We have a SQL Server 2000 database. I naively purchased
VB .net standard thinking that I can write a couple
Windows Forms applications, connecting to the database
through ODBC. When I try to set up a data connection
object to our SQL Server database in the visual
environment I get a message saying "It is only possible to
connect to MS Desktop Engine databases and MS Accesses
databases using this version of MS Visual Studio."

Is the MS Desktop Engine (MSDE) what I want to use? Is
the MSDE essentially my connection from VB to our SQL
Server database? DO I have to "re-create" my tables in
MSDE or can I go straight through to the SQL Server
database. Any suggestions would be really appreciated!

I have read almost all of Microsoft's articles and help
files concerning MSDE and I still do not understand.
Please don't just send me a link.


Thanks!

Hi,

MSDE is a stripped down version of Microsoft SQL Server. It has the same
engine but does not have the following:

* Does not include Enterprise manager
* No Query Analyzer or any other quering tool for that matter.
* No backup/restore

MSDE is great for developing or small scale app. It uses the same sql
dialect that is offered by MS SQL Server and therefore, is very easy to
upgrade. The only disadvantage is that there is no GUI tool to manager
the database. This problem can be solved by using free third party tools
such as WinSQL (http://www.synametrics.com)

Baba




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Mark Mokris wrote:

>We have a SQL Server 2000 database. I naively purchased
>VB .net standard thinking that I can write a couple
>Windows Forms applications, connecting to the database
>through ODBC. When I try to set up a data connection
>object to our SQL Server database in the visual
>environment I get a message saying "It is only possible to
>connect to MS Desktop Engine databases and MS Accesses
>databases using this version of MS Visual Studio."
>
>Is the MS Desktop Engine (MSDE) what I want to use? Is
>the MSDE essentially my connection from VB to our SQL
>Server database? DO I have to "re-create" my tables in
>MSDE or can I go straight through to the SQL Server
>database. Any suggestions would be really appreciated!
>
>I have read almost all of Microsoft's articles and help
>files concerning MSDE and I still do not understand.
>Please don't just send me a link.
>
>
>Thanks!
>
>