Can I use a SQL Server Express database as my local database for an occasionally connected application (OCA) written using Visual Studio? Would that require SQL Server to be installed on the client machine? It looks like the default architecture for OCAs in .NET is to use SQL Server Compact. However, SQL Server Compact doesn’t permit the use of stored procedures. I use stored procedures for all the data access in my application so, I am confused about the best way to create an occasionally connected client to extend the functionality.
I currently have an ASP.NET web application that connects to a web service (WCF). The web service connects to the DB and calls stored procedures to get data and submit changes to data. Now, I am trying to write a desktop application that can connect to the web service when a connection is available, and work locally when a connection is not available, using the MS Sync Framework. I don’t quite understand how to do the architecture for this bit.
Yes, local data cache works with SQL CE 3.5 and you cannot use stored procedures on the cache. Once you add local data cache item to your project it automatically prepares all necessary MS Sync Framework code for data synchronization with the main data source + all necessary SQL scripts for local database and it will also offer you to create either typed datasets or entity data model to access the cache from your application.
Item doesn’t work with SQL Server Express – it doesn’t offer any other data provider then SQL Compact 3.5. Anyway if you want to use SQL Server Express you will have to either install it on the client machine or use another machine as DB server which breaks whole purpose of Local data cache.
Btw. I think Local data cache works only against database as the main data source so you cannot use it if you want to have WCF services as data source and you will have to write the store and synchronization yourselves.