For data deployment simplicity on a shared host, it's hard to beat FTPing your database file to the site and configuring its connection string. We almost have that simplicity with SQL Server 2005 Express, but not all ASP.NET hosters offer Express. For some, you've got to move your Express database to their SQL Server 2005 system. It's doable, but takes some effort.
So, when Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition was released, I wondered if a low-volume Web site could use CE as a replacement for the much-maligned Microsoft Access. After all, I reasoned, ASP.NET would be just "one" user of the database and it would all be managed code.
Well, Microsoft saw that coming. As soon as my ASP.NET code tried to connect using
Dim conn As New SqlCeConnection(connString)
CE threw a no-nonsense exception:
System.NotSupportedException: SQL Server Compact Edition is not intended for ASP.NET development.
Okay, I tried. Fortunately, there's another way to get easy deployment and managed code. I've been following with interest the progress of VistaDB 3.0 from Vista Software. I threw together a quick page that imports the VistaDB.Provider (RC1) and connects to their sample database:
Dim strDBFilename = _
Server.MapPath("App_Data/Northwind.vdb3")
Dim conn As New VistaDBConnection _
("Data Source=" & strDBFilename)
Copy the page, the DLL, and the database to my ISP's server, open the page and it works! Hey, I think these guys have something here. I'm going to continue exploring this as an easy-to-deploy solution. I'm curious to see how VistaDB performs on a busier site than mine.
[Full Disclosure] Vista Software (as with many software vendors) offers freebies of its products to Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals in the Visual Developer category.
I've done a lot of articles and product reviews for Visual Studio Magazine over the years, mainly because I enjoy technical writing but also for some pocket change for new toys. When Fawcette Technical Publications ran into financial trouble a few years ago, they stopped paying me and many others. However, Jim Fawcette promised that authors would be paid eventually.
Today, I received a cheque from 1105 Media, the new owners of the company. When Jim Fawcette sold FTP, he convinced the new owners to fullfill the company's old obligations. Classy move!
Visual Studio Magazine (previously VBPJ) has long been my favourite computer magazine. That's why I hung in there for so long... I wanted to see it survive. Granted, the latest issues have been pretty skimpy.
I can't wait to see what 1105 Media do with their acquisition. It would be wonderful to see VSM brought back to its former glory with top-notch contributors who receive timely payment for their work.
I just put up my new web site at KenCox.ca which is based on Microsoft's Small Business Site Starter Kit.
One of the problems with sample sites is that they're often too elaborate and completely undocumented. By the time you reverse engineer the code to figure out what's going on, you could have built your own site from scratch. This small business kit is quite easy to work with and has just enough functionality for my needs.
If you're design-challenged like me, a starter kit is a great way to get a professional-looking page without spending a week struggling to achieve something second rate. I was able to create my own graphics, but didn't dare mess with the colour schemes or styles.
A nice feature is that the sample is XHTML transitional compliant out of the box... except for the validator's oddball complaint about a bordercolor attribute.
Anyway, these free starter kits are quite valuable and worth a look. If you weren't aware of them, you are now!