[RESOLVED] Can I get rid of SQL Express and use a full SQL Server in VS2008?

[MrLudwig]

Hi,

I have a development server on my network which has a full copy of SQL Server 2005 running on it.

Is it possible to configure Visual Studio 2008 on my desktop PC to use SQL Server 2005 on my development server instead of the SQL Server Express edition that comes with Visual Studio and still have all the integrated database functionality that the VS IDE provides?

It just seems unnecessary to have the Express instance of SQL Server installed when I already have a development server available.

Thanks.

[RobDog888]

Are you running VS Express too or VS Std, Pro, etc?

[MrLudwig]

I'm using Visual Studio 2008 Pro.

[jmcilhinney]

VS will talk to any SQL Server instance you tell it to. If you use the Data Source wizard you simply tell it which instance and database to access and it will create a connection in the Server Explorer. Alternatively you can add the connection to the Server Explorer yourself.

Just note that you cannot add an MDF database to your project in that case. Such a database must be attached at run time and only SQL Server Express can do that. You will need to connect to an existing database that's already attached to the server.

[MrLudwig]

Thanks,

Manually setting up a connection to my development server worked perfectly.

I was initially trying to add a database file without SQL Express installed and so was getting an error.

Thanks for your help.