Category: Python

Running SSIS Packages with Python

Microsoft's SSIS (SQL Server Integration Services) is a ubiquitous ETL (Extract Transform and Load) tool. Despite its widespread use, SSIS is not loved! At best, it's tolerated for its undeniable utility, but SSIS's “utility” comes with a host of hideous warts with the ugliest being its file handling. You would think that an ETL tool … Continue reading Running SSIS Packages with Python →

Better Blogging with Jupyter Notebooks on WordPress.com

When I discovered Jupyter notebooks a few years ago I instantly recognized their potential as a technical blogging tool. Jupyter notebooks support mixtures of text, mathematics, program code, and graphics in a completely interactive environment. It's easy to convert notebook JSON .ipynb files to markdown, $latex \LaTeX$, and HTML so it's not a big leap … Continue reading Better Blogging with Jupyter Notebooks on WordPress.com →

Extracting SQL code from SSIS dtsx packages with Python lxml

Lately, I've been refactoring a sprawling SSIS (SQL Server Integration Services) package that ineffectually wrestles with large XML files. In this programmer's opinion using SSIS for heavy-duty XML parsing is geeky self-abuse so I've opted to replace an eye-ball straining1 SSIS package with half a dozen, "as simple as possible but no simpler", Python scripts. … Continue reading Extracting SQL code from SSIS dtsx packages with Python lxml →

NumPy another Iverson Ghost

During my recent SmugMug API and Python adventures I was haunted by an Iverson ghost: NumPy An Iverson ghost is an embedding of APL like array programming features in nonAPL languages and tools. You would be surprised at how often Iverson ghosts appear. Whenever programmers are challenged with processing large numeric arrays they rediscover bits of … Continue reading NumPy another Iverson Ghost →

Setting SmugMug Print Size Keywords with Jupyter and Python

For the last few weeks, my normal hobbies have been preempted by my obsessive refactoring of an old SmugMug keyword setting program. Many years ago I wrote a small application that helped me maintain meaningful SmugMug keywords. I used this application for years until inevitable software changes broke it. Replacing it with something better has … Continue reading Setting SmugMug Print Size Keywords with Jupyter and Python →

Downloading SmugMug Captions with Python and Jupyter

This blog post started out as an experimental rendering of a Jupyter notebook. I wanted to see how difficult it would be to convert a notebook to a WordPress.com blog post. Even though Jupyter exports notebooks in HTML and Markdown they do not display well "out of the box." No doubt one could craft CSS … Continue reading Downloading SmugMug Captions with Python and Jupyter →