Embedding SQL Server CE database

Question

I'm working with sql server ce database and C#, and I wondering how to really embed the database file so when I have finish installing the app I don't need to copy-paste the database file to the environment as I set in the following code :

 private void sambung()
    {
        string lokasifile = Environment.CurrentDirectory + "\\compactedition.sdf";
        string stringkoneksi = "Data Source = \"" + lokasifile + "\";Password = 'blablabla'; Encrypt = True";
        koneksi = new SqlCeConnection(stringkoneksi);
    }

Do you have any suggestion to make it possible? Thanks.

Do you need to provide a .sdf file with data already in it? Or could you just use the SqlCeEngine.CreateDatabase() call to create an empty .sdf database for you? — marc_s
– marc_s, Commented Aug 21, 2012 at 5:10

opewix · Accepted Answer · 2012-08-21 08:28:07Z

1

If you copy your database to root directory or upper you can use relative path like this:

public static string GetLogicBinDebug()
    {
        string baseDir = AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory;
        return Path.Combine(baseDir, @"..\..\database.sdf");
    }

Or you can keep connection string in app.config using relative path:

<connectionStrings>
<add name="dbEDMContainer" connectionString="metadata=res://*/dbEDM.csdl|res://*/dbEDM.ssdl|res://*/dbEDM.msl;provider=System.Data.SqlServerCe.4.0;provider connection string=&quot;Data Source=|DataDirectory|\..\..\yourDB.sdf&quot;" providerName="System.Data.EntityClient"/>

Data Source=|DataDirectory|\ will point to "bin" folder

** If you are asking about how to copy database file to your application folder, you can use this approach:

Include Database file to your project in Visual Studio, open file properties and set Build action to "Content", Copy to output directory - "copy if newer" or "copy always"

answered Aug 21, 2012 at 8:28

opewix

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2 Comments

Raditya Kurnianto Over a year ago

return Path.Combine(baseDir, @"Data Source=D:\\Code Bunch\\Visual Studio 2010\\project\\project\\bin\\Debug\\database.sdf");

well should it be like that??

opewix Over a year ago

- no, your example is hardcoded. This method is defined to acquire full path to database depending on your application start up path. Example: your DB located on C:\DataBase.sdf. Your application is installed on C:\Program Files\Application\App.exe. Use Path.Combine(baseDir, @"\..\..\..\DataBase.sdf") to get full path to your DB.

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