Is SQL Server Compact discontinued from Visual Studio 2013?

Question

when I tried to create a new SQL Server Compact file from Visual Studio -> Add New Item, I don't see the 'Local Database' option any more which was actually the way to add SQL Server Compact Database. Now, if it is really discontinued from Microsoft, then, what is the recommended Embedded Database technology from Microsoft for Desktop Applications ? I tried SQLite but deployment is headache for SQLite because, the user may not have correct version of Visual C++ distributable installed in his/her machine.

Answer 1

Yes, SQL Server Compact has been deprecated (see the comments on this Connect item). You should be using SQL Server Express or SQL LocalDB. Some posts:

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/sqlexpress/archive/2011/07/12/introducing-localdb-a-better-sql-express.aspx

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/jerrynixon/archive/2012/02/26/sql-express-v-localdb-v-sql-compact-edition.aspx

http://erikej.blogspot.com/2011/01/comparison-of-sql-server-compact-4-and.html

http://erikej.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-state-and-near-future-of-sql-server.html

Answer 2

Yes, it is missing from VS 2013, but you can do almost everything you need to do with SQLCE in VS 2013 by using my SQL Server Compact Toolbox addin. What are you missing?

Answer 3

As others pointed out, SQL Server Compact has been deprecated. But instead you can use SQLite which doesn't require any installation on the client machine.

SQLite depends on the Visual C++ runtime, but you don't need to install it on the client machine. The system.data.sqlite download page contains several "static" packages that already contain the runtime.

All the "static" packages contain either native or mixed-mode assembly binaries linked statically to the appropriate version of the Visual C++ runtime. Typically, these packages are used in cases where customer machines may not have the necessary version of the Visual C++ runtime installed and it cannot be installed due to limited privileges.

For example, on my machine I am running Windows 8.1 x64 so I went under Precompiled Statically-Linked Binaries for 64-bit Windows (.NET Framework 4.0) and downloaded sqlite-netFx40-static-binary-x64-2010-1.0.90.0.zip.

This binary package contains all the binaries for the x64 version of the System.Data.SQLite 1.0.90.0 (3.8.2) package. The Visual C++ 2010 SP1 runtime for x64 is statically linked. The .NET Framework 4.0 is required.

I then unzipped the package and ran test.exe to make sure everything works. Zero installation required.

Answer 4

For some reason the use of Server Explorer with SQL Compact was removed in VS 2013. There is a UserVoice issue in regards to have it re enabled.

http://visualstudio.uservoice.com/forums/121579-visual-studio/suggestions/4714470-support-sql-server-compact-in-visual-studio-2013?utm_campaign=shorturls&utm_source=visualstudio.uservoice.com

Answer 5

SQLite is also available as a single C file (amalgamation), which you can directly compile into your application, if you use native C/C++. It then works in any situation where your app can open a file. No additional DLLs nor installation required.

Answer 6

For other newbies out there who are having a problem and land on this site, what I did was to create the SQL Server database file (which is created in LocalDB) and then in the project properties, publish tab, and prerequisites button, there is the opportunity to add the download and installation of LocalDB to the published package - and it works.

Answer 7

Unfortunately there is no built-in support of SQL Compact in Visual Studio 2013.

But you can install add-in SQL Server Compact/SQLite Toolbox

I also use this tool for SQL Compact in VS 2013 and it is very easy and clear