Applications and Data Storage

I've got a bit of a question that seems as though it would have a simple answer for a change.

Say I've got a program that handles a lot of data storage, retrieval and processing. Not huge amounts. But it's required to keep the thing going.

I don't want to have to buy licenses to SQL or Oracle for a minor app obviously... and I can use MSDE.... However the install package for MSDE is something like 30 megs by itself.

But if I don't want to set up the client's machine as a server... and I want ONLY my program to access the data, or even know it's there...How exactly should I proceed?

Is it possible to just include a few basic MSDE thingies and not set it up as a server? I just want my program to be able to save it's data... and the functionality of a database is rather essential. I just don't want it as a server (Open ports and such)... and I don't want to have to add ANOTHER 30 megs to install on top of the .NET framework if the user doesn't have it.

I could use a flat file or binary file or something... but essentially I'd have to write my own database to make it even reasonably efficient.

Any suggestions?


Eiredrake

I don't think MSDE will work for what you want. It is basically a slim version of sql server, in fact the old MSDE had a sql server 7 setup. So I think it has to be setup as a full server, but you can probably use xml, encrypting it if you want. You can load xml directly into a datset so there is no need to write the database engine. Its a bit slower at first though.

If you're considering flat files, isn't it possible for you to use something like say a Access mdb file or similar?

I think Athley is right, you can even connect to comma delimited text files thru an ODBC driver.

I don't want to use flat files... that's why I'm asking for alternatives.


Eiredrake