Voice of the DBA

Category: Blog

  • Executing PoSh line by line in VS Code

    Another post for me that is simple and hopefully serves as an example for people trying to get blogging as #SQLNewBloggers.

    I’ve had to relearn this trick multiple times, so I decided to write a post. The simple answer is highlight code and press F8.

    I’ve come to enjoy writing PoSh in VS Code, but I often end up writing a bunch of the code in a command window, trying out specific things. Often this is because I’m working in a specific folder. Sometimes I’ll get caught up in typing in the VS Code terminal, forgetting to edit the actual script.

    Lots of sites have posts on this, but the simple thing is to pick a line and then click F8. The code will run in your terminal window, and you can see the results. Here’s an example for me.

    2020-04-21 12_51_44-● $filter = _e__Documents_GitHub_MultiTena • Untitled-2 - Visual Studio Code

    You can actually just put the cursor on a line and click F8. I’ve got a short gif that shows this.

    poshvscode

    The next time you want to work through a PoSh problem line by line, consider using VS Code and F8.

    SQLNewBlogger

    This is one of those things I’ve googled too many times. So I took 4-5 minutes to just type this up, grab a couple screenshots, and put this together.

    It’s focused tightly on one thing, executing PoSh. I don’t need to explain more to show this piece of knowledge, and hopefully remember it in the future.

  • Daily Coping 4 May 2020

    I’ve started to add a daily coping tip to the SQLServerCentral newsletter, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here.

    Today’s tip is to send friends a photo of a time you all enjoyed together.

    I take a lot of photos. In fact, I’ve sent a few out over the last couple months as I touch base with some people and check on them. I actually had fun with a twitter thread early this year, looking back at the last decade.

    For the SQL Community, here are a few that I want to share (I’ll send out to others).

    On the original kilt day:

    Kilt day at Sqlpass

    The big guy doesn’t love hugs, but he also doesn’t run away

    IMG_1941

    This guy is always happy. I hope I see him sometime soon.

    IMG_1950

    I miss Shaw.

    Photo Apr 15, 8 28 42 PM

    The silliest co-worker

    Photo Oct 10, 5 59 09 PM

    A technical genius

    Photo Jul 13, 3 06 44 AM

    #GeauxTigers

    Rob_BatonRouge

    The photographer posing with me

    Steve_rodney_2011

  • Goal Progress–Apr 2020

    Time for my monthly progess report on goals. I set goals and had an update last month. This month, I’ve had a reminder for 4 days that says “work on goals” on my desktop. The reason it says 4 days is that I dismissed it last week. Otherwise it would say 11 days.

    Reading

    I haven’t tackled the non fiction, non technical book other than a few pages. However I did go through another chapter in the Pro Power BI Desktop book. Most of the intermediate chapters I skimmed through last month or early this month were based on loading data from different sources. Those are all variations on a theme, so I didn’t do much more than skim.

    Chapter 7, however, on transforming data, was more interesting. This is where I can use some skills, and where I learned how to do somethings like change the locale interpretation for data. Things I need to do since I work with UK data at times and I’m a US date person. I practiced a few things so I did learn a bit.

    Projects

    No specific progress, but I did start working on a live stairway class, going through DAX stuff, which will help me here.

    Report

    Overall, I’m failing at these goals, but coping with life.

    I’ll give myself a D for now.

  • Daily Coping 1 May 2020

    I’ve started to add a daily coping tip to the SQLServerCentral newsletter, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here.

    The tip to day is to focus on what you can do rather than what you can’t.

    I think I wasted three weeks (or more) thinking about what I couldn’t do. I missed a trip to the UK, I missed volleyball tournaments. Even weeks later, as I accepted some of the changes, I still was saddened as reminders came up for things to do (I had a couple other trips), or cancellations appeared (SQL Sat Richmond and Va Beach). Even now, I mourn some of the events that Redgate had tentatively planned, which are unlikely to take place.

    Slowly I’m learning to appreciate other things. I’ve gotten caught up on some ranch repairs, which would have been harder if I was in the “normal” busy schedule.

    I get to cook more and eat dinner with the family. Those are things I do because I have more time, life is slower, and my daughter is home from college.

    I’m able to row more at home, which is something I haven’t done in a decade. Not that I don’t miss other things, but I have learned to appreciate rowing a couple times a week as a way of getting exercise. I’m also drinking more water (coping 25 Apr) with the water bottles filled up every morning.

    More importantly, I get more time with my wife, which is great. I’m even riding with her some days, which she loves.

    20200419_114346