# How to model large SqlServer database **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [August 28, 2007, 12:55pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-model-large-sqlserver-database/113179 "2007-08-28T12:55:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![clive](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@clive](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/clive)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 12:55pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-model-large-sqlserver-database/113179/1 "2007-08-28T12:55:58Z")
I have been contracted to work on an intranet using Rails to generate content. Part of this work is to model and generate queries on the legacy SQL Server 2000 database that contains about 80 tables. The database itself is in 3NF form and follows an in-house naming convention that I cannot change. My question is this: would I need to model all the tables within this database to be able to create the queries that I need under Rails? Or would it be better to create stored procedures (not the Rails way) within the database, and model a/some view(s) from the database? I would appreciate any thoughts and/or help. Clive ---
**Author:** ![clive](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@clive](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/clive)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 5:12pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-model-large-sqlserver-database/113179/2 "2007-08-28T17:12:55Z")
take a look to dr nic magic models: [http://magicmodels.rubyforge.org/dr\_nic\_magic\_models/](http://magicmodels.rubyforge.org/dr_nic_magic_models/) models for your tables are ‘generated’ on the fly, without write a single line (i don’t know about performance side effects). Raffa ---
**Author:** ![clive](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@clive](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/clive)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 8:28pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-model-large-sqlserver-database/113179/3 "2007-08-28T20:28:23Z")
Thanks for the link - I used the modules there, but i still have an issue with registering the primary keys and the database names, for some reason the set\_table\_name and set\_primary\_key calls are being ignored on the tables that I am using to test, magic models didn’t seem to pick up the primary keys or the foreign ones - looks like I will need to look harder in the documentation. Again thanks for the link Clive ---
**Author:** ![clive](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@clive](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/clive)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 1:30pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-model-large-sqlserver-database/113179/4 "2007-08-29T13:30:10Z")
Thanks for the response - looks like I am going to have to bite the bullet and get on with it. From a Rails perspective, these databases are a mess, in fact from a SQL Server perspective they are a mess and the company knows it, what they won’t do is use some resource to clean them up. > From some initial testing, the framework seems to be ignoring the > set\_primary\_key setting that I have provided for the test table, but > maybe I have set the query up wrong or something - will go back and > check. Best get the waders on. Clive ---
**Author:** ![clive](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@clive](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/clive)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 6:37am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-model-large-sqlserver-database/113179/5 "2007-08-29T06:37:21Z")
I would just create models for each table (script/generate model table\_name), then get real familiar with ‘set\_table\_name’, and ‘set\_primary\_key’. If they are using compound primary keys, then you’ll need Dr Nic’s ‘CompoundPrimaryKey’ gem. I’d also recommend creating the associations manually and not using the ‘magic models’ plugin. I’ve done it with our in-house SQL Server db’s and it works fine… Good Luck, Rich C.