SQL Server Manager not detecting local databases - sql-server

I am trying to generate script for my sql local database created using visual studio 2010. When i open sql server manager and connect to localhost or SQLEXPRESS the database created does not seem to appear.

After you generated your .mdf with Visual Studio - did you attach it to your SQL Server instance??
In VS, you can setup stand-alone .mdf files which are not automatically visible inside SQL Server Management Studio. Those are typically referenced by your application using a connection string that contains
AttachDbFileName=(path)\Mydatabase.mdf;User Instance=true
If you have such an .mdf database - you need to first attach it to your SQL Server instance before you see it in SQL Server Management Studio.

Related

Can't connect to local SQL Server Express DB as a datasource

I've created a new DB on my local PC in SQL Server 2012 Express (also installed locally), through Visual Studio's SQL Server Object Explorer window. I don't really know anything about SQL Server but I can see that .MDF and .LDF files are created.
I want to add a connection to this DB through "add Data Source" but if I try to connect using the DB name, I get this error:
And if I try to connect by selecting the MDF file I get this error:
How VS and SQL Server are interacting is not clear to me - is it telling me I cannot open the .MDF file because it's already open by SQL Server? Should I even be connecting to the file, or to the DB name?
I think SQL Server is actually running since the DB shows up in VS but as I'm new to it, I'm not certain... here's what the Configuration tool shows:

Creating Database in Visual Studio 2015

I am trying to create a database in Visual Studio 2015 MVC setup. When I create a new file in the "App_Data" folder and select SQL Server Database, a popup comes up that says the following:
"Connections to SQL Server database files (.mdf) require LocalDB or
SQL Server Express to be installed and running on the local computer.
You may need to modify the setup and ensure Microsoft SQL Server Data
Tools is selected."
I have already installed SQL Express in my computer. But Visual Studio still shows the same popup. Can anyone please give me a step by step instruction on how to create a DB through Visual Studio 2015?
(My thought was if I clicked on new file->SQL server Database, then a popup would launch allowing me to input my data and name it. But I obviously am unable to do that).
Make sure that SQL Server is up and running. Open up SQL Server Management Studios (installed with SQL Server) and try and connect to the instance that you created (should be the same as your machine name). If it fails to connect, SQL Server might not be running.
To turn it on, open SQL Server Configuration Manager (just do a search and it'll show up), go to SQL Server Services, and turn on the database engine. You should then be able to connect to the database.

How to Open a Database from Visual Studio Server Explorer in SQL Server?

Question Background
I have a created a database in Visual Studio under the Server Explorer tab. This is fine but I would like to be able to open this database in SQL Server Management Studio (SQL Server 2008 in this case). I can't see the database under the database list in SQL.
How can I open the database I've created in Visual Studio in SQL Server?
The following diagrams show the issues:
The MainDB.mdf database in VS:
SQL Server 2008 Management Studio. The database MainDB database is not showing:
You are connecting to two different instances. From Visual Studio, the default instance is either localhost\SQLExpress or just localhost (or just your computer name). From SQL Server Management Studio I can see that you specified something else. From the "Connect to Server" window in SQL Management Studio, choose one of the instances I mentioned above. Or alternatively, from Visual Studio, right click on "Data Connections" --> "Add Connection...", and then specify the same instance name you used to connect using SQL Server Management Studio.
Since you are using Visual Studio 2012, here is something that changed - VS 2012 uses a localDB instance whenever you create a database for use within your application. So you have 2 options:
1. There is a new window called the SQL Server Object Explorer that you can use to work with your LocalDB. It provides a view of your database objects that’s similar to SQL Server Management Studio. You can access it from the view menu.
2. If you still want to use SSMS, you can access it by putting (localdb)\v11.0 in server name. More about this here.
It should show directly in SQL Server, Unless your are using different credentials for connection. (credentials means Server Name & User)
Create new DB
http://i.stack.imgur.com/FEmMB.png
Explore in sql
http://i.stack.imgur.com/VxgiV.png
Can you let us know are they both same ?
You can also try 'Browse in sql server object explorer' by right clicking DB name in Visual studio

How to view an mdf file Visual Studio 2012 creates to store ASP.Net MVC 4 project data?

I've created a new ASP.Net MVC 4 project in Visual Studio 2012 and figured out that it creates a file with a .mdf extension to store the data.
I would like to view the database schema and be able to query it manually the way I can query a SQL Server database with SQL Server Management Studio.
How to do that?
.mdf IS SQL Server ... just attach the .mdf to your SQL Server instance, and you can have a look at it using SQL Server Mgmt Studio.
This whole AttachDbFileName= features is crap - sorry. I would never use such an approach to fiddle around with .mdf files. Just attach the .mdf file to your SQL Server instance, and then the database will be on the server (where it belongs) and you can see it there (and use it from there - update your connection string to connect to the server and the database on the server).

Importing a MDF file into SQL Server 2008?

I have inherited a VB.net web app that I'm making some changes on. I'm perfectly capable with the programming side (VB and MSSQL) but I'm getting lost with the tools. I was given a zip file of the code and everything. I opened the sln file in Visual Studio 2005 and it worked fairly easily with little modification.
Running the app works perfectly. Problem is, I need to write some new SPs so need the database admin. SQL Server 2008 Express is installed but it doesn't see any database and I have no idea how to import it.
I have a folder App_Data in the project with the file ASPNETDB.MDF. Opening this in VS gived the error:
This server version is not supported. You must have Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Beta 2 or later.
Any ideas where to go from here?
You need to get Sql Server Management Studio. From there you should be able to connect to the instance of Sql Server Express running on your system and tell it to attach to the .mdf file. This will allow you to use that database from withing sql server and management studio, and you will be able to add your stored procedure. Just remember to detach again when you're done, or you won't be able to use the mdf file as you expect from your app.
Visual Studio uses SMO 2005 to connec to to SQL. The SMO 2005 will not connect to SQL 2008 by design. You need to either upgrade VS to VS 2008, or downgrade Express to Express 2005.
You can't attach mdf file made in SQL Server 2005 to a SQL Server 2008 instance. What you need is to install SQL Server 2005 Express, attach this file, backup database, then restore it on 2008 Server instance and detach the database. You will get properly created for 2008 Server mdf.

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