Creating an instance of a SQL Server DB and adding it to a Setup Project

The same way that you add install Windows with your application... you make it a prerequisite, presenting your user with a link to the download page at Microsoft.

If you deploy in house however, you might want to consider ClickOnce deployment, since it enables you to include the installation of various components, including SQL Server Express. (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/142dbbz4(v=vs.90).aspx)

>which doesn't have SQL Server installed on it
>I create an instance of a SQL Server DB

It appears that you want to use your SQL Server DB without installing SQL Server. Is this assumption correct? If yes then look into SQL Server CE.

CodeCruiser,

You are correct. I'm taking this app and installing in on a standalone desktop machine.

Have you tried SQL CE then? If you don't want to install SQL Server on the target computer then Access is a good choice.

But I've heard that you don't need to install a full blown version of SQL Server on a machine in this situation.

Yeah you can use SQL CE which does not require installing but it is quite limiting. Is your software only used on a single computer or many computers on a network?

Currently it is installed on 4 stand-alone PC's at work. We have SQL Server installed on a Database Server. What we are trying to do is perform an install in the field on stand-alone PC's that don't have SQL Server installed on them. Once installed on these PC's, the application will use the database installed on the machine and not our Database Server at work.

Then you have two options

1) Use a standalone database such as Access or SQL Server CE but this would require maintaining two databases.
2) Install SQL Server Express (FREE) as part of application setup.

Ok,

Let's say I go the with SQL Server CE, how do I get that in my Setup Project?

Thanks CodeCruiser...those were good examples!