Connecting to Data in Visual Studio

Visual Studio provides tools to connect your application to data from many different sources, such as databases, Web services, and objects. Connections to data are created either programmatically (in code), as the result of dropping data objects onto a form or component designer, or through the completion of one of the data wizards. The following topics explain how to create connections to databases, Web services, and objects from your application.

In This Section

• Connecting to Data in Visual Studio Overview
  Provides information about connecting your application to data with design time tools and ADO.NET connection objects, using Visual Studio.

• Data Source Configuration Wizard
  Provides information on connecting to data, and creating data sources, by running the Data Source Configuration Wizard.

• How to: Save a Connection String
  Describes how to save connection information in your application.

• How to: Edit a Connection String
  Describes how to edit existing connection information previously saved in your application.

• How to: Connect to Data in an Object
  Describes how to databind to property values in objects using the Data Source Configuration Wizard.

• How to: Connect to Data in a Database
  Describes how to create a connection between your application and a database using the Data Source Configuration Wizard.

• How to: Connect to Data in a Web Service
  Describes how to create a connection between your application and the data returned from a Web service using the Data Source Configuration Wizard.

• How to: Connect to Data in an Access Database
  Describes how to create a connection between your application and an Access database using the Data Source Configuration Wizard.

• How to: Connect to Data in a SQL Server Express Database
  Describes how to create a connection between your application and a SQL Express database using the Data Source Configuration Wizard.

• How to: Create Connections to SQL Server Databases
  Describes how to create connection strings to SQL Server databases.

• How to: Create Connections to Access Databases
  Describes how to create connection strings to Access databases.

• How to: Create Connections to Oracle Databases
  Describes how to create connection strings to Oracle databases.

• Walkthrough: Connecting to Data in a Database
  Provides step-by-step details for creating a connection between your application and a database.

• Walkthrough: Connecting to Data in a SQL Server Express Database
  Provides step-by-step details for creating a connection between your application and a SQL Express database.

• Walkthrough: Connecting to Data in a Web Service
  Provides step-by-step details for creating a connection between your application and a Web service.

• Walkthrough: Connecting to Data in Objects
  Provides step-by-step details for creating a connection between your application and the properties of an object.

• Walkthrough: Connecting to Data in an Access Database
  Provides step-by-step details for creating a connection between your application and an Access database file.

Reference

• SqlConnection
  Represents a unique session to a SQL Server data source.

• ConnectionString
  Represents the connection string used to connect to a SQL Server database.

• OleDbConnection
  Represents a unique connection to a data source.

• ConnectionString
  Represents the connection string used to open an OLE DB data source.

• OdbcConnection
  Represents a unique connection to a data source created by using a connection string or ODBC data source name (DSN).

• OdbcConnection.ConnectionString
  Represents the connection string used to connect to an ODBC data source.

• OracleConnection
  Represents a unique connection to an Oracle database.

• OracleConnection.ConnectionString
  Represents the connection string used to connect to an Oracle database.

• ADO.NET
  Describes the ADO.NET classes, which expose data-access services to the .NET programmer.

• System.Data
  Describes the ADO.NET classes, which expose data-access services to the .NET programmer.

• System.Transactions
  The System.Transactions namespace contains classes that allow you to write your own transactional application and resource manager.

Related Sections

• Add/Modify Connection Dialog Box (General)
  Provides information on the dialog boxes that are used to create and modify database connections.

• Connecting to a Data Source (ADO.NET)
  Describes the ADO.NET connection object and how to use it to connect to a data source.

• Connecting to Data with Server Explorer/Database Explorer
  Provides links to pages on creating and working with connections to data sources in the Server Explorer/Database Explorer window.

• SQL Server Connection Pooling (ADO.NET)
  Describes how the .NET Framework Data Provider for SQL Server pools database connections and how you can control the connection-pooling behavior.

• ADO.NET
  Describes the ADO.NET classes, which expose data-access services to the .NET programmer.

• Working with Data in Managed Device Projects
  Describes how to manage data for devices in Visual Studio.

• Data in Office Solutions
  Contains links to topics that explain how data works in Office solutions, including information about schema-oriented programming, data caching, and server-side data access.