asked on

how to the know the sql sever name from vb.net and also how to check that the sql server servie is started or not

I am working on a vb.net applications and in that
I want show the list of all availble sql server name in an combox.
so that user can select one server to which he wants to connect .
( If it is possible with out using any componet then it will be better for me.)

And also I want to know that is sql sever sevice is started or not from vb.net and if not how to start it from vb.net

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

softplus

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

graye

A non-component method would be to use the NetServerEnum Win32 APIs to generate a list of servers that have the SQL service runing

Here is an example (that's not exactly what you want, but it demostrates the concepts)

Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal

Module EnumNet

'NET_API_STATUS NetServerEnum(
' LPCWSTR servername,
' DWORD level,
' LPBYTE* bufptr,
' DWORD prefmaxlen,
' LPDWORD entriesread,
' LPDWORD totalentries,
' DWORD servertype,
' LPCWSTR domain,
' LPDWORD resume_handle
');
Declare Unicode Function NetServerEnum Lib "Netapi32.dll" ( _
ByVal servername As Integer, _
ByVal level As Integer, _
ByRef bufptr As IntPtr, _
ByVal prefmaxlen As Integer, _
ByRef entriesread As Integer, _
ByRef totalentries As Integer, _
ByVal servertype As Integer, _
ByVal domain As String, _
ByRef resume_handle As Integer) As Integer

'NET_API_STATUS NetApiBufferFree(
' LPVOID Buffer
');
Declare Function NetApiBufferFree Lib "Netapi32.dll" ( _
ByVal Buffer As IntPtr) As Integer

'typedef struct _SERVER_INFO_101 {
' DWORD sv101_platform_id;
' LPWSTR sv101_name;
' DWORD sv101_version_major;
' DWORD sv101_version_minor;
' DWORD sv101_type;
' LPWSTR sv101_comment;
'} SERVER_INFO_101, *PSERVER_INFO_101, *LPSERVER_INFO_101;
Private Structure Server_info_101
Dim sv101_platform_id As Integer
<MarshalAsAttribute(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)> Dim sv101_name As String
Dim sv101_version_major As Integer
Dim sv101_version_minor As Integer
Dim sv101_type As Integer
<MarshalAsAttribute(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)> Dim sv101_comment As String
End Structure

Const SV_TYPE_ALL As Long = &HFFFFFFFF
Const MAJOR_VERSION_MASK As Long = &HF

Public MyForm As Form1
Public Record_count As Integer

Sub GetEnunNet(ByRef dt As DataTable, ByVal StartDom As String)
Dim level, MaxLenPref, ret As Integer
Dim EntriesRead, TotalEntries, ResumeHandle As Integer
Dim BufPtr, iPtr As IntPtr
Dim i As Integer
Dim dr As DataRow
Dim TempNet As Server_info_101

' let's do it!
MaxLenPref = -1
level = 101
ret = NetServerEnum(0, level, BufPtr, MaxLenPref, EntriesRead, TotalEntries, SV_TYPE_ALL, StartDom, ResumeHandle)
If ret <> 0 Then
' record an error message
Record_count = Record_count + 1
dr = dt.NewRow
dr("PCDomain") = StartDom
dr("PCComment") = "Error! " & ret
dt.Rows.Add(dr)
Else
' record the results in our database
For i = 0 To EntriesRead - 1

' some wizardry to "walk" the array of NETRESOURCE structures
iPtr = New IntPtr(BufPtr.ToInt32 + (i * Marshal.SizeOf(TempNet)))
TempNet = CType(Marshal.PtrToStructure(iPtr, GetType(Server_info_101)), Server_info_101)

' add it to our database
Record_count = Record_count + 1
dr = dt.NewRow
dr("PCDomain") = StartDom
dr("PCName") = TempNet.sv101_name
dr("OSVersion") = CDbl(CStr(TempNet.sv101_version_major And MAJOR_VERSION_MASK) & "." & CStr(TempNet.sv101_version_minor))
dr("OSType") = BuildType(TempNet.sv101_type)
If Not IsNothing(TempNet.sv101_comment) AndAlso TempNet.sv101_comment <> "" Then
dr("PCComment") = TempNet.sv101_comment
End If
dt.Rows.Add(dr)

' keep them entertained
If i Mod 10 = 0 Then
MyForm.Status.Text = StartDom & "\" & TempNet.sv101_name
Application.DoEvents()
End If
Next
NetApiBufferFree(BufPtr)
End If
End Sub
Function BuildType(ByVal t As Integer) As String
Dim Buf As String
Dim mask As Long
Dim i As Integer

If t And &H1000 Then
Buf = "WinNT, "
End If
If t And &H400000 Then
Buf = "Win9x, "
End If
If (t And &H2000) And (Buf <> "Win9x, ") Then
Buf = "WinFWG, "
End If

For i = 0 To 30
mask = 2 ^ i
If t And mask Then
Select Case i
Case 2
Buf = Buf & "SQL, "
Case 3
Buf = Buf & "PDC, "
Case 4
Buf = Buf & "BDC, "
Case 5
Buf = Buf & "Time, "
Case 6
Buf = Buf & "Apple, "
Case 7
Buf = Buf & "Novel, "
Case 8
Buf = Buf & "Member, "
Case 9
Buf = Buf & "Print, "
Case 10
Buf = Buf & "RAS, "
Case 11
Buf = Buf & "Xenix, "
Case 14
Buf = Buf & "Netware, "
Case 15
Buf = Buf & "Server, "
Case 18
Buf = Buf & "Browse, "
End Select
End If
Next

' zap the trailing comma and space
If Len(Buf) > 2 Then
Buf = Left(Buf, Len(Buf) - 2)
End If

Return Buf
End Function
End Module

gopinathdeepak

ok...

for starting sql server or to get the status of the server (is it running or not), u can use the "scm" command...it is in the C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\80\Tools\Binn directory...

u have to use a shell execution using Shell("scm -parameters...") or by using the Process class..

just go to cmd prompt and run "scm /?"..it is a powerful tool...

----another suggestion is ...ur requirement looks very similar to theSQL service manager utility..(command is sqlmangr.exe...in the same directory)...usually the installation makes a PATH entry for this folder..so u dont have to navigate to the microsoft sql server folder to run the command..u can run it from anywhere...it is global...

so, i suggest simply call the sqlmangr.exe command from the VB Shell or Process class...it suits ur needs perfectly..

to test, simply go to command prompt and run sqlmangr.exe

tell me if this is what u wanted...

hope it helps

gopinathdeepak

u know...i am wrong if u dont have sql server on the machine u are using...sorry about that

;)