SQL Server Database Project - Warning is shown as Error

While trying to build a database project, I was getting an error:
Error:  SQL01945: Warning! The maximum key length is 900 bytes. The index 'xxx' has maximum length of 1024 bytes. For some combination of large values, the insert/update operation will fail.

Although this was a warning, the project was failing to build and it was shown as a error.

The fix was to edit the project file in xml and set TreatTSqlWarningsAsErrors to False

<PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Debug|AnyCPU' ">
    <OutputPath>.\sql\debug\</OutputPath>
    <BuildScriptName>$(MSBuildProjectName).sql</BuildScriptName>
    <TargetDatabase>xxx</TargetDatabase>
    <TreatTSqlWarningsAsErrors>False</TreatTSqlWarningsAsErrors>
    <SuppressTSqlWarnings />
    <NoWarn>
    </NoWarn>
  </PropertyGroup>

SSDT Conversion - SQL72027: File master.dacpac does not exist.

I was converting a database project to SSDT by following the steps at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh272689(v=vs.103).aspx

The conversion was successful but when I tried to build the sqlproj, it gave the following error:
C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\Microsoft\VisualStudio\v10.0\SSDT\Microsoft.Data.Tools.Schema.SqlTasks.targets(494,5): Error:  SQL72027: File "<project directory>\master.dacpac" does not exist.

To fix this error master.dacpac needs to be copied in the project directory.
If the Target Plaform is "SQL Azure", it can be copied from
"D:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\Common7\IDE\Extensions\Microsoft\SQLDB\Extensions\SqlServer\Azure\SQLSchemas"

Otherwise based on the platform, copy from the corresponding directory from
"D:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\Common7\IDE\Extensions\Microsoft\SQLDB\Extensions\SqlServer"

SqlPackage.exe - Automating SSDT Deployment

To know about SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT), take a look at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh272686(v=vs.103).aspx

Below are the steps for automating the SSDT deployment:

• Create a Folder on the deployment machine. We can call it C:\SSDT
• Make sure the files from the following folders on the development machine are copied in SSDT folder on the deployment machine:
• C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\110\DAC\bin
• C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\assembly\GAC_MSIL\Microsoft.SqlServer.TransactSql.ScriptDom\v4.0_11.0.0.0__89845dcd8080cc91
• Copy the files from the Build Output of the SSDT Project in a Folder on the deployment machine. We can call it C:\Build
• Make sure that you have the connection string of the Target Database where you want to depoy. We can call it connStr
• Now you can publish or generate the scripts for the database deployment (Steps are same for Full or Incremental Deployment)
• To Publish, run the command: C:\SSDT\SqlPackage.exe /Action:Publish /SourceFile:"C:\Build\MyDatabase.dacpac" /TargetConnectionString:"connStr"
• To Generate Scripts, run the command: C:\SSDT\SqlPackage.exe /Action:Script /SourceFile:"C:\Build\MyDatabase.dacpac" /TargetConnectionString:"connStr" /OutPutPath:"C:\Build\MyDatabase.sql"

This is great feature for SQL Azure databases since incremental updates can be applied very easily without making the sql scripts SQL Azure compatible.

How to Kill open connections to a Database

I came across a scenario when I wanted to restore a Database. However I was getting an error saying the databse is already in use. I needed to find who was connected to the databse and kill that connection.
So I first ran the command exec sp_who
This gave me the spid of the connection.
Then I ran the commad kill _spid to kill this connection.