Using LocalDB from VS 2008?

[Amesville]

Hi Folks

Quick question - I have been working on a project in Visual Studio 2008 for the last year and using SQL Server Express 2008 as my database, but have really come to have a lot of grief trying to distribute it with my executable. I just learned today about LocalDB in SQL Server Express 2012, and it sounds like just what I need for this application. But I have read that I may have trouble trying to use it from VS 2008. That said, those reports seem to indicate that the problem is with trying to use embedded access methods like server browser from visual Studio.

My application has no embedded connections to SQL Server, just connects to it using the system.data.sqlclient namespace and passes the usual connection string info. Assuming this, and assuming I install SQL Server 2012 Express on my system, should I be able to use LocalDB as my data source? Will I need to use a different or updated namespace?

Thanks for any help with this you can provide. This might really be a huge break for me if I can make it work.

Craig

 

[Amesville]

Update: so I successfully downloaded and set up SQL Server 2012 Express last night. I did not see any options to create a new LocalDB database under the New Project menu in SSMS, and the examples I've found online all involve using VS 2010 or 2012 to create the LocalDB through VS, and not through SSMS. I also found that I could not connect to a public LocalDB in SSMS using the (localdb)\v11.0 logon.

It's possible that the LocalDB elements may not have loaded with my SQL Server 2012 Express install (I chose the 32 bit express with tools option) so I will try to download the LocalDB elements and install them when I get home tonight. But before I try that, can anyone tell me if its even possible to connect to and build a LocalDB database in SSMS at all? Or am I pretty much screwed until I can get my hands on VS 2010 or 2012?

 

[Amesville]

OK I downloaded the LocalDBInstaller and ran it, now I can log onto the LocalDB in SSMS 2012. However, I can't seem to get it to run, which is getting in the way of trying to create a new database on it. Any thoughts on what I can do to get it running? The normal Start options aren't available since it's a run-time object ...