views:

260

answers:

2

I'm making a Win app on the 3.5 framework. I'd like to include a database file with the app. This would a single-user db. I looked at the 2 different types of db files I can add, the sdf and mdf. Thw sdf (compact) db is missing some functionality I need, so I prefer the mdf. The description on the mdf file "Service oriented database file" leads me to believe that whoever installed my application would also have to install the SQL service required to access that mdf. Is this correct?

+3  A: 

Yes. MDF is just a file and needs a SQL Server database engine to use it.

gbn
Thanks. I guess I will have to try to figure out a way around the limitations of sdf.
Dabas
+2  A: 

Yes, at a minimum SQL Express would be required. The advantage of the compact edition is that this requirement is eliminated since the database engine can be x-copy deployed.

Lloyd McFarlin
Thanks. I started the project off using the compact edition but now I'm running into some limitations when trying to take advantage of Entity Framework. When using the EF, you can't insert into tables that have an auto-incrementing ID field.
Dabas