know which record was deleted?
Is there a shortcut?

arbert

Basically, if you have good primary keys on your table, you will know what record was updated, deleted, or inserted.

Here are a couple of useful links on auditing:

http://www.sql-server-performance.com/auto_audit_2_spotlight.asp
http://www.nigelrivett.net/AuditTrailTrigger.html

Brett

Chofo

ASKER

Brett:
I don't quite agree with your statement about primary keys, updates will tend to be next to the bottom, but that's not necessary...

Thanks for the links...

Chofo

arbert

"next to the bottom" what do you mean? If the table has a primary key on it, you know EXACTLY what record was affected by an operation..........

Chofo

ASKER

But... how do you know the ID of the record updated?
I can get if it was an update, delete or insert; but how do I know the ID of the primary key?

arbert

What do you mean the "ID of the primary key"? If you know the primary key, that is the exact key that is needed to find a record in the database.....

Chofo

ASKER

OK, ID, primary key, it's the same to me. How do you know which was the record affected by the table update, delete or insert? Is it there an SQL variable containing the primary key of the last record updated, deleted or inserted? What's its name? How do I get the value?
Or else, can I get the "SQL string" executed over the table?

arbert

Nope, you have to know the primary key. If you're coding the trigger or stored proc, I would hope that you know what it is.

As far as getting the SQL string that executed, the only way to do that (right now anyway) is with profiler. When you try and get the sql from within a trigger (fn_get_sql) it returns the actual code of the trigger (thanks microsoft)....

Chofo

ASKER

OK, thank you very much!
You've been really helpful...

Chofo