Deploying .net applications with SQL EXPRESS.

From:    "Ezeoke, Gregory" <Gregory.EzeokeHILTI.COM>

>For example, I recently found out it's better I set the
"user
>instance" to false so that every connection to the
database
>would go to just one database instead of creating one
for
>every connected user. In short, how best can I configure
>the connection (connection strings ecc.) to the database
so
>that any user could just download and deploy without
>worrying about the data connection configurations. Any
>advice is welcomed. Many thanks in advance.

You can't.

That is, unless you impose a server name upon your users -
which will make them unhappy as it will break existing apps,
file-sharing, printer-sharing, etc.

You need two installation packages.

One for the database. In the course of it, you should
DISPLAY the name of the server machine, and the port
number that the database server is using. (The default
for the latter is 1433. We use a different number for
security reasons.)

And one for the application. This should ASK for the
name of the database server machine (cannot default,
except to localhost, which will be wrong on at least
n-1 machines in an n-user-machine installation) and the
port number (can default to 1433). And store that
information somewhere in its configuration.

Also make sure that if the user already has an existing
SQL Server (inc. MSDE/SQL Server Express) database
server and some database applications, your database
deployment won't destroy them.

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