SQL Server Express and SQL Server Compact Edition - asp.net

I've just built my first Umbraco site and now I want to hand it over for deployment on a web server. However, I built the site on my local machine using Web Matrix, which uses a SQL Server Compact Edition database, which is represented in a .sdf file.
I was a bit uneasy about whether this would be much use to the person I'm passing the site to (they have a number of Umbraco based sites running on this server using SQL Server) - so I installed SQL Server Express and migrated the database from Compact Edition to Express. However (again), I can't seem to find any way of exporting the full database to a file which can then by imported into a database on the web server.
A couple of points I guess - first, is the Compact Edition .sdf file actually enough for someone to take and import a database into SQL Server Standard? Failing that, how would I export the database from SQL Server Express to a file which could be used for this purpose?
Thanks in advance - this is my first foray into .net development so I'm grateful for any help!

You could just give the SQL CE database (.sdf) to the person who manages the web server. The SQL CE database can be run by default on a .NET webserver.
If, for some reason, you want to migrate it to SQL Server, you can do this through Web Matrix (http://www.microsoft.com/web/)
When you have already converted the SQL CE database to SQL Server, you can:
make a backup through the SQL Server Management Studio tool and restore the backup on the web server
or you can use the SQL Server Management Studio tool to script the database to a .sql file which can be executed on the web server
I prefer the first option.

Related

How to know if Entity was using SQL Server or not?

I have followed through a tutorial using a "Code First" approach with Entity framework. It seems like Visual Studio was smart enough to create the database for me and setup the tables and everything based on my classes. I have a question about the database that was created.
I notice that the database was automatically set up and I could see it in my Server Explorer window in Visual Studio. In my Web.config, under the connection string, I see Data Source=(localdb)\v11.0;.... There is also a .mdf file created in a folder called App_Data.
My question is:
Was Entity framework using MS SQL Server or SQL Express for the database it has created?
If it wasn't using MS SQL Server or SQL Express, what was the database that Entity used?
I don't remember installing SQL Server or SQL Express. Does installing Visual Studio automatically install MS SQL Server or SQL Server Express?
PS: I will appreciate if you can help me to clear up my doubts. Coming from a PHP background, I'm very new to .NET and its ecosystem.
The connection string indicate that you are using SQL Server Local DB.
With Microsoft SQL Server 2012, Microsoft has introduced a feature called LocalDB which is a new edition of SQL Express. LocalDB is created specifically for developers and it is much easier to install (no service) and manage than standard editions. Developers initiate a connection by using a special connection string. It supports AttachDbFileName property, which allows you to specify a database file location.
When connecting, the server is automatically created and started, enabling the application to use the database without complex configuration tasks. This edition uses the same sqlservr.exe as the regular SQL Express and other editions of SQL Server.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-US/evalcenter/dn434042.aspx
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh212961.aspx

How can i export my SQLExpress database from Webmatrix?

I used webmatrix to write my web app. and now I need to upload my files to a host server via ftp. The database file located in App_Data folder it's name: "db.sdf.backup".
The host server uses studio manager to manage the database.
Now, my question is how do i export my database so it would work on their server?
Hey, I have the same problem, I want to export my database from webmatrix to 1and1 servers to publish my web site. Unfortunatly the migrate option of webmatrix is only available for SQL Server database and not for Mysql Database ! Do you have another idea ?
Thanks
Are you sure your database is in SQL Server Express? The file you mention (db.sdf) is a SQL Server Compact database, and WebMatrix indeed uses SQL Server Compact by default. If this is the case you need to convert your database to SQL Server "proper". WebMatrix makes it easier for you by offering the Migrate command in the SQL Server section of the ribbon.

Hosting an asp website on EasyCgi

I have developed a website using ASP.NET/VB + SqlServer 2008 and Dotnetnuke CMS.
Now I have to host it on easycgi.com
I have some questions:
How should I restore my db (unfortunately easycgi supports just sqlserver 2005) so what should I do to convert my db to 2005?
and what should I do to host my website (step-by-step "please").
Any help appreciated.
Sorry for my english.
Not familiar with easycgi but often times getting SQL Server can be a lot of work. If you can create a database at easycgi the best thing to do is script out your database in SQL server 2008 using this process SQL Server 2008 script data
You'll then have everything for your database in a file. It's scripted and then run that at easy cgi if they have a way to run scripts. Otherwise sometimes you can connect your SQL SErver management studio directly to your database there.
You'll get a temp URL probably at easycgi, make sure that is in PortalAlias table in your SQL Server database.
Update your web.config in two spots to connect to your new database, upload your files to the web server.
Again, never used easycgi, but hope this helps.

SQL server express backend for ASP.NET web service

I come from a linux/apache/php/mysql background. For my current project, I am forced to write web services using ASP.NET. I have installed visual studio and created an ASP.NET web service project. The web service I'm creating will use a SQL database backend. I see that visual studio installed "SQL Server Express 2008." I can see that there is a service called "SQL Server (SQLEXPRESS)" that is running. My question is, how do I run queries against this database? Where's the front end? What tool do I use to create databases and tables? Is there something else I have to install?
I feel completely lost and my google-fu fails me. There are so many different SQL products from microsoft that I can't tell what is the easiest path to just having a simple database with tables I can query from my development machine. With MySQL, I would install the MySQL database, download MySQL query browser and start firing queries at it. How can I do that with Visual Studio/SQL Server Express?
You can download SQL Server Management Studio from here. This is the GUI for working with SQL Server. It will let you create databases, tables, stored procedures, etc. as well as writing queries and manually edit data in the tables.
Aside from SQL Server Management Studio, you can use the Server Explorer tab in Visual Studio (by default on the right side, next to Solution Explorer) to add a data connection. You can do most of the most common database tasks (create/query tables, create views, etc) from there.
there's a command line tool that installs with SQL Server (all versions) called SQLCMD.exe, should be in your install path.
Visual Studio also lets you create dbs, run queries, look at table structures and data (including creating and deleting them, etc), you do that by opening your Server explorer window and making a connection to your local instance (.\SQLExpress by default).
Finally, as the other person mentioned, SQL Server Management Studio Express is a free download, and well worth the time it takes to install.

How do I create my first database for .NET development?

Ok! I'm ready to embark on some .NET development for the first time.
I've recently installed Microsoft Visual Studio which included Microsoft SQL Sever 2005.
What is the prefered method for programming against a development database? I want to write an ASP.NET application that uses a database and I'm not sure how to create one. In my start menu for SQL Server 2005 all I have is:
SQL Server Configuration Manager
SQL Server Error and Usage Reports
SQL Server Surface Area Config
I don't see an intuitive program to create and design databases on that list, so how do I do it?! Will I be creating a full fledged SQL Server database or a "flat-file" fake database to program against?
Can someone please tell me what is up on creating my first MS SQL Server 2005 database?
If you've Visual Studio, just goto server explorer, Add a new database connection to your database, and start off.
Or, create a new website project in Visual studio, right click the App_Data folder->Add New Item and add a SQL Server database mdf file, which will be attached to the sql server when you run the app. You need to deploy the mdf file when doing a production release :)
You might want to watch the videos in ASP.NET website http://www.asp.net/learn/
Otherwise, consider using Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio (an express edition is also available).
You are looking for Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio Express. Its pretty easy to add a database once you get your head around it.
To be clear, the SQL Server included with Visual Studio is an express edition. However, the one thing it is lacking is the SQL Server Management Studio (Express). I'd download and install the express edition that included the management studio (note that VS 2005 and 2008 include SQL Express 2005, you can use either SQL Express 2005 or 2008 for your purposes).
You can create a new database and do everything you need to from within the VS IDE but you'll probably find the SQL Management Studio environment much more intuitive and simpler to use as a beginner.
A quick note on SQL Express - Microsoft doesn't suggest it for 'production' environments due to limitations placed on the amount of RAM that Express can see/use and a few other factors. This is one of the few cases in which I agree - if you're doing anything complex that involves large databases or dozens of users then invest in MSSQL Workgroup Edition at least, or for Enterprise projects use MSSQL Standard or Enterprise versions.

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