Can you set the datasource to a database as a string?

[vanillah89]

I am working on a project and I am trying to allow the user to change the database location through the options menu. It worked for a xml file but I cant get it to work with a database.

How would I get the code to work like this? Is there anyway to accomplish this?

Dim ConnString As String = "Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;Data Source= strDBFilePath"

instead of an actual filepath

thanks

 

[shortfinger]

Hi vanillah89, you have a variable embedded in quotes which is incorrect, try:

Dim ConnString As String = "Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;Data Source=" & strDBFilePath

If your variable is correct, this should work.

 

[JuggaloBrotha]

A common way of doing that is to use String.Format() where you can "fill in the blanks":

Dim ConnString As String = String.Format("Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;Data Source={0}", strDBFilePath)

The {0} is simply a placeholder for the value you want to be put there, you can have a string with multiple of them, just increment the number with each one and include a variable or value for each one as a parameter after the string.

 

[jmcilhinney]

Use a connection string builder to build a connection string. E.g.

Dim builder As New OleDbConnectionStringBuilder

builder.Provider = "Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0"

MessageBox.Show(builder.ConnectionString)

builder.DataSource = "FirstDatabase"

MessageBox.Show(builder.ConnectionString)

builder.DataSource = "SecondDatabase"

MessageBox.Show(builder.ConnectionString)