Hi,

I was wondering how other people go about updating their production (live) database schemas.
We've looked into the SchemaUpdate tool, but the documentation suggests it only works with .hbm files, or at least
doesn't explain how to use it in conjunction with annotations.

Basically, we're looking for a way to update a schema (using DDL statements: ALTER TABLE, etc.) in a database vendor-agnostic way.
Moreover, it's not always clear what has changed in the schema, since
we're modifying objects/mappings/etc. rather than actual tables and columns.

We're using Hibernate 3.2.6.ga.

Thanks,

--jon

At the moment I'm looking into LiquiBase

http://sourceforge.net/projects/liquibase/

Seems like it can do the job..


Cheers

G

Goran,

Thanks for your reply.

WRT SchemaUpdate, I've found confirmation via multiple sources (including the Hibernate docs), that SchemaUpdate was never intended for use in a production environment:



I've been asked to put Liquibase through a proper analysis, but I wonder, have you had any positive (or otherwise) experience to report?

Thanks,

--jon

We are using the SchemaUpdate utility supplied by Hibernate in our project. I think it works well, but there are some things it can't do.

1. For new tables I can see no difference from a completely new installation
2. New columns in existing tables will not get any NOT NULL constraints or any default values
3. It can't change the datatype of existing columns
4. It doesn't add indexes to new or existing columns unless the table they live in is also new

There are probably more things it can't do, but the list above are the typical things we have come across. If we need special handling for 2-4 we have included the possibility to execute a manually written SQL script as well.

At my company, we have used hibernate for over a year and recently started using Liquibase with great success. We quickly discovered, however, that we wanted something that integrates Hibernate with Liquibase in our development environment Intellij IDEA. We decided to write a plugin that maintains the Liquibase file based on changes to the annotated Hibernate model.

You can find more information here:

http://plugins.intellij.net/plugin/?id=3698

From the description:

Liquibase EJB Integration Plug-in for IntelliJ IDEA. Compares Liquibase Database ChangeLog with EJB entity model providing inspections and intentions adding to ChangeLog.

Examples include:
* Add a new entity -> inspection to add liquibase addTable
* Add a new entity field -> inspection to add liquibase addColumn
* Change type of field -> inspection to add liquibase modifyColumn
* Rename field -> dialog to add liquibase renameColumn.

Other features:
* Liquibase EJB facet to configure and create changelog file.
* Context sensentive completion of table and column names within a changelog file.
* Tool window with schema as would be created by liquibase changelog as well as EJB model.