Question

Which Database would be best for backending a simple standalone C# application?

Asked by: stumpy1

Hi,

I am looking at developing a reasonably small standalone .Net windows forms application using Visual Studio 2008, C# and either the .Net 3.0 or 3.5 framework to replace an old MS Access DB Application.  It will only contain a reasonably small number of records - perhaps 200 or 300 records in 4 or 5 tables per year but will keep multiple years.

I need it to back into a small DB (I was thinking MySQL or MSSQL) whose setup and configuration can be included in the installation file for my application with minimal user input.

Can this easily be done with either MySQL or SQL Server Express 2005 (or 2008)?

Is there another free or open source DB that might suit my purpose better? (If so I need pro's and con's and link)

Thanks.

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Asked On
2009-05-21 at 16:56:21ID24429649
Tags

SQL Server

,

C#

,

MySQL

Topics

C# Programming Language

,

Databases Miscellaneous

,

MySQL Server

Participating Experts
2
Points
500
Comments
5

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Answers

 

by: ddayx10Posted on 2009-05-21 at 17:46:28ID: 24447109

Without getting too crazy I will just say the following:

1) There is a pretty good post that answers this question already available(why re-invent the wheel):
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Microsoft/Development/MS-SQL-Server/Q_22973951.html

2) SQLExpress has a lot more features and flexibility for my taste. Even if you don't need all it can offer it will perform as well and be more flexible to update if you decide you want to later. Plus if your going to start learning to interface with a database you may as well familiarize yourself with the look, feel and features of an enterprise level solution.

Just two cents,

dday

 

by: kaufmedPosted on 2009-05-21 at 18:15:32ID: 24447184

You might be interested in SQLite.

http://www.sqlite.org/

 

by: stumpy1Posted on 2009-05-22 at 03:27:07ID: 24449314

ddayx10:
Thats for the link to the MySQL vs MSSQL comparison. Good reading and I was just too lazy to search for it.
I use SQL Server 2005 (and have also used SQL 2000, SQL7 + SQL 6.5) at work (for enterprise applications) and I have SQLExpress 2005 at home.  I have also used MySQL in the past (version 3.? or 4.?)

kaufmed:
SQLLite looks like it might be exactly what Im looking for.  Do you know if its easy to use with Visual Studio and C# or if there are any good examples out there?

 

by: stumpy1Posted on 2009-05-22 at 03:44:53ID: 24449394

What about "SQL Server Compact Edition"?

The application is going to be a standalone single machine application and both the exe and database will need to be able to installed on multiple standalone machines with minimal setup/user input and minimal work in packaging the application

 

by: kaufmedPosted on 2009-05-22 at 04:04:00ID: 24449514

I'm assuming you have experience using some of the built in data functionalities of .NET (connections, command, datareaders, etc.). If so, then it appears there is a connector to SQLite for .NET. The first link is for that download. The second link is for the connection string you would use. The third, which I'm not sure you'll need, but it's kind of cool nonetheless, is a link to an add-on for firefox to manage sqlite databases.


http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=132486&package_id=145568&release_id=679032
http://www.connectionstrings.com/sqlite
http://code.google.com/p/sqlite-manager/

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