# pipelinewise-tap-mssql
[Singer](https://www.singer.io/) tap that extracts data from a [mssql](https://www.mssql.com/) database and produces JSON-formatted data following the [Singer spec](https://github.com/singer-io/getting-started/blob/master/docs/SPEC.md).
This is a fork from a [PipelineWise](https://transferwise.github.io/pipelinewise) compatible tap connector to add a log_based replication method for use with [Change Tracking](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/relational-databases/track-changes/about-change-tracking-sql-server).
## How to use it
The recommended method of running this tap is to use it from [PipelineWise](https://transferwise.github.io/pipelinewise). When running it from PipelineWise you don't need to configure this tap with JSON files and most of things are automated. Please check the related documentation at [Tap mssql](https://transferwise.github.io/pipelinewise/connectors/taps/mssql.html)
This tap has also been tested with [Meltano](https://meltano.com) and can be configured as part of their ELT for the DataOps era.
If you want to run this [Singer Tap](https://singer.io) independently please read further.
## Usage
This section dives into basic usage of `tap-mssql` by walking through extracting
data from a table. It assumes that you can connect to and read from a mssql
database.
### Install
First, make sure Python 3 is installed on your system or follow these
installation instructions for [Mac](http://docs.python-guide.org/en/latest/starting/install3/osx/) or
[Ubuntu](https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-install-python-3-and-set-up-a-local-programming-environment-on-ubuntu-16-04).
It's recommended to use a virtualenv:
```bash
python3 -m venv venv
pip install pipelinewise-tap-mssql
```
or
```bash
python3 -m venv venv
. venv/bin/activate
pip install --upgrade pip
pip install .
```
### Have a source database
There's some important business data siloed in this mssql database -- we need to
extract it. Here's the table we'd like to sync:
```
mssql> select * from example_db.animals;
+----|----------|----------------------+
| id | name | likes_getting_petted |
+----|----------|----------------------+
| 1 | aardvark | 0 |
| 2 | bear | 0 |
| 3 | cow | 1 |
+----|----------|----------------------+
3 rows in set (0.00 sec)
```
### Create the configuration file
Create a config file containing the database connection credentials, e.g.:
```json
{
"host": "localhost",
"database": "db",
"port": "3306",
"user": "root",
"password": "password",
"include_schemas_in_destination_stream_name": true
}
```
These are the same basic configuration properties used by the mssql command-line
client (`mssql`).
### Discovery mode
The tap can be invoked in discovery mode to find the available tables and
columns in the database:
```bash
$ tap-mssql --config config.json --discover
```
A discovered catalog is output, with a JSON-schema description of each table. A
source table directly corresponds to a Singer stream.
```json
{
"streams": [
{
"tap_stream_id": "example_db-animals",
"table_name": "animals",
"schema": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"name": {
"inclusion": "available",
"type": [
"null",
"string"
],
"maxLength": 255
},
"id": {
"inclusion": "automatic",
"minimum": -2147483648,
"maximum": 2147483647,
"type": [
"null",
"integer"
]
},
"likes_getting_petted": {
"inclusion": "available",
"type": [
"null",
"boolean"
]
}
}
},
"metadata": [
{
"breadcrumb": [],
"metadata": {
"row-count": 3,
"table-key-properties": [
"id"
],
"database-name": "example_db",
"selected-by-default": false,
"is-view": false,
}
},
{
"breadcrumb": [
"properties",
"id"
],
"metadata": {
"sql-datatype": "int(11)",
"selected-by-default": true
}
},
{
"breadcrumb": [
"properties",
"name"
],
"metadata": {
"sql-datatype": "varchar(255)",
"selected-by-default": true
}
},
{
"breadcrumb": [
"properties",
"likes_getting_petted"
],
"metadata": {
"sql-datatype": "tinyint(1)",
"selected-by-default": true
}
}
],
"stream": "animals"
}
]
}
```
### Field selection
In sync mode, `tap-mssql` consumes the catalog and looks for tables and fields
have been marked as _selected_ in their associated metadata entries.
Redirect output from the tap's discovery mode to a file so that it can be
modified:
```bash
$ tap-mssql -c config.json --discover > properties.json
```
Then edit `properties.json` to make selections. In this example we want the
`animals` table. The stream's metadata entry (associated with `"breadcrumb": []`)
gets a top-level `selected` flag, as does its columns' metadata entries. Additionally,
we will mark the `animals` table to replicate using a `FULL_TABLE` strategy. For more,
information, see [Replication methods and state file](#replication-methods-and-state-file).
```json
[
{
"breadcrumb": [],
"metadata": {
"row-count": 3,
"table-key-properties": [
"id"
],
"database-name": "example_db",
"selected-by-default": false,
"is-view": false,
"selected": true,
"replication-method": "FULL_TABLE"
}
},
{
"breadcrumb": [
"properties",
"id"
],
"metadata": {
"sql-datatype": "int(11)",
"selected-by-default": true,
"selected": true
}
},
{
"breadcrumb": [
"properties",
"name"
],
"metadata": {
"sql-datatype": "varchar(255)",
"selected-by-default": true,
"selected": true
}
},
{
"breadcrumb": [
"properties",
"likes_getting_petted"
],
"metadata": {
"sql-datatype": "tinyint(1)",
"selected-by-default": true,
"selected": true
}
}
]
```
### Sync mode
With a properties catalog that describes field and table selections, the tap can be invoked in sync mode:
```bash
$ tap-mssql -c config.json --properties properties.json
```
Messages are written to standard output following the Singer specification. The
resultant stream of JSON data can be consumed by a Singer target.
```json
{"value": {"currently_syncing": "example_db-animals"}, "type": "STATE"}
{"key_properties": ["id"], "stream": "animals", "schema": {"properties": {"name": {"inclusion": "available", "maxLength": 255, "type": ["null", "string"]}, "likes_getting_petted": {"inclusion": "available", "type": ["null", "boolean"]}, "id": {"inclusion": "automatic", "minimum": -2147483648, "type": ["null", "integer"], "maximum": 2147483647}}, "type": "object"}, "type": "SCHEMA"}
{"stream": "animals", "version": 1509133344771, "type": "ACTIVATE_VERSION"}
{"record": {"name": "aardvark", "likes_getting_petted": false, "id": 1}, "stream": "animals", "version": 1509133344771, "type": "RECORD"}
{"record": {"name": "bear", "likes_getting_petted": false, "id": 2}, "stream": "animals", "version": 1509133344771, "type": "RECORD"}
{"record": {"name": "cow", "likes_getting_petted": true, "id": 3}, "stream": "animals", "version": 1509133344771, "type": "RECORD"}
{"stream": "animals", "version": 1509133344771, "type": "ACTIVATE_VERSION"}
{"value": {"currently_syncing": "example_db-animals", "bookmarks": {"example_db-animals": {"initial_full_table_complete": true}}}, "type": "STATE"}
{"value": {"currently_syncing": null, "bookmarks": {"example_db-animals": {"initial_full_table_complete": true}}}, "type": "STATE"}
```
## Replication methods and state file
In the above example, we invoked `tap-mssql` without providing a _state_ file
and without specifying a replication method. The three ways to replicate a given
table are `FULL_TABLE`, `INCREMENTAL`, and `LOG_BASED`.
### Full Table
Full-table replication extracts all data from the source table each time the tap
is invoked.
### Incremental
Incremental replication works in conjunction with a state file to only extract
new records each time the tap is invoked. This requires a replication key to be
specified in the table's metadata as well.
### Log Based
Log based replication works in conjunction with a state file to extract
new and changed records that have been recorded by SQL Server Change Tracking each time the tap is invoked. This requires change tracking to be enabled on the source database as well as each table to be replicated with this method. The initial sync with this method will default to full table, and log based replication will occur on subsequent runs.
#### Examples
Let's sync the `animals` table again, but this time using incremental
replication. The replication method and replication key are set in the
table's metadata entry in properties file:
```json
{
"streams": [
{
"tap_stream_id": "example_db-animals",
"table_name": "animals",
"schema": { ... },
"metadata": [
{
"breadcrumb": [],
"metadata": {
"row-count": 3,
"table-key-properties": [
"id"
],
"database-name": "example_db",
"selected-by-default": false,
"is-view": false,
"replication-method": "INCREMENTAL",
"replication-key": "id"
}
},
...
],
"stream": "animals"
}
]
}
```
We have no meaningful state so far, so just invoke the tap in sync mode again
without a state file:
```bash
$ tap-mssql -c config.json --properties properties.json
```
The output messages look very similar to when the table was replicated using the
default `FULL_TABLE` replication method. One important difference is that the
`STATE` messages now contain a `replication_key_value` -- a bookmark or
high-water mark -- for data that was extracted:
```json
{"type": "STATE", "value": {"currently_syncing": "example_db-animals"}}
{"stream": "animals", "type": "SCHEMA", "schema": {"type": "object", "properties": {"id": {"type": ["null", "integer"], "minimum": -2147483648, "maximum": 2147483647, "inclusion": "automatic"}, "name": {"type": ["null", "string"], "inclusion": "available", "maxLength": 255}, "likes_getting_petted": {"type": ["null", "boolean"], "inclusion": "available"}}}, "key_properties": ["id"]}
{"stream": "animals", "type": "ACTIVATE_VERSION", "version": 1509135204169}
{"stream": "animals", "type": "RECORD", "version": 1509135204169, "record": {"id": 1, "name": "aardvark", "likes_getting_petted": false}}
{"stream": "animals", "type": "RECORD", "version": 1509135204169, "record": {"id": 2, "name": "bear", "likes_getting_petted": false}}
{"stream": "animals", "type": "RECORD", "version": 1509135204169, "record": {"id": 3, "name": "cow", "likes_getting_petted": true}}
{"type": "STATE", "value": {"bookmarks": {"example_db-animals": {"version": 1509135204169, "replication_key_value": 3, "replication_key": "id"}}, "currently_syncing": "example_db-animals"}}
{"type": "STATE", "value": {"bookmarks": {"example_db-animals": {"version": 1509135204169, "replication_key_value": 3, "replication_key": "id"}}, "currently_syncing": null}}
```
Note that the final `STATE` message has a `replication_key_value` of `3`,
reflecting that the extraction ended on a record that had an `id` of `3`.
Subsequent invocations of the tap will pick up from this bookmark.
Normally, the target will echo the last `STATE` after it's finished processing
data. For this example, let's manually write a `state.json` file using the
`STATE` message:
```json
{
"bookmarks": {
"example_db-animals": {
"version": 1509135204169,
"replication_key_value": 3,
"replication_key": "id"
}
},
"currently_syncing": null
}
```
Let's add some more animals to our farm:
```
mssql> insert into animals (name, likes_getting_petted) values ('dog', true), ('elephant', true), ('frog', false);
```
```bash
$ tap-mssql -c config.json --properties properties.json --state state.json
```
This invocation extracts any data since (and including) the
`replication_key_value`:
```json
{"type": "STATE", "value": {"bookmarks": {"example_db-animals": {"replication_key": "id", "version": 1509135204169, "replication_key_value": 3}}, "currently_syncing": "example_db-animals"}}
{"key_properties": ["id"], "schema": {"properties": {"name": {"maxLength": 255, "inclusion": "available", "type": ["null", "string"]}, "id": {"maximum": 2147483647, "minimum": -2147483648, "inclusion": "automatic", "type": ["null", "integer"]}, "likes_getting_petted": {"inclusion": "available", "type": ["null", "boolean"]}}, "type": "object"}, "type": "SCHEMA", "stream": "animals"}
{"type": "ACTIVATE_VERSION", "version": 1509135204169, "stream": "animals"}
{"record": {"name": "cow", "id": 3, "likes_getting_petted": true}, "type": "RECORD", "version": 1509135204169, "stream": "animals"}
{"record": {"name": "dog", "id": 4, "likes_getting_petted": true}, "type": "RECORD", "version": 1509135204169, "stream": "animals"}
{"record": {"name": "elephant", "id": 5, "likes_getting_petted": true}, "type": "RECORD", "version": 1509135204169, "stream": "animals"}
{"record": {"name": "frog", "id": 6, "likes_getting_petted": false}, "type": "RECORD", "version": 1509135204169, "stream": "animals"}
{"type": "STATE", "value": {"bookmarks": {"example_db-animals": {"replication_key": "id", "version": 1509135204169, "replication_key_value": 6}}, "currently_syncing": "example_db-animals"}}
{"type": "STATE", "value": {"bookmarks": {"example_db-animals": {"replication_key": "id", "version": 1509135204169, "replication_key_value": 6}}, "currently_syncing": null}}
```
## Development
### Running Tests
1. Install test dependencies:
```bash
python3 -m venv .venv
. .venv/bin/activate
pip install --upgrade pip
pip install '.[test]' # or pip install -e '.[test]'
```
2. Running the unit tests:
```bash
pytest tests/unit
```
3. Running the unit tests with coverage:
```bash
coverage run -m pytest -vv --disable-pytest-warnings tests/unit && coverage report
```
### Running pylint
1. Install test dependencies:
```bash
python3 -m venv .venv
. .venv/bin/activate
pip install --upgrade pip
pip install '.[test]' # or pip install -e '.[test]'
```
2. Run pylint
```bash
pylint tap_mssql
```
---
Based on Stitch documentation