Local MDF Files--can I make this work?

Ok, so I'm upgrading a single user vb 6-Access app to a multi-user VS2005-Sq
l
Server app. The client would like to move to SQL Server yet we are not read
y
to do so yet. The problem is that I can not install anything (sql Server or
Sql Express) on these servers for now. Later on we will be able to. For no
w
I must use a local database. I do have access to use a file share.
We do have a copy of SQL Server 2005 to work with it just isn't on the
server. I have created a project and upgraded the database to Sql Server.
I'm wondering is there a way to use a disconnected mdf and access it on the
fileshare? Can I just place the .mdf file on a shared drive and create a
connection to that mdf? Or can it be done some other way?
The reason I am pushing towards this is I want to develop using the
System.data.sqlserver objects instead of the system.data.oledb object now so
I don't need to upgrade the code in the future? I am going to give it a try
but I would love some advise on this topic.
Thanks,Greg,
If you're asking whether you can move the Database then yes. You could
create the Database on your local machine. Then when SQL is installed
on your Server you could detach the DB, move the mdf & ldf files to the
Server and then attach them to the new SQL Installation on the Server.
You would just have to point to the new locations for the mdf & ldf
files.
Was that the question or have I missed the point completely? :-)
Barry|||Barry,
Unforutuanltly that wasn't the question. I do not have SQL Server intalled
on the Server. I want to create the database and just move the .mdf file to
the file share and access it with out having sql server insalled. I'm
guessing I can't do this and I must use an .mdb but I'm hoping...
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms233817.aspx
"Barry" wrote:

> Greg,
> If you're asking whether you can move the Database then yes. You could
> create the Database on your local machine. Then when SQL is installed
> on your Server you could detach the DB, move the mdf & ldf files to the
> Server and then attach them to the new SQL Installation on the Server.
> You would just have to point to the new locations for the mdf & ldf
> files.
> Was that the question or have I missed the point completely? :-)
> Barry
>|||What about installing SQL Express wiht my program and having it attach the
data base? Could I have multiple instances of SQL express attached to one
.mdf file (i'm looking at about 10 users)?
"Greg P" wrote:
> Barry,
> Unforutuanltly that wasn't the question. I do not have SQL Server intalle
d
> on the Server. I want to create the database and just move the .mdf file
to
> the file share and access it with out having sql server insalled. I'm
> guessing I can't do this and I must use an .mdb but I'm hoping...
> http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms233817.aspx
>
> "Barry" wrote:
>|||I would not use fileshares for db access - it is not recommended. You can,
however, install sql express on local pc. That will attach to DB and other
clients can network into the instance. With local DB mode, a sql express
instance is created dynamically and locks the db file, so only that instance
can "use" the db.
William Stacey [MVP]
"Greg P" <gsp@.newsgroups.nospam> wrote in message
news:6734747C-FCA3-484E-B4A0-105BC2774272@.microsoft.com...
| What about installing SQL Express wiht my program and having it attach the
| data base? Could I have multiple instances of SQL express attached to one
| .mdf file (i'm looking at about 10 users)?
|
|
|
| "Greg P" wrote:
|
| > Barry,
| >
| > Unforutuanltly that wasn't the question. I do not have SQL Server
intalled
| > on the Server. I want to create the database and just move the .mdf
file to
| > the file share and access it with out having sql server insalled. I'm
| > guessing I can't do this and I must use an .mdb but I'm hoping...
| >
| > http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms233817.aspx
| >
| >
| > "Barry" wrote:
| >
| > > Greg,
| > >
| > > If you're asking whether you can move the Database then yes. You
could
| > > create the Database on your local machine. Then when SQL is installed
| > > on your Server you could detach the DB, move the mdf & ldf files to
the
| > > Server and then attach them to the new SQL Installation on the Server.
| > > You would just have to point to the new locations for the mdf & ldf
| > > files.
| > >
| > > Was that the question or have I missed the point completely? :-)
| > >
| > > Barry
| > >
| > >|||you don't need multiple instance. 10 users can access the same database mdf
file on one instance of SQL Exp.
and if each user needs his own version, then
let them copy the mdf file to their machine, install their own sql express
and attach the db.
-Omnibuzz
--
Please post ddls and sample data for your queries and close the thread if
you got the answer for your question.
"Greg P" wrote:
> What about installing SQL Express wiht my program and having it attach the
> data base? Could I have multiple instances of SQL express attached to one
> .mdf file (i'm looking at about 10 users)?
>
> "Greg P" wrote:
>|||I think this answers my question, but I want to repeat what I'm understandin
g
to make sure, there are 3 points below.
1) If I were to install sql express on every client machine and attach the
database after install only one user could be attached to the database at on
e
time.
2) The only way to have multiple people use the program would be to copy the
database to the local computer, which would mean that updates would have to
be handled and the program wouldn't be real time. There would need to be a
good amount of code added that would be useless once SQL Server is up and
running.
3) I can have an access database that can be on the network and have
multiple users. This will lock certain tables but not the whole instance.
I think thats it. I need to develop using the system.data.oledb for now and
later on I can upgrade the code to the sql server objects if there a demand
for the better objects. The only thing I could throw into this scenario to
make it more complicated was I thought maybe I could create a XML object fro
m
the database and use that as my datasource? I still wouldn't be using the
sql server objects though I thought it was an intersting idea.
Let me know if this all seems right to yall.
Thanks again,
"William Stacey [MVP]" wrote:

> I would not use fileshares for db access - it is not recommended. You can
,
> however, install sql express on local pc. That will attach to DB and othe
r
> clients can network into the instance. With local DB mode, a sql express
> instance is created dynamically and locks the db file, so only that instan
ce
> can "use" the db.
> --
> William Stacey [MVP]
> "Greg P" <gsp@.newsgroups.nospam> wrote in message
> news:6734747C-FCA3-484E-B4A0-105BC2774272@.microsoft.com...
> | What about installing SQL Express wiht my program and having it attach t
he
> | data base? Could I have multiple instances of SQL express attached to o
ne
> | .mdf file (i'm looking at about 10 users)?
> |
> |
> |
> | "Greg P" wrote:
> |
> | > Barry,
> | >
> | > Unforutuanltly that wasn't the question. I do not have SQL Server
> intalled
> | > on the Server. I want to create the database and just move the .mdf
> file to
> | > the file share and access it with out having sql server insalled. I'm
> | > guessing I can't do this and I must use an .mdb but I'm hoping...
> | >
> | > http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms233817.aspx
> | >
> | >
> | > "Barry" wrote:
> | >
> | > > Greg,
> | > >
> | > > If you're asking whether you can move the Database then yes. You
> could
> | > > create the Database on your local machine. Then when SQL is installe
d
> | > > on your Server you could detach the DB, move the mdf & ldf files to
> the
> | > > Server and then attach them to the new SQL Installation on the Serve
r.
> | > > You would just have to point to the new locations for the mdf & ldf
> | > > files.
> | > >
> | > > Was that the question or have I missed the point completely? :-)
> | > >
> | > > Barry
> | > >
> | > >
>
>|||You can have multiple users on SQL Express, all on the same database. If I
understand correctly you are limited to 10 users.
If you install SQL Server (or SQL Express) on one machine on the network
(server or PC) and have all users access the database on that machine, then
they will all be using the same data at the same time. I think this is what
you want?
If you install a database on every PC and have users access it locally, then
they will each have their own database and will not affect each other. I
don't think this is what you are looking for.
"Greg P" <gsp@.newsgroups.nospam> wrote in message
news:29BA7A55-C4B5-4DEF-B75E-84681E5028F7@.microsoft.com...
> I think this answers my question, but I want to repeat what I'm
understanding
> to make sure, there are 3 points below.
> 1) If I were to install sql express on every client machine and attach the
> database after install only one user could be attached to the database at
one
> time.
> 2) The only way to have multiple people use the program would be to copy
the
> database to the local computer, which would mean that updates would have
to
> be handled and the program wouldn't be real time. There would need to be
a
> good amount of code added that would be useless once SQL Server is up and
> running.
> 3) I can have an access database that can be on the network and have
> multiple users. This will lock certain tables but not the whole instance.
> I think thats it. I need to develop using the system.data.oledb for now
and
> later on I can upgrade the code to the sql server objects if there a
demand
> for the better objects. The only thing I could throw into this scenario
to
> make it more complicated was I thought maybe I could create a XML object
from
> the database and use that as my datasource? I still wouldn't be using the
> sql server objects though I thought it was an intersting idea.
> Let me know if this all seems right to yall.
> Thanks again,
> "William Stacey [MVP]" wrote:
>
can,
other
express
instance
the
one
I'm
installed
to
Server.
ldf|||I can't install sql server or sql express on the computer that has the file
share on it. I do not have permisions now. I will in the future, but I am
developing now. All i have to work with is a file share.
I can use access by placing it on the file share and have multiple users
access it as long as they have the access runtime on their computer, is ther
e
anyway to use sql express to do this same sort of configuration? Or is ther
e
another configuration using an mdf with outh having the software installed
that can support multiple users?
From what I understand the answer is no... but I thought it was a good
question to confirm on.
Thanx,
"Omnibuzz" wrote:
> you don't need multiple instance. 10 users can access the same database md
f
> file on one instance of SQL Exp.
> and if each user needs his own version, then
> let them copy the mdf file to their machine, install their own sql express
> and attach the db.
>
> -Omnibuzz
> --
> Please post ddls and sample data for your queries and close the thread if
> you got the answer for your question.
>
> "Greg P" wrote:
>|||In short no. You can't use the SQL data files directly as you are
trying to do.