Back versus Attaching to MDF

Chintal my new programming parnter taught an old dog a new trick today. Instead of backing up and restoring databases simply open Windows Explorer and copy the .MDF and .LDF and zip move, copy, cut and attach back with SQL Server Management Studio SSMS.

Working with Infrastructure in the Enterprise as a Programmer Analyst

For 10 years I have been working as an analyst first then putting on the programmer hat and developing applications. In corporate America you need to concentrate on your ability to work with your infrastructure architects and be very open minded. I have learned that you must take time to explain in great detail what your solution design is doing. Most web solutions involve web servers and database servers along with needing separate environments for development, user acceptance testing and production. Your solution may be Intranet or Internet, but the key to working with your infrastructure architect is to document, document, document. Use applications such as Visio to convey to them what you are trying to accomplish in the form of a picture (Remember a picture speaks a thousand words). It will save you your sanity and provide a great working relationship with your architect. Humans are not mind readers so document and draw your solution with time and patience. And last, but not least be sure to consult with your architect and have your environments built before coding a solution and ensure all the environment mirror one another, that way you will not freak out when your app works in one environment and not the other.

Words of Wisdom from an individual who loves what they do, but has pulled a bit of hair out learning the ropes.

Thanks to my mentors

Doug Cain
Larry Leonard
Eddie Clodfelter
Troy Tucker
Robert Petree
Shaun Todd
Saran
Garry Blanks
Kelly O'Donnell

Start explorer in C:

Start Windows Explorer In The C Drive
In the Explorer property sheet use this path and switches in the target:

C:\windows\explorer.exe /n,/e,c:\

Since the first days Windows Explorer appeared, the list of switches reproduced below has been floating around the internet. I'm not sure who was the first to assemble the list but here it is in its entirety. Play around with it and see if one of the views is what you're seeking. Just copy and paste the bold text into the Target line on the Property Sheet of Windows Explorer. If it's not what you expected you can always switch back to the default view by using C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe in the Target line.

"My Computer" highlighted in left side with all drives visible but not expanded and C: highlighted in right side: %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e,/select,c:

Desktop highlighted and nothing expanded: %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e,/n,/select,/root,c:

All drives visible and the system drive highlighted and expanded in full screen: %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e,/select

All drives visible and the system drive expanded in small screen: %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e,/select,%systemroot%

Only Windows Directory visible highlighted and expanded: %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e,/root,%systemroot%

All drives visible but only C: highlighted and expanded: %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e,c:

Nothing expanded and My Computer highlighted in right side: %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /n,/e,/select,

Opens the Windows folder as a folder: %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe %systemroot%

Opens as "My Computer": %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe %systemroot%,

This opens the Desktop folder with "My Computer" highlighted: %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe %systemroot%,/select,

"Desktop" highlighted in the left side and no drives visible:
%systemroot%\explorer.exe /e,/root,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D},/select

"My Computer" highlighted in left side and all drives visible but none expanded:
%systemroot%\explorer.exe /e,/root,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}

"Desktop" in left side highlighted and "My Computer" highlighted in right side and no drives visible:
%systemroot%\explorer.exe /e,/select,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}