tags:

views:

118

answers:

3
+1  Q: 

Do you have to have SQL Server installed on a machine if the connection string using is a path to a .mdf File?

I am wondering if you can use Linq to SQL using a .mdf file on a machine without a SQL Server instance installed?

+1  A: 

You have to attach the database to some instance of Sql server. You'll probably want to do this on the same machine, otherwise you add in network latency (which can be extreme in some cases) when writing to the database.

Will  2009-05-17 19:53:28
+1  A: 

Nope, you need to attach the file to some instance of MSSQL. You can do it with MsSQL Express.

backslash17  2009-05-17 20:00:10
Sorry I forgot the link:http://www.microsoft.com/Sqlserver/2005/en/us/express-down.aspx
backslash17  2009-05-17 20:04:56
So do you think its possible that .mdf file can be used as a sql database without sql express installation ? I am working on a project in which sql express taking pretty long time and making software bulky in size
ANIL MANE  2009-06-22 15:19:46
You need to attach the file always to a SQL server, don't confuse the MSSQL Express edition with the MSSQL Management Studio Express Edition. You always need an SQL server, the Management Studio can be installed in any machine to administer the SQL instance but it is not an SQL instance at all.
backslash17  2009-06-22 17:40:24
+1  A: 

If the cost of SQL Server is an issue, you can probably use SQL Server Express. It's free. The download for the 2008 version is here. Or you can use the 2005 version here.

DOK  2009-05-17 20:03:15

related questions

How to find an implementation of a C# interface in the current assembly with a specific name?
Learning about LINQ
LINQ to SQL Mapping From Money to Double
SQL Server 2008 vs 2005 Linq integration
Aging Data Structure in C#
LINQ-to-SQL vs stored procedures?
LINQ, entity that implements Interface and exception in mapping
How can I remove nodes from a SiteMapNodeCollection?
Conditional Linq Queries
LINQ query on a DataTable
Expression.Invoke in Entity Framework?
How to return a page of results from SQL?
Import Namespace System.Query
Has anyone run performance benchmarks comparing LINQ
Beginners Guide to LINQ
Querying like Linq when you don't have Linq.
Linq to objects - select first object
C# 3.0 Where extension method with lambda vs LINQtoObjects to filter in memory collections.
How much database performance overhead when using LINQ?
LinqDataSource - Can you limit the amount of records returned?
LINQ on the .NET 2.0 Runtime
How do I most elegantly express left join with aggregate SQL as LINQ query
How do you page a collection with LINQ?
How do I get a distinct, ordered list of names from a DataTable using Linq
How do I fill a DataSet or a DataTable from a LINQ query resultset ?