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Sherlock

Sherlock makes it easy for the whole team to ask questions of the database, by providing an instant front-end onto SQL files prepared by devs, DBAs, or analysts.

It can be useful for troubleshooting config tables in a database or simply asking questions about the setup of entities, like, which products can this user see?

Config

  1. Install the site in IIS with a .Net 4 application pool
  2. Set up a database connection in web.config
  3. Put some SQL files in the SQL directory or create folders for flows (see below)

Query Flows

A Query Flow is a load of questions about the same topic.

You can create multiple flows by putting SQL files in subdirectories, and users will see a dropdown in Sherlock to pick which flow they want to go down.

If you put SQL files directly in the /sql directory, they will be treated as a flow called 'Default', and you won't see the flow selection dropdown.

You might have a default flow with these queries:

/sql/0. Check the user exists and is active.sql
/sql/1. Check the user can see products.sql
/sql/2. Check the user has permission to add products.sql

Each query is a "step" in the flow with a Next and Previous button.

If you create subdirectories in the /sql directory, the directory names will be used as the Flow names and you won't see the Default flow any more. E.g.

/sql/Users/0. Check the user exists and is active.sql
/sql/Users/1. Check the user can see products.sql
/sql/Products/0. Check the product exists.sql
/sql/Products/1. Check the product is included in a listing.sql

SQL

An SQL filename must start with a number followed by dot, and have a meaningful name in plain language, E.g. 4. One or more discount criteria exist.sql

Sherlock does a little bit of parsing on your SQL files to:

  • Extract parameter definitions
  • Extract comments (optionally)
  • Remove GO statements

An SQL file must contain one or more DECLARE (or declare) statements with a name and type, but no default value:

  • DECLARE @UserId int = Right
  • DECLARE @UserId int = 1001 = Wrong

Parameter names are not case sensitive.

You may add comments using -- Inline or /* Block */ syntax - they will be pulled through into the heading of the results panel. Please note that extra asterisk * symbols will be stripped out of comments.

Each SQL file must run only one query - the parser will remove GO statements.

Your SQL files can have side effects if you want. Remember that they will be run everytime the user clicks the 'Next' button on the query, and can be re-run an unlimited number of times.