Date based filter in merge replication

Hopefully, someone can provide some advice regarding filtering data by dates.
We have data that we want to expire from the sqlce database because it has reached a certain age. Filters have been applied to only replicate data wihtin the date boundaries we require.
What we have found through testing is that when we increment server and device dates to a date where data should expire, it is not removed from the database on the device. During this testing we made sure our snapshot was updated before applying more chan
ges through our application, allowing us to see data travelling to and from the device. But, alas, the outdated data survived.
So, I suppose it makes sense that if a record is not updated, it will not be affected by replication - or is there some way around this?
Other than archiving data on the server side which has its own set of implications (ms_MergeTombstone growing excessively, effects on historical reports), is there some other technique we can use to limit the volume of data on the device?
Thanks
Steve
Steve,
As you mentioned already, records that are not updated are not affected by
replication. Creating a new snapshot won't help on this side either. So the
technique I term as 'Induced Updates' could be applied in your case. This
simply means making an update in the table for all rows you want replication
to re-assess without changing the data. This sample script will demo:
update YourTable
set column_name = column_name
where date_column = some_date_criteria
You can also create a job to do this periodically, where some_date_criteria
can be dependent on the getdate() function.
Hope the above helps.
Raj Moloye.
|||Steve,
As you mentioned already, records that are not updated are not affected by
replication. Creating a new snapshot won't help on this side either. So the
technique I term as 'Induced Updates' could be applied in your case. This
simply means making an update in the table for all rows you want replication
to re-assess without changing the data. This sample script will demo:
update YourTable
set column_name = column_name
where date_column = some_date_criteria
You can also create a job to do this periodically, where some_date_criteria
can be dependent on the getdate() function.
Hope the above helps.
Raj Moloye.
|||Thanks Raj,
I have to say I was starting to think along those lines as I wrote the original post.
When I update these rows that are out of date range, does replication cause these updated rows to be removed from the device?
I think some testing might be in order here just to confirm what you are saying.
Thanks again.
SteveM
"Raj Moloye" wrote:

> Steve,
> As you mentioned already, records that are not updated are not affected by
> replication. Creating a new snapshot won't help on this side either. So the
> technique I term as 'Induced Updates' could be applied in your case. This
> simply means making an update in the table for all rows you want replication
> to re-assess without changing the data. This sample script will demo:
> update YourTable
> set column_name = column_name
> where date_column = some_date_criteria
> You can also create a job to do this periodically, where some_date_criteria
> can be dependent on the getdate() function.
> Hope the above helps.
> Raj Moloye.
>
>
|||Thanks Raj,
I have to say I was starting to think along those lines as I wrote the original post.
When I update these rows that are out of date range, does replication cause these updated rows to be removed from the device?
I think some testing might be in order here just to confirm what you are saying.
Thanks again.
SteveM
"Raj Moloye" wrote:

> Steve,
> As you mentioned already, records that are not updated are not affected by
> replication. Creating a new snapshot won't help on this side either. So the
> technique I term as 'Induced Updates' could be applied in your case. This
> simply means making an update in the table for all rows you want replication
> to re-assess without changing the data. This sample script will demo:
> update YourTable
> set column_name = column_name
> where date_column = some_date_criteria
> You can also create a job to do this periodically, where some_date_criteria
> can be dependent on the getdate() function.
> Hope the above helps.
> Raj Moloye.
>
>