1. Biml for Beginners:
Speed up your SSIS development
Cathrine Wilhelmsen · SQLSaturday Iceland · June 18th 2016

2. Thank you to our sponsors!
SQL SATURDAY | #516 | REYKJAVIK 2016

3. Session Description
SSIS is a powerful tool for extracting, transforming and loading data, but creating and maintaining a large
number of SSIS packages can be both tedious and time-consuming. Even if you use templates and follow
best practices you often have to repeat the same steps over and over and over again. Handling metadata
and schema changes is a manual process, and there are no easy ways to implement new requirements in
multiple packages at the same time.
It is time to bring the Don't Repeat Yourself (DRY) software engineering principle to SSIS projects. First
learn how to use Biml and BimlScript to generate SSIS packages from database metadata and implement
changes in all packages with just a few clicks. Then take the DRY principle one step further and learn how
to update all packages in multiple projects by separating and reusing common code.
Speed up your SSIS development by using Biml and BimlScript, and see how you can complete in a day
what once took more than a week!

4. Biml Basics Tools & Projects
Code Management
…the next 60 minutes…

5. Cathrine Wilhelmsen
@cathrinew
cathrinew.net
Data Warehouse Architect
Business Intelligence Developer

6. You…
…?
SSIS developer
Easily bored
Tired of repetitive work

7. Work…
…?
Long development time
Many SSIS packages
Frequent requirement changes

8. job done!
new standards
...yay
Ever experienced this?

9. Ready for a change?

11. What is Biml?
Business Intelligence Markup Language
Easy to read and write XML language
Describes business intelligence objects:
• Databases, Schemas, Tables, Views, Columns
• SSIS Packages
• SSAS Cubes

12. Why use Biml?
SSIS: Plumbing Biml: Business Logic

13. SSIS: Plumbing
Time wasted on dragging, dropping, connecting, aligning
Create the same package over and over and over again with just a few changes
Standards, patterns and templates must be defined up-front
Changes must be done in every single package
High risk of manual errors
More packages, more time

14. Biml: Business Logic
Spend time on what is unique in a package
Create a pattern once and reuse for all similar packages
Handle scope and requirement changes quickly and easily
Changes can be applied to all packages at once
Lower risk of manual errors
Longer time to start, but then reuse and scale

15. Will Biml solve all your challenges?
Probably not...
Biml is a tool for generating SSIS packages
Biml is not a pre-defined ETL framework
Biml is not a tool for automated deployment
...but it will solve many challenges!

16. How can Biml help you?
Biml is great for large projects with common patterns…
Timesaving: Many SSIS packages from one Biml file
Reusable: Write once and run on any platform
Flexible: Start simple, expand as you learn
…but is also useful for smaller projects!

17. What do you need?

18. BIDS Helper
Free open-source add-in for Visual Studio
60+ features for SSIS, SSAS and SSRS
Includes basic Biml package generator
bidshelper.codeplex.com

19. …or you can use the new Biml tools

20. BimlExpress
Free add-in for Visual Studio
Code editor with syntax highlighting and Biml Intellisense
More frequent updates than BIDS Helper
varigence.com/bimlexpress

21. BimlOnline
Free browser-based Biml editor
Code editor with Biml and C# Intellisense
Reverse-engineer from SSIS to Biml
bimlonline.com

22. BimlStudio
Licensed full-featured development environment for Biml
Visual designer and metadata modeling
Full-stack automation and transformers
varigence.com/bimlstudio

23. How does it work?
…generated packages look exactly like manually created packages

24. Biml syntax
<Biml xmlns="http://schemas.varigence.com/biml.xsd">
<Packages>
<Package Name="EmptyPackage1"></Package>
<Package Name="EmptyPackage2"/>
</Packages>
</Biml>

25. Biml syntax: Root Element
<Biml xmlns="http://schemas.varigence.com/biml.xsd">
<Packages>
<Package Name="EmptyPackage1"></Package>
<Package Name="EmptyPackage2"/>
</Packages>
</Biml>

26. Biml syntax: Collections of Root Elements
<Biml xmlns="http://schemas.varigence.com/biml.xsd">
<Packages>
<Package Name="EmptyPackage1"></Package>
<Package Name="EmptyPackage2"/>
</Packages>
</Biml>

27. Biml syntax: Elements
<Biml xmlns="http://schemas.varigence.com/biml.xsd">
<Packages>
<Package Name="EmptyPackage1"></Package>
<Package Name="EmptyPackage2"/>
</Packages>
</Biml>

28. Biml syntax: Attributes
<Biml xmlns="http://schemas.varigence.com/biml.xsd">
<Packages>
<Package Name="EmptyPackage1"></Package>
<Package Name="EmptyPackage2"/>
</Packages>
</Biml>

29. Biml syntax: Full vs. Shorthand Syntax
<Biml xmlns="http://schemas.varigence.com/biml.xsd">
<Packages>
<Package Name="EmptyPackage1"></Package>
<Package Name="EmptyPackage2"/>
</Packages>
</Biml>

30. Let's generate
some packages!

31. Goal: Load from source to staging

32. Add New Biml File from BimlExpress menu…

33. …or right-click on SSIS project to Add New Biml File

34. Biml files are placed under Miscellaneous

35. Check Biml For Errors from BimlExpress menu…

36. …or right-click on file to Check Biml For Errors

37. Generate SSIS Packages from BimlExpress menu…

38. …or right-click on file to Generate SSIS Packages

39. From Biml to SSIS: Control Flow
<Package Name="TruncateLoad" ConstraintMode="Linear">
<Tasks>
<ExecuteSQL Name="Truncate Table" ConnectionName="Staging">
<DirectInput>TRUNCATE TABLE DestinationTable</DirectInput>
</ExecuteSQL>
<Dataflow Name="Load Table">
<Transformations>...</Transformations>
</Dataflow>
</Tasks>
</Package>

40. From Biml to SSIS: Data Flow
<Transformations>
<OleDbSource Name="Source" ConnectionName="AW2014">
<ExternalTableInput Table="SourceTable" />
</OleDbSource>
<DerivedColumns Name="Add LoadDate">
<Columns>
<Column Name="LoadDate" DataType="DateTime">
@[System::StartTime]
</Column>
</Columns>
</DerivedColumns>
<OleDbDestination Name="Destination" ConnectionName="Staging">
<ExternalTableOutput Table="DestinationTable" />
</OleDbDestination>
</Transformations>

41. .biml vs .dtsx: human-readable vs ALL THE CODE!
(20% zoom)(150% zoom)

42. Ok, so we can go from Biml to SSIS…

43. …can we go from SSIS to Biml?

44. Yes! 

45. Let's reverse-engineer
some packages!

46. Package Importer in BimlOnline

47. Choose a File

48. Convert from SSIS to Biml

49. Choose and filter assets

50. Copy the Biml…

51. …or Create /Add to BimlOnline Project

52. The magic is in the

53. What is BimlScript?
Extend Biml with C# or VB code blocks
Import database structure and metadata
Loop over tables and columns
Expressions replace static values
Allows you to generate, control and manipulate Biml code

54. BimlScript Code Nuggets
<# … #> Control Nuggets (Control logic)
<#= … #> Text Nuggets (Returns string)
<#@ … #> Directives (Compiler instructions)
<#+ … #> Class Nuggets (Create C# classes)

55. BimlScript Syntax
<Biml xmlns="http://schemas.varigence.com/biml.xsd">
<Packages>
<# foreach (var table in RootNode.Tables) { #>
<Package Name="Load_<#=table.Name#>"></Package>
<# } #>
</Packages>
</Biml>

56. BimlScript Syntax: Control Nuggets
<Biml xmlns="http://schemas.varigence.com/biml.xsd">
<Packages>
<# foreach (var table in RootNode.Tables) { #>
<Package Name="Load_<#=table.Name#>"></Package>
<# } #>
</Packages>
</Biml>

57. BimlScript Syntax: Text Nuggets
<Biml xmlns="http://schemas.varigence.com/biml.xsd">
<Packages>
<# foreach (var table in RootNode.Tables) { #>
<Package Name="Load_<#=table.Name#>"></Package>
<# } #>
</Packages>
</Biml>

58. How does it work?

59. Yes, but how does it work?

60. Yes, but how does it actually work?
<Biml xmlns="http://schemas.varigence.com/biml.xsd">
<Packages>
<# foreach (var table in RootNode.Tables) { #>
<Package Name="Load<#=table.Name#>"></Package>
<# } #>
</Packages>
</Biml>
<Biml xmlns="http://schemas.varigence.com/biml.xsd">
<Packages>
<Package Name="LoadCustomer"></Package>
<Package Name="LoadProduct"></Package>
<Package Name="LoadSales"></Package>
</Packages>
</Biml>

61. Biml vs. BimlScript
Generate, control and
manipulate Biml with C#
Flat XML
"Just text"

62. Let's generate
a lot of packages!

63. It's like magic!

64. Code Management

65. Don't Repeat Yourself
Move common code to separate files
Centralize and reuse in many projects
Update code once for all projects
1. Include files
2. CallBimlScript with parameters
3. Tiered Biml files

66. BimlExpress vs. BimlOnline / BimlStudio
"Black Box"
Only SSIS packages visible
Visual Editors
All in-memory objects visible

67. Include Files
Include common code in multiple files and projects
Can include many file types: .biml .txt .sql .cs
Use the include directive
<#@ include file="CommonCode.biml" #>
The directive will be replaced by the included file
Works like an automated Copy & Paste

68. Include Files

69. Include Files

70. Include Files

71. CallBimlScript with Parameters
Works like a parameterized include (or stored procedure)
File to be called (callee) specifies input parameters it accepts
<#@ property name="Parameter" type="String" #>
File that calls (caller) passes input parameters
<#=CallBimlScript("CommonCode.biml", Parameter)#>

72. CallBimlScript with Parameters

73. CallBimlScript with Parameters

74. CallBimlScript with Parameters

75. CallBimlScript with Parameters

76. CallBimlScript with Parameters

77. Tiered Biml Files
Split Biml code in multiple files and use the template directive:
<#@ template tier="1" #>
Compile Biml from lowest to highest tier to:
• Solve logical dependencies
• Simulate manual workflows
For each tier, objects are added to the RootNode
Higher tiers can use objects from lower tiers

78. What is this RootNode?
When working with flat Biml,
the <Biml> root element contains
collections of elements:
<Biml>
<Connections>...</Connections>
<Databases>...</Databases>
<Schemas>...</Schemas>
<Tables>...</Tables>
<Projects>...</Projects>
<Packages>...</Packages>
</Biml>
When working with BimlScript,
the RootNode object contains
collections of objects:

79. Inside the Black Box: Tiered Biml Files
<#@ template tier="1" #>
<Connections>...</Connections>
<#@ template tier="2" #>
<Packages>...</Packages>
<#@ template tier="3" #>
<Package>...</Package>

80. Inside the Black Box: Tiered Biml Files
<#@ template tier="1" #>
<Connections>...</Connections>
<#@ template tier="2" #>
<Packages>...</Packages>
<#@ template tier="3" #>
<Package>...</Package>

81. Inside the Black Box: Tiered Biml Files
<#@ template tier="1" #>
<Connections>...</Connections>
<#@ template tier="2" #>
<Packages>...</Packages>
<#@ template tier="3" #>
<Package>...</Package>

82. Inside the Black Box: Tiered Biml Files
<#@ template tier="1" #>
<Connections>...</Connections>
<#@ template tier="2" #>
<Packages>...</Packages>
<#@ template tier="3" #>
<Package>...</Package>

83. Inside the Black Box: Tiered Biml Files
<#@ template tier="1" #>
<Connections>...</Connections>
<#@ template tier="2" #>
<Packages>...</Packages>
<#@ template tier="3" #>
<Package>...</Package>

84. Inside the Black Box: Tiered Biml Files
<#@ template tier="1" #>
<Connections>...</Connections>
<#@ template tier="2" #>
<Packages>...</Packages>
<#@ template tier="3" #>
<Package>...</Package>

85. Inside the Black Box: Tiered Biml Files
<#@ template tier="1" #>
<Connections>...</Connections>
<#@ template tier="2" #>
<Packages>...</Packages>
<#@ template tier="3" #>
<Package>...</Package>

86. Inside the Black Box: Tiered Biml Files
<#@ template tier="1" #>
<Connections>...</Connections>
<#@ template tier="2" #>
<Packages>...</Packages>
<#@ template tier="3" #>
<Package>...</Package>

87. Inside the Black Box: Tiered Biml Files
<#@ template tier="1" #>
<Connections>...</Connections>
<#@ template tier="2" #>
<Packages>...</Packages>
<#@ template tier="3" #>
<Package>...</Package>

88. Inside the Black Box: Tiered Biml Files
<#@ template tier="1" #>
<Connections>...</Connections>
<#@ template tier="2" #>
<Packages>...</Packages>
<#@ template tier="3" #>
<Package>...</Package>

89. Inside the Black Box: Tiered Biml Files

90. How do you use Tiered Biml files?
1. Create Biml files with specified tiers
2. Select all the tiered Biml files
3. Right-click and click Generate SSIS Packages
1
2
3

91. How does this actually work?

92. Biml Basics Tools & Projects
Code Management
…the past 60 minutes…

93. What do you do next?
1. Install BimlExpress
2. Complete lessons on BimlScript.com
3. Identify your SSIS patterns
4. Rewrite one SSIS package to Biml
(Boost your learning by reverse-engineering with BimlOnline)
5. Expand with BimlScript
6. Separate and reuse common code
7. ...never look back to the days of drag&drop :)

94. Get things done
Start small
Start simple
Start with ugly code
Keep going
Expand
Improve
Deliver often

95. Biml on Monday...
…BimlBreak the rest of the week 

96. @cathrinew
cathrinew.net
linkedin.com/in/cathrinewilhelmsen
hi@cathrinew.net
slideshare.net/cathrinewilhelmsen
Biml resources and references:
cathrinew.net/biml