Database to use when creating an installer for your c# application - c#

I am creating a c# application which requires to use a database and i am also planning to create an installer for my application. I just want to ask which database would be best to use in my application and how do i install it on a user machine while installing my application through installer file.
I have thought of using MYSQL database but for that u need to have MYSQL installed.
Update
i want each user to have there own instance of database when they install the application

You do not have to ship a full database server with your application; only the redistributable runtime which your application would use to connect to the actual database server remotely. In the case of MySQL, you only need the assemblies.
Applications I wrote relied heavily on SQL Server. In order to simplify evaluations and the initial deployment, the installer would install SQL Server Express (installed as an application specific instance). This is an approach I'd recommend if your application is intended to a centralised database.
What is key to understand, especially with commercial application, is that the database engine you install may have to co-exist with existing versions of the respective database engine. That is why application specific instances was created for SQL Server Express.
The alternatives, which are embedded, are:
SQLite.net
SQL Server Compact Edition. The deployment process is well defined.
VistaDB
Embedded databases have some challenges when deployed as part of a server application. For many years, Microsoft refused to allow SQL Server Compact Edition to be used for ASP.NET applications. If the database is per user, per device, an embedded database may be perfect.
Also be aware that MySQL has license restrictions when shipped as part of commercial software (aka you're acting as an OEM, ISV or VAR).

Have a look at SQL Server Express Edition.
It's just a file which you can copy and a class library which allows to access it. And after you finished your installation you can just delete the files (or to keep them if you need them to uninstall the product).

may be u are a fresh.
MYSQL is ok ,but u are creating a C# application,i strongly advise you use mssql
because C# has a close relationship with mssql,develop more convenient.

My advice would be using SQL Azure.
But only if:
You don't need much storage (<1GB).
You don't save sensitive Data there.
Your users have an internet connection.
It's a cloud based Sql Server Database. And the Conneciton is very simple, basically you connect like to any other Database via the Connection String.
www.windowsazure.com

Related

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.
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.

C# Sql-server on every client

I want to build an application that needs a sql database on every machine that uses the application.
Isn't it true that Chrome and Firefox store cookies in a SQL database? I did not remember installing anything like a SQL server while installing Chrome, so my question is: does every user has to install a SQL Server if my app uses one?
The best thing for your purpose is to use database servers, which will be started with your application, like SQLite or Sql Server Compact. That means, you application host the database it self and you have access over ADO.Net. This is a very smart kind of storing local data and very easy.
Do not try to install complex database systems like mssql, sybase or mysql on every client.
For example, SQLite can be delivered with a few assemblies in your product.
This answers gives a nice overview: Lightweight SQL database which doesn't require installation
In order to store information for a client application, you can use SQL Server Compact, or some other solution, like SQLite (with a library to access it).
There are other alternatives, but these two are the most common and stable.
It's true that Firefox stores cookies in a sqlite database. However, that's not the same thing as SQL Server.
If your app needs to communicate with a database, you can a) bundle a sqlite database with it, b) require an existing database on startup (Wordpress does this; you can pass it details for a mysql database to get it to use an existing installation), or c) bundle a full database (like SQL Server Compact) with your application.

C# SQL Server data storage

I'm writing an application in c# that uses SQL Server database for storage propose.
My question might be a bit silly, but yet I don't understand something..
I use a lot of application that use SQL Server for storage, but it looks like the DB is inside the application and installed in the installation process.
Does every time I use my SQL Server db in my application I need to install a SQL Server in my client's computer ?
Or can I somehow wrap my database in the installation ?
It looks a bit weird to me that a SQL Server must be installed in every computer I want to install the application on - although it uses a very simple database.
Maybe the solution is to use some other storage option ?
You can use a database like SQL Server CE or SQLite which doesn't require installing a server. It is just a single database file that is included with your program.
In teory you have to install only the client, but it is already installed in every Windows... You have just to config it. Run cliconfg on the command line. On 64 bit you have to choose which version (32 or 64 bit) to run
Usual practice for this kind of scenario is to provide user interface that would allow the client to enter server name and credentials with enough privileges.
I wouldn’t create an application that would automatically install SQL Server on client’s computer because that’s too intrusive.
Just provide a nice and clean user interface in the installation process and your clients will be able to do the rest.
Yes, there are options for SQL Server Compact Edition and other similar stuff but you’ll also have a ton of restrictions with these versions.

developing sql application using local database

I am starting an application (c#, .net) that will interact with a Microsoft SQL database. I need the ability for multiple clients to access the data concurrently so I an going to use a service based database (.mdf). Is it possible to develop the application using a local database (.sdf) and then easily switch it over to a service based database when it comes time for deployment? Is that how this type of development it typically done?
You can control the data source by providing connection string to your database in .config file.
You can even create Debug and Release versions of your .config file with different connection strings. Debug can point to your local machine and Release to production.
Development shops vary, but it is pretty common to develop apps using SQL Express locally and then use a full installation of SQL Server for the production environment.
The only thing I would advise is make sure that the DB you chose for your dev environment supports the same features as what you expect in production. For example don't use SQL Express on your dev box when you expect to use Oracle in production.
If the database schema in both backends is exactly the same than the only thing you will need to do is change the connection string when you are ready to move to the service based database.
Be aware that the slightest change in the schema can (and probably will) cause problems.
You want to use SQL Compact Edition (as you said database file extension is .sdf), right? You can use MSSQL Express Edition instead, as it acts more like full MSSQL Server, and is still free and not so hard to install on developer's machine (I personally prefer this option). There are differences between the two (as explained here: http://blog.sqlauthority.com/2009/04/22/sql-server-difference-between-sql-server-compact-edition-ce-and-sql-server-express-edition/). If you don't want features like triggers/procedures/views in your database, you can still use CE, though.
If you have multiple clients then you should use SQL Server Express (.mdf file) - SQL Server Compact (.sdf file) is useful when you are building an application that is going to be deployed on client machines and will run standalone, e.g. windows forms application with a local database. SQL Server Compact is just an alternative for MS Access .mdb files or SQLite, the so called "embedded databases", while SQL Server Express is a real database server (albeit with some limitations to render it unsuitable for large commercial applications) and should be used in the cases where multiple clients use central database, e.g. web applications and smart client apps (the latter could also make use of a local embedded database though).

using MySQL with C#

I want to know if it is possible to use MySQL Engine without having to install WAMP Server. I'm developing an application that will require a database, so I was thinking of using MySQL instead of MS SQL or access. So I don't want to install the WAMP package yet I want to install the MySQL Engine, so if possible, please provide me with the download link for the MySQL and how to install and use (start/stop service).
You will need the runtime and the .net connector to make this happen. You also might find the workbench (gui tools to manage the server and run queries) to be helpful.
The runtime installs a service by default, which you can control on the commandline or via the windows service management console (services.msc).
This sounds to me a lot like you're thinking 'desktop application', where the MySQL database will be a simple local data store. If that's the case, MySQL is not a good choice.
MySQL is a server-class database engine. It's designed to run full time in the background as a service. This makes it overkill for a simple desktop app, and as a user I'd be mad if your simple desktop app required me to run the MySQL service.
For the kind of app I think you're building, you really want an in-process or desktop-class database. Good examples include SQLite, SQL Server Compact Edition (not Express), or even MS Access. Any of those would be a better option here than MySQL.
On the other hand, if I'm wrong and you're building a web app or an app that will be distributed to several computers that all share the same database, then MySQL is a perfectly fine choice and you should read #Femaref's answer.
If your database isn't going to be incredibly large you could go with SQL Compact. It comes with the .NET framework, and works well for smaller databases.

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