I have been looking during hours for a way to check in a database into source control. My first idea was a program for calculating database diffs and ask all the developers to imlement their changes as new diff scripts. Now, I find that if I can dump a database into a file I cound check it in and use it as just antother type of file.
The main conditions are:
Works for Oracle 9R2
Human readable so we can use diff to see the diferences. (.dmp files doesn't seem readable)
All tables in a batch. We have more than 200 tables.
It stores BOTH STRUCTURE AND DATA
It supports CLOB and RAW Types.
It stores Procedures, Packages and its bodies, functions, tables, views, indexes, contraints, Secuences and synonims.
It can be turned into an executable script to rebuild the database into a clean machine.
Not limitated to really small databases (Supports least 200.000 rows)
It is not easy. I have downloaded a lot of demos that does fail in one way or another.
EDIT: I wouldn't mind alternatives aproaches provided that they allows us to check a working system against our release DATABASE STRUCTURE AND OBJECTS + DATA in a bath mode.
By the way. Our project has been developed for years. Some aproaches can be easily implemented when you make a fresh start but seem hard at this point.
EDIT: To understand better the problem let's say that some users can sometimes do changes to the config data in the production eviroment. Or developers might create a new field or alter a view without notice in the realease branch. I need to be aware of this changes or it will be complicated to merge the changes into production.