Multiple Job steps using same variable or one temp table

I need a constant to be available in multiple steps of a job (more
specifically, getdate() from step one). I tried storing it in a variable or
temp table but when I get to step two of the job and try to retrieve the
value, I get "must declare variable..." or "table does not exist" (depending
on which method I am testing).
I did a little test and the SPID in each one of the steps is the same so
shouldn't the temp table be accessible from all steps?
A profiler trace reveals that Agent does a logout and login. What you are seeing is the same spid
number being reused. As Agent won't execute the same job simultaneously, why not use a permanent
table?
Tibor Karaszi, SQL Server MVP
http://www.karaszi.com/sqlserver/default.asp
http://www.solidqualitylearning.com/
"DBA72" <DBA72@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:0B9550DB-C93F-42FD-AB5D-670049929375@.microsoft.com...
>I need a constant to be available in multiple steps of a job (more
> specifically, getdate() from step one). I tried storing it in a variable or
> temp table but when I get to step two of the job and try to retrieve the
> value, I get "must declare variable..." or "table does not exist" (depending
> on which method I am testing).
> I did a little test and the SPID in each one of the steps is the same so
> shouldn't the temp table be accessible from all steps?
|||Initially, my main reason for not using a permanent table is that I will need
to drop it at the end and if step 2 fails and the table gets dropped in step
3 then it won't get dropped.
I could modify step 2 to continue on to step 3 even if it fails but then
the job will show as completed succesfully even if step two failed.
Maybe I will just use a permanent table and keep it so that I don't need to
drop it at the end...
"Tibor Karaszi" wrote:

> A profiler trace reveals that Agent does a logout and login. What you are seeing is the same spid
> number being reused. As Agent won't execute the same job simultaneously, why not use a permanent
> table?
> --
> Tibor Karaszi, SQL Server MVP
> http://www.karaszi.com/sqlserver/default.asp
> http://www.solidqualitylearning.com/
>
> "DBA72" <DBA72@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:0B9550DB-C93F-42FD-AB5D-670049929375@.microsoft.com...
>
>
|||> Maybe I will just use a permanent table and keep it so that I don't need to
> drop it at the end...
That is what I would do.

> Initially, my main reason for not using a permanent table is that I will need
> to drop it at the end and if step 2 fails and the table gets dropped in step
> 3 then it won't get dropped.
> I could modify step 2 to continue on to step 3 even if it fails but then
> the job will show as completed successfully even if step two failed.
Have two finishing steps. If step 2 fails, goto step 4 which drops the table and returns fails
status whether step 4 is OK or not...
Tibor Karaszi, SQL Server MVP
http://www.karaszi.com/sqlserver/default.asp
http://www.solidqualitylearning.com/
"DBA72" <DBA72@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:FBFC6287-C3C4-47C3-A58F-9AF3B373E3D7@.microsoft.com...[vbcol=seagreen]
> Initially, my main reason for not using a permanent table is that I will need
> to drop it at the end and if step 2 fails and the table gets dropped in step
> 3 then it won't get dropped.
> I could modify step 2 to continue on to step 3 even if it fails but then
> the job will show as completed succesfully even if step two failed.
> Maybe I will just use a permanent table and keep it so that I don't need to
> drop it at the end...
> "Tibor Karaszi" wrote: