Standard Data Generator Types

Visual Studio Premium includes a variety of pre-defined standard data generators. You can use the standard data generators to generate random data for columns. For example, if you have an int column, you can use the Integer data generator to create random data for the column.

Every SQL data type has a default data generator that is associated with it. The default generator is automatically assigned to columns that have a particular SQL data type when you create a data generation plan. The default generator is also assigned when you add columns to the plan. For more information, see Default Generators for SQL Server Data Types.

You can control how data is generated to fill columns by adjusting the data generation plan. You can specify the data generator that is used for each column. You can also set the properties of each data generator in each column. For example, if you have a smalldatetime column that is named birthdate, the DateTime generator is assigned by default. You can set the Max property to enforce a business rule that no employee can be younger than 18. For more information, see Specify Details of Data Generation for a Column.

The Standard Data Generators

The following table describes the standard data generators and what kind of data they generate.

Generator

Description

Binary

Generates random binary data.

Bit

Generates a random bit value (0 or 1).

BigInt

Generates a random integer value that corresponds to the SQL bigint type.

DateTime

Generates a random SQL DateTime value.

DateTime2

Generates a random SQL DateTime2 value.

DateTimeOffset

Generates a random SQL DateTimeOffset value.

Data Bound

Generates a value that is selected from a pre-determined data source. The data is randomly selected from the data source after the returned dataset is cached. For more information about the Data Bound generator, see The Data Bound Generator.

Decimal

Generates a random decimal value.

Float

Generates a random floating point value that corresponds to the SQL float type.

Foreign Key

Generates a random foreign key.

GUID

Generates a GUID that acts as a unique identifier.

Integer

Generates a random integer value

Image

Generates a random image value.

Money

Generates a random money value.

Real

Generates a random floating point value that corresponds to the SQL real type.

RegularExpression

Generates a random Unicode string that matches a predefined regular expression. For more information about this generator, see The Regular Expression Generator.

Sequential data bound

Generates a value that is selected from a pre-determined data source. The data is selected, one row at a time, from the data source. The order in which values are returned is determined by the query statement. You can control the order by using an ORDER BY clause in the query.

SmallInt

Generates a random integer value that corresponds to the SQL smallint type.

String

Generates a random string value. The string is Unicode or non-Unicode, depending on the SQL data type of the column.

TimeSpan

Generates a random SQL TimeSpan value.

TinyInt

Generates a random integer value that corresponds to the SQL tinyint type.

See Also

Concepts

Generating Test Data for Databases by Using Data Generators

Specify Details of Data Generation for a Column

Generate Specialized Test Data with a Custom Data Generator