I'm making a C# application that uses a local database created with SQL Server
But when I create the database I used a connection to the local database with a file path on my local hard disk, and when I install the program on my computer it works correctly, because it is connected to the same database on my hard disk.
But when I publish my application and install it on a different computer it can't connect to the database because the connection in the C# code uses the same file path in my computer.
So now I create another database in C:\Program Files\Application Folder and make a connection in C# code with the same database. When I install the application on another computer how can I make a copy of database with the tables, because when I make a copy on the database it doesn't contain the tables.
Please help if you can.
I think you can connect the database in the local network. And if you want to copy the database, you can attach your database file in the SQL server in the computer that you want to apply.
I would save all the creation scripts. When you create a new table, I would save the script that was generated. I would then tell the program to launch the scripts when it installs.
Related
In my application I need to use a local database (the application I'm creating works with everything locally). I had one database that worked really bad, because sometimes it saved the data and other times don't. And if I published the program I couldn't find the database file.
But I am having some trouble to know where to place the database. I have created one in E:\PAP\Trabalhos\Trabalhos\database.mdf and other in E:\PAP\Trabalhos\Trabalhos\bin\Debug\database.mdf, but in any of those paths the database is recreated/goes back to the previous state, when I try to start the program.
In my connection string I have this:
Data Source=(LocalDB)\MSSQLLocalDB;AttachDbFilename=|DataDirectory|database.mdf; Integrated Security=True
and that points to the file ...\bin\debug\database.mdf
I want to be able to access the database in any computer I use the program and be able to actually save data.
Where is the recommended path to place the database file and be able to access it independent of the computer I am using?
Should I use Windows authentication or SQL Server authentication?
tl/dr: Database doesn't save data and I want to be able to access it in any computer without any extra steps.
You can't use "(LocalDB)\" and access it from any computer. LocalDB is by design accessible only from the applications running on the same computer (it is an embedded database).
To access database over the network you need to install instance of SQL Server, like full SQL Server Express instance or use some cloud service like AWS or Azure.
I want to restore a (not yet existing) database from a .bak file into a remote database server via a C# (.Net 4.0) program.
I know it is not possible via an SQL script to do so, because the .bak file needs to be located on the SQL Server machine. Is it possible via C# though?
Basically i want this:
public bool RestoreDatabase(FileInfo backupFile, string connectionString, string dbName)
{
// Magically Restore Database
// Throw Exception on error (Db already exists, file not found, etc)
}
Before i invest hours of programming and investigation, i want to know if it is technically possible, or if i have to transfer the .bak file to the SQL server.
EDIT:
The context is, that i want to minimize "manual" work that needs to be done in my current project. Currently, when installing the software in a new environment, someone has to manually install the databases by copying the .bak file to the SQL Server, opening SQL Server Manager and restoring the database there. 2 databases are needed, and those MIGHT be placed on 2 different SQL Servers.
My idea was to run 1 programm on ANY system in the same network as the SQL Servers, entering SQL Login credentials, and restoring the databases from the one system, without any network drive. Since this would again mean manual configuration (copy .bak file to network drive, enable SQL server to access network drive [actually then you can just copy the file directly to the SQL server]), i want to avoid it.
EDIT2:
Due to different context-related issues, i cannot export the database as SQL/DACPAC/Snapshot. It has to be .bak sadly.
You asked "Is it possible via C# though?".
The answer is no, it isn't possible via C#.
As #Mithrandir says in the comments, the computer running SQL Server must be able to access the physical backup file somehow. That means the file either needs to be located on that computer somewhere, or it must reside on a file share to which the computer has access.
Another option is to generate sql scripts that create the whole database even with initial data as INSERT statements. You do not need to transfer any BAK file then.
here is the problem I am facing now. I have created an application that uses local database (this was created by Add -> New Item -> Local Database. Afterwards I have added tables under this .sdf database.
Then I have connected to this database using Add -> New Item -> ADO.NET Entity Data Model.
Everything works like a charm, unless I was asked to move this database to a place, where multiple people could access this database and work with it.
Therefore, as I have no previous experience with databases, I have treated this .sdf file as any other file (let's say Excel workbook) and I thought that I could simply take already existing database, copy it on server computer (e.g. \Server001\Database\Database1.sdf) and simply change connection string under app.config.
However the problem is that this does not work. As I didn't know how to change connection string, I created new application, where I have tried to connect to this database located on a server computer; however I received the following error:
SQL Server Compact does not support opening database files on a network share.
I already have fully functioning program, but I have no idea how to make it work with multiple users. I have tied to google for solution, but all I could find is how to create local database, not how to make it accessible by placing it in server computer.
Could you guys please help me? If you need more details, please let me know!
P.S. This is WPF application, .NET 4.5, created using Visual Studio 2012 Professional.
Thank you!
The error message pretty much sums up the problem: SQL Server Compact does not support opening database files on a network share.
SQL Server Compact (aka "local database") is to be consumed by a local application; even if it was a web app serving many requests, the application itself is local.
If you want to have multiple remote connections (i.e. centralized DB, distributed app), you should look at using an instance of SQL Server (any SKU would probably work, even SQL Server Express). Those will use MDF files instead of SDF files, so you might want to refer to Convert .sdf database to .mdf database. You'll probably also need to set up a user identity for your connection string, so check out this link on CREATE USER and Difference between a User and a Login in SQL Server to understand how that can be configured.
I am developing C# windows application first time.
Que 1 - ) I have developed my windows application which uses SQL server 2008 using below connection string..
Data Source=myMachineName;Initial Catalog=myDataBase;User Id=myUsername;Password=myPassword;
But When I created setup of my application and installed it to another computer then it is throwing error of could not establish connection with SQL server..
I guess this error is because of my connection string as it is specific to my computer and installing it to another computer will not work..
Hence How can I make my connection string which will work with any computer..
Que 2 - Do I need to attach schema file with my setup as How my database will be created into the other computers??
This might be silly qustion but as I am doing this first time , i dont know about this all.
Regards,
Mahesh
You should place your web config in app.config file which is in xml format.
And read it from your code.You can easily change app.config file through notepad according to machine.
Yes must have your schema script in setup if you want to create it from setup.Otherwise you create database manual on client machine.
If you've used SQL Server on your development machine, it has to be installed on every computer that will be using your app. There are several options to resolve this issue:
If your app doesn't need access to a central sql server (for example your app just keeps track of users DVDs), use SQL Server Compact Edition instead and embed it to your app
If your app needs some kind of a centralized data, get a dedicated SQL server first, install there everything you need and in your app change your current myServerAddress to the address of the server. Note that the server needs to be accessible from remote locations (some restrict access to localhost!).
Que 2 - Do I need to attach schema file with my setup as How my
database will be created into the other computers??
Again, multiple options. For instance, you can export your database to a .sql file (Right click on the db in your DB explorer and select option Publish to provider) and then import it using a sql manager on other computers. Or maybe you can create a .cs installation script, that will do the same job using C# code.
Edit based on OP's comments:
Example links for solutions:
question1: Embedding SQLServer CE in an installer
question2: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307283
Okay that's fine but will my current Connection string work in that case as the DataSource
is my specific machine name
Of course not, you'd have to change it to point to the SQL Server CE database file. Probably the best way is to not hardcode it, but use a relative path to the database. It looks like this for instance:
Data Source=|DataDirectory|\MyDb.sdf, where |DataDirectory| points to the App_Data folder of your application.
Also plese see the error screen map i have attach with the question..
Your error is quite clear - there was a problem establishing a connection to your database. It either doesn't exist or isn't accessible from your current machine.
I am creating an application for some user to maintain records in database. For this, I'll have to write SQL query (C#) and create the database, if does not exist, when user starts/installs the application. To make the creation and backup procedure easier, I want to create a separate file for SQL Server that will be used to store data. This file will be included in installation pack and copied to the destination folder to be used by SQL Server.
I've seen that we can create such file but never used like this.
Is it possible to accomplish the job I am trying to do?
i think that if each application have its own db you should use or SqlCe or SqlLite
They are a self-contained, serverless, zero-configuration, transactional SQL database engine.
So you don't have to install sql express on every pc.
They use a subset of tsql and you can do almost the same thing as sql server
you could embed a file in the application with all the sql command to create the db and then execute it the first time the application start.
Anyway you can distribute your app with the db already created and ready to use: it is just a .sdf file
If you think to distribute your app with clickonce than Sqlce is better becouse clickonce recognize its file format and handle it during the application updates
If you want to use SQL Server, you can use the Compact Edition: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/data/ff687142
SQL Server CE databases are stored in .sdf files (up to 4GB) that can be shipped with your application. That way, if you want to connect to a full SQL Server database later, you could just change the connection strings in your application config.
You could make a backup and then restore it http://www.dotnetspider.com/forum/162986-database-backup-restore-through-C.aspx