sql server msde: OK so I've downloaded and installed this 1.7MB wonder, but now what?

I just wanted a nice easy to deploy db to use with my VB 6 app and although
the size is now great it doesn't seem to be doing much else.

Nothing in the start menu, sys tray, desktop, etc. Just a folder in my
program files with a few dlls in it.

How do I start the system?

How do I connect, create a db and work with that db?

Does the target machine have to have .Net 2, XP Pro SP2, etc installed
before it will even work?

Why can't they make things easier. You always have to get the user to
install various alien progs before your simple app can run.

I'm familiar with SQL Server and MSDE, but there seems to be a complete dead
end once you install the run-time.

Any ideas?

Thanks

I suggest downloading a copy of my EBook on the SQL Server Compact Edition.
It answers all of these questions and more.
See www.hitchhikerguides.net.


--
____________________________________
William (Bill) Vaughn
Author, Mentor, Consultant
Microsoft MVP
INETA Speaker
www.betav.com/blog/billva
www.betav.com
Please reply only to the newsgroup so that others can benefit.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
__________________________________
Visit www.hitchhikerguides.net to get more information on my latest book:
Hitchhiker's Guide to Visual Studio and SQL Server (7th Edition)
and Hitchhiker's Guide to SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition (EBook)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[quoted text, click to view]

This is why it is named "Compact" edition... :) No extra stuff so it has
small footprint and easy to get on both mobile devices and desktops.

When you installed the only item you should have on your Programs menu is
the Books On Line. And you should start there... It has answers to most of
your questions.

Just to get you started:

- If you already have SQL Server Management Studio (or you can download SSMS
Express from here
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=6053c6f8-82c8-479c-b25b-9aca13141c9e&displaylang=en),
then on the login screen in SSMS you select "SQL Server Mobile" for Server
type. Then browse to the database file or create a new database.

- To create database programmatically in VB you do something like this:

Dim ConnectionString As String = "Data Source='MyDatabase.sdf'; LCID=1033;
Password="myp@ssw0rd"; Encrypt = TRUE;"
Dim engine As New SqlCeEngine(ConnectionString)
engine.CreateDatabase()

- There is nothing to start, the Compact edition does not run as a service.
It is initiated automatically when you access it programmatically.

- If you use the OLE DB provider (SQLCEOLEDB30.DLL), then no need for .NET
2.0

- If you use the ADO.NET data provider (System.Data.SqlServerCe.dll), then
you need .NET 2.0 (since the ADO.NET provider is using the SQL Server Native
Client)

The Compact edition works great, just have in mind that there are some
limitations (it has been optimized to me small and efficient on various
devices):
- Procedural T-SQL code is not supported (stored procedures, views,
triggers).
- The T- SQL language is limited (for example, no TOP, IF, ROW_NUMBER).
- No distributed transactions support.
- No native XML and XQuery support (XML is stored as NTEXT).

Here are a few great samples and tutorials to get you started with
development:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/bb219480.aspx

BTW, when I first started with the Compact edition, I found the Compact
edition home site to have plenty of information:
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/editions/compact/default.mspx

And if this doesn't fit you can always use the Express edition (of course,
at the expense of the heavy installation, but you get the full
functionality).

HTH,

Plamen Ratchev
http://www.SQLStudio.com