Database application with C# .net

Question

Hi I am quite new to C# an am wanting to build a small database application. The database will be stored remotely in MySQL and the program will just be able to perform simple querys to the database. I have tried using the MySQL .net connector provided by MySQL but it requires the connector software to be installed on the client machine which isn't always an option. I also looked at OBDC but it seems that to connect to MySQL it too needs extra software. Are there any other methods of connection that are not dependant on other software? What about a client / server setup how would I go about doing that? winsock? Thanks for your help eggy524

Joel Cochran · Answer

From a licensing standpoint if you want to distribute the MySQL Connector you must be a MySQL Partner which costs around $300 year. (This also gives you the advantage of using the MySQL Partner Logo in your own marketing materials.) In that case you can simply include the DLL as part of your Installer. If you do not wish to pay the license fee then it is true that the end user must install the Connector which is free in that scenario. In either case the MySQL Connector .NET Managed Provider is definitely the way to go. Of course now that Sun is buying MySQL  who knows how that might change.

Arshad · Answer

HiYou just Add this DLL MySql.Data.dll  in your Bin directory of ProjectThats all After that you can acess all the MySqlConnection and all the Objects n all.Thanks Regards Arshad Khan

Just No · Answer

Does the MySQl connector not need to be installed as well or can it just be provided as some dll in the program directory?

Mike Gold · Answer

It is really not clear to me why you wouldn't want to use the .NET Provider or ODBC provider for connecting to mySQL if you are using .NET anyway to develop your application. Either way you are using additional software. .NET still needs to be installed on the client machine.