CODEWITHSUNDEEP
sqlsql-serverdeployment
sandorfalot
sandorfalot

Reputation: 1062

Deploying a Windows Form App in C# for multiple users with SQL Server. Alternatives for databases?

I'm working on a database driven program in Visual Studio 2015, in C#, Windows Form Application, and I'm using SQL Server 2014 for my databases, downloaded the most recent version from the MSDN site.

I've got it working well. But if I want other users on other computers and different versions of Windows, this would require them to have SQL Server installed, correct?

Basically the app is used for storing current medications, moods, a mood quiz, symptoms, etc.. and I store all the results in SQL Server databases. They can be edited, deleted, etc through the program's GUI. Do the users need SQL Server installed to use this app?

If so, is there an alternative to keeping databases without having to have the SQL Server connections, or is there a way to do this without the users having to have SQL Server installed? I don't want remote connections to me, I want it standalone.

Does this make any sense? If not, I can explain more. I know way back in the days of Visual Basic 4 I was making, reading and writing databases without SQL. But that was 16 years ago. So I'm wondering what the easiest solution to this is. Thanks!

Upvotes: 0

Views: 1157

Answers (1)

JLB
JLB

Reputation: 323

In other words, you want a database that you can a) distribute to end users freely and b) that will 'connect' just to the copy of the database they have stored locally.

Here are a few options ---

  1. SQLite over ODBC is as-easy-to-use as MSSQL, the driver can be found here:

SQLite ODBC

  1. Use ConfigurationManager.OpenExeConfiguration to read / write your app config .xml file and use it as a key / value store. I can provide examples if needed.

  2. Dynamically create an Access database, it should work as well as MSSQL for most things, with less overhead. Here's how:

Create an Access Database

  1. Use SQLIte DLL. Details on SO

create-sqlite-database-and-table

Upvotes: 1

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