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c#sql-serverbuildinstallationproject
Jay
Jay

Reputation: 5084

Build Visual Studio Project that connects to SQL Server?

My C# project connects to SQL Server to save and retrieve data. What's the process to deploy such a project so that I could install the application on another PC? And how do I include the database tables that already contain previously made entries?

My windows application uses a SQL Server database to save user information and retrieve. Should I include a SQL Server installation along with the built project in order to run in on another PC?

Thank you!

Upvotes: 0

Views: 1277

Answers (2)

Rotem Varon
Rotem Varon

Reputation: 1647

Assuming you are at the point you want to deploy your code, here are possible steps you can follow:

  1. build your app in 'Release mode' to get a faster/lighter version: Debug Visual Studio Release in .NET. enter image description here
  2. Take the executables, resource files (if not embedded) etc. and package them for delivery (by default, those files are located in the Bin\Release folder). You can simply ZIP the files or you can create an installer (like MSI)
  3. Application and the database are deployed separately. If you have data in you DB, you can back it up and restore it on the other machine. Backup: How do I back up a database to a .bak file? Restore: How can I restore a database backup file (.bak) from SQL Server 2012 into SQL Server 2008 Express? If the data is just staging data, you can you the seed method is you are using EF. If you are not using EF, you can export your DB schema to .sql file that can be run on the target machine manually or automatically by the installer.

Upvotes: 0

e4rthdog
e4rthdog

Reputation: 5223

The easy stuff first.

1) If you are using Entity Framework you can enable migrations (if u havent done it already) and then when you point your connection string to another server Entity seed method will take care of everything.

Read about EF migrations HERE.

2) If you are not using EF then you have to backup and restore the database to the new server. you can use SQL Server Management Studio to export your DB (or only database schema without data) and then import it to the other server.

UPDATE After the comments addition:

No you cant just "include" the SQL Server installation in your app. SQL Server is a huge monster that comes in its own installation.

IF you are looking for a lightweight database that you could install in a pc, you can use:

-Access

-SQLIte

-SQL Server Express (a crippled SQL Server)

-SQL Server Compact You can install it directly via nuget ( Microsoft.SqlServer.Compact package)

SQL server editions comparison

Personally i love the following combination on simple apps:

SQLite + Dapper (micro ORM, somethign like a very light Entity Framework)

Upvotes: 1

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