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c#sql-serverdatabasedatabase-connection
Vlad Kravchenko
Vlad Kravchenko

Reputation: 63

C# connect to MSSQL .mdf DB without Server

How can I ran x86 .net 3.5 Windows Forms app with .mdf database on the computer without SQL Server (for example, XP of common user).

I have found few samples of connection strings, but all of them are contains something like Data Source=.\SQLEXPRESS

Doubt, that user will be having SQLEXPRESS on his computer. I want something like work with Access db - so user could work without even knowing, what's server, only with local file

MSSQL I have chosen instead of Access, because in the future I can add publish DB on server, but not now.

Maybe, I should use SQLLite, but how in that case?

Thanks.

Upvotes: 0

Views: 1897

Answers (1)

Andrey Nikolov
Andrey Nikolov

Reputation: 13440

How can I ran x86 .net 3.5 Windows Forms app with .mdf database on the computer without SQL Server?

This question has very simple answer - you can't!

You must distribute and install some version/edition of SQL Server with your application, otherwise the .mdf file will be nothing more than waste of disk space. You can install SQL Server along with your app. For more information you can see Install SQL Server from the Command Prompt and Install SQL Server using a configuration file. If this is a simple app working locally on a single workstation, you may want to consider using SQL Server Express LocalDB.

Another option is to use different database engine, which has easier deployment and embedding - SQLite, Firebird Embedded, etc. Pick one that you like. Most of these solutions require only to distribute one DLL/assembly with your application. You will not get the full power of SQL Server, but for most apps, it isn't needed anyway.

Upvotes: 1

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