SOLUTION! - VB.NET 2005 Express And SQL Server 2005 - NOT Saving Updates To DB - SOLUTION!

VB.NET 2005 Express and SQL Server 2005 Express - NOT saving updates to DB - SOLUTION!

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The following article is bogus and confusing:

How to: Manage Local Data Files - Setting 'Copy to Output Directory' to 'Do not copy'
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms246989.aspx

You must manually copy the database file to the output directory
AFTER setting 'Copy to Output Directory' to 'Do not copy'.

Do not copy








The file is never copied or overwritten by the project system. Because your application creates a dynamic connection string that points to the database file in the output directory, this setting only works for local database files when you manually copy the file yourself.

You must manually copy the database file to the output directory
AFTER setting 'Copy to Output Directory' to 'Do not copy'.

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The above article is bogus and confusing.

This is rediculous!

This is the most vague and convoluted bunch of nonsince I've ever come accross!

Getting caught out on this issue for the 10th time!
And not being able to find an exact step-by-step solution.

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I've tried it and it doesn't work for me.

Please don't try what the article eludes to as I'm still sorting out exactly what is supposed to be happening.



If you have a step-by-step procedure that can be reproduced this properly please PM me.

I would like to test its validity then update this exact post as a solution rather than just another dicussion thread.

Many thanks.



This is the exact procedure I have come up with:

NOTE 1: DO NOT allow VB.net to copy the database into its folders/directorys.

NOTE 2: DO NOT hand copy the database to a folder/directory in your project.

Yes, I know its hard not to do it because you want your project nice and tidy.
I just simply could NOT get it to work.
You should NOT have myData.mdf listed in the Solution Explorer. Ever.

Create a folder for your data following NOTE 2.

Copy your data to that folder. * mine was C:mydatamyData.mdf



Create a NEW project.

Remove any Data Connections. ( no matter what)

Save it.

Data | View Data Sources

Add New Data Source

select NEW CONNECTION ( No Matter what, do it!

Select the database. * again mine was C:mydatamyData.mdf

Answer NO to the question:
Would you like to copy the file to your project and modify the connection?
- NO ( no matter what - ANSWER NO ! - Absolutely NO )
Then select the tables you want in the DataSet.
and Finish.



To Test ----------

From the Solution Explorer | click the table name drop down arrow | select details
Now Drag the table name onto the form.

The form is then populated with a Navigation control
and matching Labels with corresponding Textboxes for each field in the table.

Save it.

1) Run the app.

Add one database record to the database by pressing the Add(+) icon

Just add some quick junk data that you don't mind getting lost if it doesn't save.

YOU MUST CLICK THE SAVE ICON to save the data you just entered.

Now exit the application.

2) Run the app again.

And verify there is one record already there.

Now add a second database record to the database by pressing the Add (+) icon.

NOW add some quick junk data that you WILL intentionally loose.

*** DO NOT *** press the save icon.

Just Exit the app.

3) Again, Run the app.

Verify that the first record is still there.

Verify that the Second record is NOT there.
Its NOT there because you didn't save the data before exiting the app.

Proving that YOU MUST CLICK THE SAVE ICON to save the data you just entered.

Also proving you must add your own code to catch the changes
and ask the user to save the data before exitiing or moving to another record.

As a side note, since vb.net uses detached datasets,
(a copy/snapshot of the dataset in memory and NOT directly linked to the database)
the dataset will reflect all changes made when moving around the detached datasets.
YOU MUT REMEMBER TO SUBMIT YOUR CHANGES TO THE DATABASE TO SAVE THEM.
Otherwise, they will simply be discarded without notice.

Whewh!

I hope this saves me some time the next time I want to start a new database project.

Oh, and uh, for anyone else reading this post.

Thanks,
Barry G. Sumpter

Currently working with:
Visual Basic 2005 Express
SQL Server 2005 Express

Developing Windows Forms with
101 Samples for Visual Basic 2005
using the DataGridView thru code
and every development wizard I can find within vb.net
unless otherwise individually stated within a thread.