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Articles by Stephen Lasham
Adobe form XML parsing error due to invalid characters
This blog relates to generation of an Adobe Form via transaction code CORRHIST in SAP HANA. Normally when selecting a document to print and output to PDF as a spool file there is no issue, but in some instances the document may fail to produce due to Adobe Document Services (ADS), encountering an error with invalid characters that it cannot handle. In this instance an error occurs and the document will not produce.
TADIR object types and object descriptions via SQL
In our organisation we were upgrading SAP and neded a quick way to associate various objects with their object type and description, however these were not obviously available via SQL, so a solution was required. The primary table for objects was TADIR, but this only contained a code for obect type, so the description had to be determined from elsewhere. Note: this was required for some quick analysis; for ABAP developers there are standard methods for obtaining descriptions.
A Function Gotcha with the Use of an Asterisk – SQLServerCentral
Introduction During a recent upgrade of our software, I discovered what I assume is a little-known gotcha that I feel appropriate to document and pass on. The gotcha occurs with user-defined table functions (UDFs), when selecting columns from a table using the asterisk (select all) method. The problem then occurs only when columns are subsequently added or removed from the based over table without recreating the function.
Converting Hexadecimal String Values to Alpha (ASCII) Strings – SQLServerCentral
Overview On investigating some data, I came across a text column containing hexadecimal string information.A hexadecimal string consists of consecutive pairs of data written in base-16, with the symbols 09 and AF, where A equals 10, B equals 11, etc, up to F equals 15, i.e. "416E6E656C6F75697361".
Finding Gaps in a Sequential Number Sequence – SQLServerCentral
Overview The process of adding and more specifically deleting records from the database over time results in a large number of gaps in tables’ identifier sequence number. It may be desirable to know where the breaks are, perhaps to re-use the numbers following identification of duplicates that need renumbering or where a bulk insert is required, or perhaps to identify gaps in a cheque sequence, or analyze potential issues with the database programs creating gaps invalidly.
Reporting a menu structure using a recursive UDF – SQLServerCentral
Overview You work with a system that uses a menu, but which lacks any reporting of the menu structure. You require a way to represent the menu structure for output but due to each option being its own record, with a parent reference as a foreign key, this is difficult. What you need is a single line representation for each option, showing where it sits in the menu tree. Context After spending some time searching the internet for a simple solution I decided to design my own.
Extracting a String From Between Two Delimiting Characters – SQLServerCentral
The problem A table contains a column (particulars) consisting of a semi-colon-delimited string of text, for which the text between the first and second semi-colon needs to be extracted. The extracted text will be no longer than 99 characters. The position of the first and second semi-colons is variable and the second semi-colon may not be present. Extract the text between the semi-colons.
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