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Biml Functionality in BIDS Helper

Why Biml in BIDS Helper​

BIDS Helper added a Biml Package Generator feature that lets developers describe SSIS packages in Biml and have the compiler emit dtsx files. Biml is an XML-based language with a readable syntax. For many packages, typing Biml is faster than dragging components in the designer. The compiler also supports BimlScript, which embeds C# inside Biml in a way similar to how ASP.NET embeds C# inside HTML, so a single Biml file can generate large numbers of packages from metadata.

What the Feature Does​

The Biml Package Generator is exposed in BIDS Helper through Solution Explorer. Right-clicking the Integration Services project shows an Add New Biml File command. Right-clicking a Biml file shows an Expand Biml File command that compiles the Biml and adds the resulting dtsx files to the SSIS Packages folder.

This combination supports two workflows that are awkward with the SSIS designer alone:

  1. Hand-authored Biml for packages where typing XML is faster than wiring up components in the designer.
  2. Metadata-driven Biml that produces many similar packages from a single template, driven by data such as the list of source tables.

How the Pieces Fit Together​

A Biml file describes connections, tables, and packages. When the file is expanded, BIDS Helper hands the Biml to the compiler. The compiler validates the Biml against the language schema, validates the resulting SSIS objects, and writes one dtsx file per package element. BimlScript code nuggets in the file run during compilation and emit additional Biml that the compiler then processes.

Where to Go Next​

Subsequent walkthroughs in this series cover specific patterns:

  • Creating a basic SSIS package using Biml.
  • Creating tables in a database using Biml and BimlScript.
  • Copying data dynamically across tables using a metadata-driven script.
  • Controlling the order of execution in the control flow.
  • Defining the data flow and routing between transformations.

Each walkthrough builds on the previous one and assumes the BIDS Helper Biml feature is installed and working.