Help needed with newbie! Having VB Express 2005 trouble

I have installed both SQL Server 2005 and Visual Basic Express 2008.

I have only every used Access previously to create databases.

Do I build tables/queries in SQL Server or VB Express? It seems I can do it in both?

I have tried to create a new database in SQL Server and open it from within VB Express and it wont open.

I have also tried to create a new DB in VB Express and it when I click Data Connections/ Add Connection and enter a new db file name i get the message "Generaing user instances in SQL Server is disabled. Use sp_configure 'user instances enabled' to generate user instances."

Sorry but i really need some help here!

Thread moved to Database Development forum

You should create the database (and set up security as apt) in SQL Server, and then use VB to connect to it.

The error that VB gave basically means that it was trying to create a new copy of SQL Server, but didn't have permission to do it.


There are several examples of how to work with databases in our Database Development FAQs/Tutorials (at the top of this forum), which should enable you to work with the data.

Thanks for your reply.

I have also created a very basic database in SQL Server and saved it in SQL Server, but I cannot get Visual Basic 2005 to connect to it. It doesnt seem to like the file extension or gives the same error message as what I mentioned above.

The file extension shouldn't matter - as you should be connecting to the database, not the file. When your program is first installed you may want to attach it to SQL Server (if it is a single user database), which you can do from code, but a normal connection should not mention the file at all.

You should not be getting the same error message again, as that message should only appear while creating a database.