Comments on: Setup projects with SQL Server Compact Edition (CE) databases http://cdonner.com/setup-projects-with-sql-server-compact-edition-ce-databases.htm We know accurately only when we know little, with knowledge doubt increases. (Goethe) Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:45:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Don http://cdonner.com/setup-projects-with-sql-server-compact-edition-ce-databases.htm/comment-page-1#comment-5753 Don Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:45:45 +0000 http://cdonner.com/?p=591#comment-5753 Thanks for your response Christian. I actually tried CommonApplicationData per the following... In the app, using the path Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonApplicationData) + "\\" + Application.ProductName + "\\MySDF.sdf") In the installer, creating a custom directory with the properties: DefaultLocation = [CommonAppDataFolder]\[ProductName] Property = COMMONAPPDATAFOLDER I then tried using this with a limited rights (user only) account on my XP machine, and still got the same "access to the database is not allowed" error. It looks like CommonAppDataFolder is not writeable either! 0_o Thanks for your response Christian. I actually tried CommonApplicationData per the following…

In the app, using the path Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonApplicationData)
+ “\\” + Application.ProductName + “\\MySDF.sdf”)

In the installer, creating a custom directory with the properties:
DefaultLocation = [CommonAppDataFolder]\[ProductName]
Property = COMMONAPPDATAFOLDER

I then tried using this with a limited rights (user only) account on my XP machine, and still got the same “access to the database is not allowed” error. It looks like CommonAppDataFolder is not writeable either! 0_o

]]> By: Christian Donner http://cdonner.com/setup-projects-with-sql-server-compact-edition-ce-databases.htm/comment-page-1#comment-5752 Christian Donner Mon, 01 Mar 2010 01:30:48 +0000 http://cdonner.com/?p=591#comment-5752 My solution needs tweaking for Windows 7. While it works, I do get challenged for the admin password every time I start the program. As you may know, Windows 7 "virtualizes" the directories that applications require write access to that do not adhere to the Windows 7 model. My database for instance ends up in C:\Users\[user]\AppData\Roaming\[App Name]. I think you should use "SpecialFolders.CommonApplicationData" (<a href="http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1831810/is-appdata-now-the-correct-place-to-install-user-specific-apps-which-modify-th" rel="nofollow">see this post on Stackoverflow</a>) Other resources: http://www.svrops.com/svrops/articles/jpoints.htm http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc766489%28WS.10%29.aspx My solution needs tweaking for Windows 7. While it works, I do get challenged for the admin password every time I start the program. As you may know, Windows 7 “virtualizes” the directories that applications require write access to that do not adhere to the Windows 7 model. My database for instance ends up in C:\Users\[user]\AppData\Roaming\[App Name]. I think you should use “SpecialFolders.CommonApplicationData” (see this post on Stackoverflow)
Other resources:
http://www.svrops.com/svrops/articles/jpoints.htm
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc766489%28WS.10%29.aspx

]]> By: Don http://cdonner.com/setup-projects-with-sql-server-compact-edition-ce-databases.htm/comment-page-1#comment-5750 Don Sat, 27 Feb 2010 23:54:38 +0000 http://cdonner.com/?p=591#comment-5750 Hi Christian, I am having a similar issue and wonder if you can help me out. I am using visual studio 2008 SP1. I too have a .sdf file. This file needs to be readable and writable for all users on a machine. The application itself handles multi user support, and some information is shared between users. I therefore need a place where all users can read from and write to, and I need this to be consistently set across XP, Vista and Windows 7, otherwise I'm sure I will have to write a bunch of extra code in the application as well as custom actions in the installer project. You mention in your top-edit that the "User’s Application Data Folder’" should now be used, but this gets back to the problem of it only being available to one user. I need a spot that all users have access to. Does such a spot exist, and if so, how can I tell my setup project to deploy to it, and my application to look for the .sdf there? Hi Christian, I am having a similar issue and wonder if you can help me out. I am using visual studio 2008 SP1. I too have a .sdf file. This file needs to be readable and writable for all users on a machine. The application itself handles multi user support, and some information is shared between users.

I therefore need a place where all users can read from and write to, and I need this to be consistently set across XP, Vista and Windows 7, otherwise I’m sure I will have to write a bunch of extra code in the application as well as custom actions in the installer project.

You mention in your top-edit that the “User’s Application Data Folder’” should now be used, but this gets back to the problem of it only being available to one user. I need a spot that all users have access to. Does such a spot exist, and if so, how can I tell my setup project to deploy to it, and my application to look for the .sdf there?

]]> By: Chuck Cobb http://cdonner.com/setup-projects-with-sql-server-compact-edition-ce-databases.htm/comment-page-1#comment-5699 Chuck Cobb Sat, 05 Dec 2009 21:53:36 +0000 http://cdonner.com/?p=591#comment-5699 This was helpful...thanks! This was helpful…thanks!

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