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How do I used a database I created in MS SQL Server 2008 R2 with a VS C# Project?

I created a new database using SQL Server 2008 R2 by using the Management Studio. The connection says (local) and I am using Windows Authentication (though I installed with mixed mode).
My questions are:
How do I connect to the DB via my C# application -
The only time I ever have done this before I just used VS Menu > Tools > Connect to DB and the drop down saw my database and connected, then right clicked on it and grabbed the connection string for use in connecting. However I'm thinking because its (local) I don't have that option.
As per Q#1 I am assuming the database file is being stored somewhere locally - I am wondering how to find that location and how I can include it with my application
Edit** Per comment: VSMenu-> View-> Server Explorer and then use add connection to connect to your local SQL Server instance and then use the database you created from the databases dropdown, and from advance settings copy the connection string created by the connection dialog
This is what I am looking for but I am missing the step during "add connection" where do I find my SQL Server I created locally? As mentioned before I have no idea where it is stored or how to find it

MSDN has an example in the SQLConnection documentation
using (var connection = new SqlConnection(connectionString))
using (var command = new SqlCommand(queryString, connection))
{
command.Connection.Open();
command.ExecuteNonQuery();
}
You can then optionally use a SqlDataAdapter.

You need to use ADO.NET, which is comprised of a connection object (SqlConnection), command object (SqlCommand), parameters objects (SqlParameter) and data sets (DataSet) or data readers (SqlDataReader).
Read A Beginner's Tutorial for Understanding ADO.NET.

Local Database with Visual Studio 2012

I am creating a application and I want to use a local database stored on the clients local machines. I am debating over if I should use SQLITE or is there something in Visual Studio to help me. The other thing is that I want to create the database programmatically in the users directory when the application is launched.
I am see a few things online but the articles were all about SQL Server stuff and that is not want I want to do with this application. All data will need to be stored on the local machine.

You can use SQL Server Compact, which has tooling in Visual Studio. It's syntax-compatible with SQL Server, but stores its data in a local file, which you can create on the fly (at app startup, for example).

You can create the SQLite database on the fly with the libraries provided from their website. I have used it in many projects for my personal code, as well as it being used in some of the internal architecture of Data Explorer (IBM Product). Some sample C# to create a database file:
if (!Directory.Exists(Application.StartupPath + "\\data"))
{
Directory.CreateDirectory(Application.StartupPath + "\\data");
}
SQLiteConnection conGlobal;
if (!File.Exists(dbGlobal))
{
conGlobal = new SQLiteConnection("Data Source=" + dbGlobal + ";New=True;Compress=True;PRAGMA synchronous = 1;PRAGMA journal_mode=WAL");
conGlobal.SetExtendedResultCodes(true);
firstRun = true;
}
else
{
conGlobal = new SQLiteConnection("Data Source=" + dbGlobal + ";Compress=True;PRAGMA synchronous = 1;PRAGMA journal_mode=WAL");
conGlobal.SetExtendedResultCodes(true);
}
try
{
conGlobal.Open();
}
catch (Exception)
{
//do stuff
}
Simply initiating a connection to the file will create it if the new=true is passed as the connection string. Then you can query it and get results just like you would any database.
You also have the ability to password protect the database files to prevent access to them from just opening them with an SQLite-Shell or a different SQLite DB viewer.
For more info on the pragma statements that are being passed in the connection string, see the following: http://www.sqlite.org/pragma.html

I'm not sure about programmatically (that's probably what you meant, right?) creating the database, but SQL Server Compact Edition has served me well in the past for simple apps. It's embedded and even runs in medium trust.

replacing data access strategy from SQL Server to Access MDB file in C#

I created a small accounting application a while back. It uses SQL Server 2008 as backend data store. Now I realize that SQL Server is too much for such a
small program PLUS it is not very much portable. I mean I want to have this application on my USB stick for easy access anywhere, and SQL Server will not be
available everywhere. So now I want to replace the data store from SQL Server to something portable i.e. MS Access MDB file.
1- Is it a good option or should I use SQL Server express edition?
2- I don't have experience using SQL Express edition. If I use it, would it be needed on any machine where I intend to run my application?
2- What changes should I make in the code to make it compatioble with MDF files (or SQL Express)?
As I said it is quite simple program, it uses connected model to fetch and insert data currently. For example
void bindGrid()
{
try
{
using (SqlConnection con = new SqlConnection(ConnectionString))
{
DataSet set = new DataSet();
SqlDataAdapter da = new SqlDataAdapter();
SqlCommand selectCommand = new SqlCommand("SELECT * FROM Categories ORDER BY name", con);
da.SelectCommand = selectCommand;
da.Fill(set);
this.grdCategories.DataSource = set.Tables[0];
}
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
MessageBox.Show(ex.Message);
}
}

Rather than using Access, I would use LocalDB. It should require very few if any changes to your code other than the connection string.
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/sqlexpress/archive/2011/07/12/introducing-localdb-a-better-sql-express.aspx
LocalDB is created specifically for developers. It is very easy to install and requires no management, yet it offers the same T-SQL language, programming surface and client-side providers as the regular SQL Server Express. In effect the developers that target SQL Server no longer have to install and manage a full instance of SQL Server Express on their laptops and other development machines. Moreover, if the simplicity (and limitations) of LocalDB fit the needs of the target application environment, developers can continue using it in production, as LocalDB makes a pretty good embedded database too.

I would recommend SQL CE for small projects.
LocalDB vs SQL Server Compact
There are significant differences between LocalDB and SQL Server Compact:
Execution mode: SQL Server Compact is an in-proc DLL, while LocalDB runs as a separate process.
Disk usage: all SQL Server Compact binaries amount to some 4MBs, while LocalDB installation takes 140MBs.
Features: SQL Server Compact offers core RDBMS functionality like querying, while LocalDB provides a much richer set of features, including Stored Procedures, Geometry and Geography data types, etc.

asp.net c# connect to local Db vs2008

I'm making an ASP.net with c# webapp using VS 2008, and I added a new sql database item to my project. I added tables to the databse. In the database explorer the test connection works. I guess I have two questions. One:In the application, how does one connect to the database using a connection string? or what connection string should I use? Second: How do I add a username and password to the database?
Right now I'm using this connection string in the web.config file, but when I run the app it times out and says it can't make a connection. The error is on the conn.open line.
add name="ReportsConnectionString" connectionString="Data Source=(local); Initial Catalog=REPORTS;Integrated Security=True" providerName="System.Data.SqlClient"
I have this code in one of my page's codebehind.
string sqlquery = "SELECT * FROM reportitems";
using (SqlConnection conn = new SqlConnection(ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["ReportsConnectionString"].ConnectionString))
{
conn.Open();
using (SqlCommand comm = new SqlCommand(sqlquery, conn))
{
using (SqlDataAdapter adapter = new SqlDataAdapter(comm))
{
DataSet ds = new DataSet();
adapter.Fill(ds, "reportitems");
DataRowCollection dra = ds.Tables["reportitems"].Rows;
foreach (DataRow dr in dra)
{
string DRZ = dr[0].ToString();
//more stuff here
}
}
}
}

Usually SqlServer Express is reachable on your local PC using this syntax for the Data Source parameter yourpcname\SQLEXPRESS. To be sure start Management Studio and look at the Server Name request.
For the security part of your question, I suppose that you don't want the Integrated Security option (Windows User), but you want a SQLServer user. In this case you could use the User ID and Password parameters for the connection string:
Data Source=MYPC\SQLEXPRESS;Initial Catalog=REPORTS;User Id=MYNAME;Password=MYPASS;
However, this works only after you have added this user to the SQLServer.
You could use the interface of Management Studio app or you could execute a script like this
USE [master]
GO
CREATE LOGIN [MYNAME] WITH PASSWORD=N'MYPASS', DEFAULT_DATABASE=[master]
GO
USE [REPORTS]
GO
CREATE USER [MYNAME] FOR LOGIN [MYNAME]
GO

The Integrated Security=True part of the connectionstring means that the server will use the credentials of the app pool running the site, and you don't need to specify username or password. The app pool identiy will, however, need to have access to your database.

Visit http://www.connectionstrings.com/ for a good primer on various ways to set the connection string for various applications. That'll show you why (local) didn't work but .\SQLEXPRESS did and how to add username and password to it. Here's an example lifted from http://www.connectionstrings.com/sql-server-2008
Data Source=myServerAddress;Initial Catalog=myDataBase;User
Id=myUsername;Password=myPassword;

As others have said, you need a SqlExpress engine running as .mdf is not a flat file. It is a SQL server express database file and you need to connect to it.
But what have not said is that a Database in your App_Data folder needs to be attached to the SqlServer instance. This step is only done once in the first connection.
In http://www.connectionstrings.com/sql-server-2008 you will find an example in the "Attach a database file, located in the data directory, on connect to a local SQL Server Express instance" section that looks like this:
Server=.\SQLExpress;AttachDbFilename=|DataDirectory|mydbfile.mdf; Database=dbname;Trusted_Connection=Yes;
Also you can read this: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms247257.aspx
I believe that you will need to run some scripts and stuff like that to create a user and assign permissions to this user in this database, and then change the connection string (once the database attached), so I don't see a point in having the database in the App_Data folder. I believe it should be better if since the beginning you create your database using the SqlServer tools and connect to it from your application.

C# windows application set up on different machines and all work on one SQL Server 2008 database

I have created a desktop application with SQL Server 2008 as backend. I want to use this database from my application that is installed on a number of machines.
What are the requirements for that application to connect to the centralized database.?

It is pretty simple, You want the architecture as Client-Server model were the server has the database .Hence you need to have MS SQLserver 2005 or higher versions and create database connect it to sqlserver. Grant permission for the clients to access the database.
From visual studio side:
Add the above created .mdf(database file) as the new data source.
Data-->Add new Data Source , and follow the steps in the wizard[p.s the type of connection has to be sql sever type ]
while doing this a connection string will be created by VS. Use tht connection string to access from the client side.
This link would be useful : http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/sxds9ett(v=vs.80).aspx

To keep the connection string in its resources, ofcourse.
Resources are:
Doubleclick on project's Properties (at solution explorer).
Then Settings tab.
If there is no default setting file, create it by clicking the long link label.
Add a setting like "ConnectionString" with the value like "Data Source = ..." whatever.
Then you can run your sql scripts like:
SqlConnection conn =
new SqlConnection(Properties.Settings.Default.ConnectionString);
And go on.