Question windows forms project communication with database

[_george_]

Dear friends,

I have a moderate experience in windows forms application development using VB .NET.
I would like to notice that my database experience is very limited, but now I have absolute necessity for the development of an application that will communicate with a database.

To be more exact, let me describe in brief my inquiry:
I have some hundreds of rows of data. According to the user actions, some or all of them should be presented in some form controls (textboxes, datagridview etc). The user may be able to modify the data from the controls. Since I will paste the data into a new database, it can be of every type, for example Access, sql etc.

I assume that this is a relatively simple question but I would appreciate if you could provide me with a recommendation on which database type I could use. Can anyone suggest a further reading source (book, website, etc) ?


I am greatful,

Thank you

 

[jmcilhinney]

The simplest options are SQL Server Express and SQL Server CE. Both are free and support is integrated into VS. SQL Server Express offers more functionality but it also requires the server to be installed on, or accessible to, any system that runs your app. That's not a big deal though. It can be installed automatically along with your app and even downloaded on demand if required, just like the .NET Framework. You might start by checking out the Data Walkthroughs link in my signature.

 

[_george_]

Thank you for your message.
From a little research I figured out that I cannot create sdf database files. I am able to access them and browse their data easily from VB .NET, but in my case I would like to somehow create first a database (let's say in MS Access) and then be able to access it from VB .NET.
Should I maybe use .mdb Access files? Sql cannot cooperate with mdb files, I think..

Any suggestions???

 

[jmcilhinney]

Why can't you create an SDF file? I don't use VB Express but I was under the impression that it supported SQL Server CE.

You certainly can create an Access database and add it to your project.

 

[JohnH]

VB 2008/2010 Express supports SQL Server Compact files, and can be used to create and design them. I don't think VB 2005 Express did.