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title Creating Variable Value Files (AccessToSQL) | Microsoft Docs
ms.prod sql
ms.custom
ms.date 08/17/2017
ms.reviewer
ms.technology ssma
ms.topic conceptual
ms.assetid 808595c3-8ef1-40bd-a93e-5cf237950e08
author Shamikg
ms.author Shamikg

Creating Variable Value Files (AccessToSQL)

A Variable Value File is an XML file comprising the parameter values of commands (such as the source or destination server name) that frequently change across server migrations. When a large number of database migrations occur, multiple variable files for storing the value of each source server are created and referenced in a master script file with the -v switch at command line. This behavior helps in maintaining static values in a few script files with the variable values in multiple variable files.

Note

  • Variable names are prefixed and suffixed with a $ (dollar) symbol. If a variable is not assigned a value in the variable value file, an error during the parsing of the script file will occur, resulting in stalling the console execution process.
  • The escape character for $ is $$. If the value of a variable or static value of a parameter contains a $ (dollar) symbol, then $$ must be specified to treat it as a character instead of a variable.
  • For maintainability purposes, variables can be declared inside 'variable-group' elements for logical separation of user-defined variables. Usage of this element is not mandatory.

Examples:

Example 1:

<!--Sample of variable value file commands-->  
  
<variables>  
  
  <variable-group name="ProjectSpecs">  
  
    <variable name="$type$" value="MyProject"/>  
  
    <variable name="$project_folder$" value=".\$project_name$"/>  
  
    <variable name="$project_name$" value="$type$ConsoleProject"/>  
  
    <variable name="$project_overwrite$" value="true"/>  
  
    <variable name="$project_type$" value="sql-server-2008"/>  
  
  </variable-group>  
  
</variables>

Example 2:

<!--Sample of variable value file commands-->  
  
<variables>  
  
  <variable-group name="SQLServerParams">  
  
    <variable-group name="SqlServerConnectionParams">  
  
      <variable name="$TargetServerName$" value="xxx"/>  
  
      <variable name="$TargetDB$" value="xxx"/>  
  
      <variable name="$TargetUserName$" value="xxx"/>  
  
      <variable name="$TargetPassword$" value="xxx"/>  
  
      <variable name="$TargetIsTrusted$" value="xxx"/>  
  
      <variable name="$TrustedConnection$" value="xxx"/>  
  
    </variable-group>  
  
    <variable-group name="SqlServerObjectParams">  
  
      <variable name="$ObjectName1$" value="TestTable1"/>  
  
      <variable name="$ObjectName2$" value="TestProc1"/>  
  
    </variable-group>  
  
  </variable-group>  
  
</variables>

Variable value file validation

The user can easily validate his/her variable value file against the schema definition file ConsoleScriptVariablesSchema.xsd available in the 'Schemas' folder.

Next step

The next step in operating the console is Creating the Server Connection Files (AccessToSQL)

See also

Creating the Server Connection Files (Access)