Can you use LINQ tools such as SQLMetal with an access database?

Question

I'm creating a small database application to teach myself the following concepts

1. C# programming
2. .Net 3.5 framework
3. WPF
4. LINQ ORM

I want to use Microsoft Access as the database but I can't seem to find any mention of whether its possible to use SQLMetal to generate the ORM code from a Microsoft Access database.

Does anyone know if this is possible?

If not, are there any small database or embedded databases I could use? I think SQL express would be overkill for me at this point.

Answer 1

For an embedded database, you can use SQL Server Compact Edition. Unlike SQL Server Express, it is not compatible with the LINQ to SQL designer, but it is fully compatible with the command-line SQLMetal. It has a few advantages over SQL Express, like to ability to use embedded or run from a file. Microsoft has a very handy chart outlining the differences between Express and Compact.

Answer 2

I don't think SQL Express would be overkill if you want to learn real-world skills - quite the opposite in fact! That'd be my choice, and whatever I chose, I'd stay clear of Access.

Good luck