Sql Server CE

[David Thielen]

Hi;

It looks like Sql Server CE may be exactly what we need. I have 2
questions about it:

1) How do we install it as part of our installer? I can find
download/installers on the Microsoft site but we want to make it an
invisible part of our install. This is for a desktop Windows app - not
a mobile one.

2) If I have 2 windows apps accessing the database and they do
transaction locks when reading/updating a record, does Sql Server CE
support that?

thanks - dave

david@[email protected]
Windward Reports -- http://www.WindwardReports.com
me -- http://dave.thielen.com

Cubicle Wars - http://www.windwardreports.com/film.htm

 

[Cowboy \(Gregory A. Beamer\)]

For a desktop app, I would seriously consider bootstrapping SQL Express
instead of Compact, as it is the full engine. If you have to go to SQL
Compact(SQL Mobile, SQL CE, SQL Everywhere - darn this thing changes names),
there are boostrappers in the SDK. I am not sure there is one for non CE
installs, but if not, look at the bootstrap instructions for other MS
software. Always best to download from the source on install, as
distributing the bits might break EULAs, etc.

Not sure of transaction locking, as I have not played with a multi app
scenario. I would look at the features doc and go from there:
http://download.microsoft.com/downl...4b404e542/sqlservercompactdatasheet_final.doc

--
Gregory A. Beamer
MVP, MCP: +I, SE, SD, DBA

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[Frans Bouma [C# MVP]]

It looks like Sql Server CE may be exactly what we need. I have 2
questions about it:

1) How do we install it as part of our installer? I can find
download/installers on the Microsoft site but we want to make it an
invisible part of our install. This is for a desktop Windows app - not
a mobile one.

You need to run the .msi installer somewhere. If you really can't use
an installer, use MS Access.

2) If I have 2 windows apps accessing the database and they do
transaction locks when reading/updating a record, does Sql Server CE
support that?

In theory, it does. In practise, it sucks. So if you have multiple
connections to the same db, forget it, use a REAL database engine. CE is
a very limited engine and you'll likely regret the decision to use it in
the (near) future.

FB

thanks - dave

david@[email protected]
Windward Reports -- http://www.WindwardReports.com
me -- http://dave.thielen.com

Cubicle Wars - http://www.windwardreports.com/film.htm

--
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Lead developer of LLBLGen Pro, the productive O/R mapper for .NET
LLBLGen Pro website: http://www.llblgen.com
My .NET blog: http://weblogs.asp.net/fbouma
Microsoft MVP (C#)
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