embedding a sql DB in a win32 app
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I'm researching the possibilities of embedding a DB inside a windows form application. I have done this before with a access DB, but not a MS sql db. I noted that this might be possible using ms sql express, but does this create a sql server instance on the client's pc? I just want to be able to install the app on a clients pc without undergoing a sql 2000/2005 server setup. Is this possible, and how do i go about it? Thanx ion advance. Regards, Tintin
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I'm researching the possibilities of embedding a DB inside a windows form application. I have done this before with a access DB, but not a MS sql db. I noted that this might be possible using ms sql express, but does this create a sql server instance on the client's pc? I just want to be able to install the app on a clients pc without undergoing a sql 2000/2005 server setup. Is this possible, and how do i go about it? Thanx ion advance. Regards, Tintin
Sql Server is called 'Server' for a reason ;) Sql Server Express is just a cut down version, it's still a server though and will install an instance of the server. If you want a good free embeded databse take a look at SQLite[^]. It's very good although it has nowhere near the functionality of Sql Server. If you can't do without the features Sql Server provides then you can always do a silent install of Express during your own applications setup. Theres plenty of commandline arguments you can pass to fully automate and customise the installation.
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Sql Server is called 'Server' for a reason ;) Sql Server Express is just a cut down version, it's still a server though and will install an instance of the server. If you want a good free embeded databse take a look at SQLite[^]. It's very good although it has nowhere near the functionality of Sql Server. If you can't do without the features Sql Server provides then you can always do a silent install of Express during your own applications setup. Theres plenty of commandline arguments you can pass to fully automate and customise the installation.
Thats what I thought, although @ microsoft express website they say: SQL Server 2005 Express Edition is the next version of MSDE and is a free, easy-to-use, lightweight, and embeddable version of SQL Server 2005. Free to download, free to redistribute, free to embed, and easy for new developers to use immediately.... What do they then mean by embeddable? Will look at Sqlite as well.. Regards, Tintin
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I'm researching the possibilities of embedding a DB inside a windows form application. I have done this before with a access DB, but not a MS sql db. I noted that this might be possible using ms sql express, but does this create a sql server instance on the client's pc? I just want to be able to install the app on a clients pc without undergoing a sql 2000/2005 server setup. Is this possible, and how do i go about it? Thanx ion advance. Regards, Tintin
SQL Server databases are loaded by the SQL Server service. SQL Server Express Edition is no different - it creates an instance by default named SQLEXPRESS. With SQL Server 2005, you can specify a database file to attach in the connection string, so it isn't permanently associated with the SQL Server instance. Microsoft have now ported SQL Server 2005 Mobile Edition back to the desktop properly and called it SQL Server Compact Edition 3.1. This is an in-process database engine like Access/Jet. Find out more here[^]. However, this does not use the same format data files as the other SQL Server editions. (It's really only branded 'SQL Server', it has nothing in common).
Stability. What an interesting concept. -- Chris Maunder