Sql Server Compact 35 Sp2 Query Tools

As part of a project, I've had occasion to look at the SQL Server Compact Edition in earnest. Although I've taken a cursory glance before this, its my first attempt to put all the pieces into place. So I thought I'd write it down as I went along.

Finally got SQL Server Compact Edition 4.0 working under IIS 7.5. In case, they are not, then install Compact SP2 x86 and x64 MSIs from following link as. Passwords txt.

SQL Server Compact Edition's original name was SQL Server Mobile, but as of version 3.1 its now supported on a variety of mobile devices but its also supported on Tablet and Desktop PCs. For simplicity, I'll refer to all versions as SQLCE from now on.

SQLCE ships with SQL Server 2005 and will also ship with the next version of SQL Server (Katmai). I believe it installs if you install the SQL Server 2005 adminstrative tools, but doesn't show up in Add/Remove Programs.

It also ships with Visual Studio, if you install the Compact Framework dev tools. You can also download it stand alone. It consists of 6 DLLs, no services, not even an exe. You can program it with the ADO.NET data provider or OLE DB provider. Each is included as a separate DLL. When installed with VS or standalone it lives in the directory C: Program Files Microsoft SQL Server Compact [or Mobile] Edition v3.x.

There are subdirectories that contain the redistributables for various compact devices and versions of Windows CE. When installed with SQL Server it lives in the C: Program Files Microsoft SQL Server 90 Tools Binn VSShell Common7 IDE directory.

The versions that come with various product versions are: SQL Server 2005 RTM and SP1: Version 3.0, build 3.0.5207.0 SQL Server 2005 SP2: Version 3.1, build 3.0.5300.0 Visual Studio 2005: Version 3.0, build 3.0.5207.0 Standalone download of SQL Server Compact Edition 3.1: Version 3.1, build 3.0.5300.0 Mar CTP standalone and Mar CTP of VS Orcas: Version 3.5, build 3.5.5305.0 VS Orcas Beta 1: Version 3.5, build 3.5.5334.0 Interestingly, the DLLs always end with '30' in all versions. You know which version by looking at the file properties, not the DLL names. Version 3.5 will supposedly also ship with SQL Server Katmai, but this is not available yet. The reason SQLCE ships with SQL Server and Visual Studio is that these are the development and admin environments for it. You don't just start up the.exe and work from the command line, you use either SQL Server Management Studio or Visual Studio's Server Explorer. Each of these tools come with dialog boxes that allow you to create a database and interact through the GUI (VS's Server Explorer/Data Connections or SSMS's Registered Servers/Object Explorer/Query Window).

You can also create and manipulate a database through the programmatic APIs. You must have SSMS to make this work with SQL Server, there is no support for SQLCE in SQL Server Management Studio Express. In addition to DDL and DML, both environments allow you to configure merge replication, as support for what's called 'Occasionaly Connected Systems' is one of the main points of SQLCE.

Besides SQL Server Merge Replication, you can interact with the 'main server database' through RDA (remote data access) or the new ADO.NET Sync Services, currently in beta. Next: Associated pieces.