Migrating data by using copy and paste operations

You can migrate data from one table to another by using copy and paste operations in the Object List.

Before you begin

Connections must exist for the database that you want to migrate data from and for the database that you want to migrate data to.

Procedure

To migrate data, complete the following steps:

  1. Find and copy the data that you want to migrate.
    1. In the Administration Explorer, drill down to the database that contains the data to migrate and expand its contents.
    2. Click the Tables folder.
    3. In the Object List, find the table with the data that you want to migrate. You can use the Name Like field to search for the table. You can migrate data from one or more tables in the database.
    4. Select the table or tables with the data to migrate, right-click, and click Copy.
  2. Paste the data into the target database.
    1. In the Administration Explorer, drill down to the database that you want to copy the data to and expand its contents.
    2. Click the Tables folder.
    3. Right-click any row in the Object List, and click Paste.
    The Paste Database Objects wizard starts.
  3. Complete the steps in the Paste Database Objects wizard. The wizard guides you through specifying the following information:
    1. The type of copy to perform

      You can choose to copy data only or both objects and data.

    2. The source and target table pairs from which to unload and reload data

      By default, the source tables from which to unload the data are automatically paired with the target tables to which to load the data based on the names. You can change the target table to which a given source table is paired.

    Tip: When you choose to copy both database objects and data simultaneously, you do not need to specify the table mapping because the tables that are copies become the target
    When you finish the steps in the wizard, you can work with the changes in the Change Management Script Editor.

    A data design project is automatically created in the Data Project Explorer if one does not already exist for the database. The name of the existing database connection is used as the name of the data design project. If a data design project with the name of the database connection exists, the name of the new data design project is the database connection name with a numeric suffix. The data design project contains the change management script and manages the resources that are required to implement the changes to the actual database.

  4. In the Change Management Script Editor, click Preview Commands to generate and display the commands for migrating the data in the Commands section. Review the commands.

    Click View Change Report if you want to review the Summary of Changes report before you deploy your changes. The report describes the changes that are being made and the impact of those changes on other objects.

  5. Optional: To change the location for the unload data file, the methods to unload or reload the data, or how unloaded columns are mapped to reloaded columns, click Data Options to start the Customize Data Preservation wizard. Complete the steps in the Customize Data Preservation wizard.
    Tip: When you migrate data, new rows are added to the target table. The target table might contain columns that the source table does not contain. If the target table contains columns that are defined as NOT NULL and that do not have a default value, you can customize the SELECT clause in the unload command on the Customize Unload Commands page of the wizard.
  6. Click Run to start the Deploy Change Commands wizard.
  7. Review the change commands, and click Finish to migrate the data.

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