Generate Specialized Test Data with a Custom Data Generator
By creating a custom data generator, you can generate test data that meets your organizational needs but that you cannot generate through the built-in generators. You can use custom data generators with the generators that are contained in Visual Studio Team System Database Edition to generate realistic test data that does not disclose sensitive information. To create a custom data generator, you use the classes in the Microsoft.Data.Schema.DataGenerator namespace.
Common Tasks
In the following table, you can find descriptions of common tasks that support this scenario and links to more information about how you can successfully complete those tasks.
Common Tasks |
Supporting Content |
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Get hands-on practice: You can follow the introductory walkthrough to become familiar with how to create and register a simple custom data generator. |
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Learn about data generator extensibility: If you are creating your first custom data generator, you might want to learn more before you begin. You can learn about the data generation process, the types of data generator extensibility, and the relationships between data generators, data distributions, and data generator designers. You can also learn about how to name your generator and how to automatically assign input properties. |
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Create a custom data generator: To create a custom data generator, you create the project for it and then specify input and output properties for that generator. After you build the generator, you must register it before you can use it in Database Edition. |
How to: Create Custom Data Generators How to: Add Input Properties to a Data Generator |
Try more advanced techniques for generating data: You can follow this walkthrough to create custom data generators for a check constraint. |
Walkthrough: Creating a Custom Data Generator for a Check Constraint |
Deploy custom data generator: After you verify that your generator works correctly, you can distribute it to your team. You can ask each team member to install and register the feature extension manually, or you can create a simple installation program for it. |
How to: Distribute Custom Feature Extensions to Team Members |
Use custom generator as the default for a SQL data type: You can change the default generator that is used for a specific SQL data type by specifying a custom generator. |
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Troubleshoot issues with generating data: You can learn more about how to identify and resolve common problems with data generators. |
Related Scenarios
- Generate Test Data for Databases by Using Data Generators
Before you run database unit tests, you should use a data generator to create realistic test data without exposing production data to your developers.
See Also
Tasks
Walkthrough: Creating and Running a Data Generation Plan