It’s a pleasant day, 3 months passed joining as fresher, no much of workload everything going smooth. Until a Skype message pops on the taskbar.
Me:”Na, nothing to worry, will be just a status inquiry or things of such sort. Cool, calm and casual”.
Click on it and my eyes getting blurred, starts feeling dizzy but hangs on to the seat. Hold my breath for a moment, a sip of water. Fingers shiver to type, brain confused to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
But hold on what’s the message about? Why such a panic?
Message says “Will you be able to fix a point dealing with PostgreSQL database?”
Now the panic, PostgreSQL, just hearing the word second time in my life and fix a point on live project where database is the core of that application.
My instincts “play safe“, but back of my mind “you are a fresher and an impression is required”. Took the gamble and the reply was “yes”.
Whew… waiting for the point description, and there it comes “You will need to dump and restore database tables”. Ok that seems to be easy PostgreSQL will have some inbuilt functions.
Google’d the topic, 20 odd communities and forums visited and solution is done. Added it to the project tested it and status of the point reported. Yes, relieved pretty much.
“Nice fix. Some more enhancements on it please! Check for the data before dumping and restoring”.
Eyes’ staring at message read it 6 times but it is not changing. Replied “ OK, will try with it”.
Head is scratched alogic appears but not fully reliable. “Can we go with this logic? But there are terms and conditions”.
“Ok, go ahead with it, will confirm from the client once it is given for UAT”.
Fixed it, came with some vague idea. But wait its taking way too long for this operation and application crashes for a single error. UAT is done client is not satisfied.
“Will have to come with some different logic, start thinking something ‘hatke’ (abstract)”.
Yup, guessed it right took it up again and fixed with completely different logic. Now it’s safe and also reliable. Client seemed to be satisfied. I am very much relieved.
Months later “Some more enhancements pleaseJ”
Now what else is needed, It should be more user friendly ‘a list of user options mentioned and do it according to user needs’ more over do it with remote systems.
This is going to be nasty. 100reds of queries written for testing but nothing seem to be working. Even the communities have no idea. Searched for all available functions and clauses in PostgreSQL and “the more you try the more you get”. Stared learning things never even heard of and getting strange feelings that databases are actually not that bad as I thought they actually are.
“Hard work always pays “said it correctly. Found the logic and tested it “And yes come-on it’s working according to the needs” Getting ready for status update, but wait forgot about the remote system part.
Shit man how can I be so dumb how could I forget that. More search for executing remote queries. Found topics tried with a simple query, its working!! Suddenly my mind wondered “what’s the use, if these queries cannot be operated remotely “.
Did not loose on it, modified them for remote system execution. Syntax errors ‘not a very big issue’, clauses and keywords cannot be used here ‘spend some time over it’. Dumped and restored test data from the remote database. Integrated everything inside the project.
Fingers crossed, eyes closed a silent prayer, and the button is pressed. “Yippy, it works thank God “.
Finally as you say after much struggle and dedication “Nailed it !!!! ”.