Connection string - Keyword not supported: 'initial catalog'

Question

I am using Webmatrix.data's Database entity to create a database connection, however it doesnt like my connection string. I am running it from MVC ASP.net.

Ive tried changing it to server / database, but still errors the same. Where am I going wrong?

        using (var db = Database.OpenConnectionString(@"Data Source=MY-HP\Serv;Initial Catalog=MyDBSQL;User ID=sa;Password=password"))
        {
            var items = db.Query("SELECT * FROM TaskPriority");
        }

Exception Details: System.ArgumentException: Keyword not supported: 'initial catalog'.

Answer 1

check here: Database.OpenConnectionString Method (String, String)

try to specify the provider name as second parameter, from the MSDN example:

var connectionString = "Data Source=.\\SQLExpress;Initial Catalog=SmallBakery;Integrated Security=True";

var providerName = "System.Data.SqlClient";

var db = Database.OpenConnectionString(connectionString, providerName);

Answer 2

ARRRRHHHHHH!!!!! This is the second time I've run into this, grrrh - wasted hours on it.

Error:

The server encountered an error processing the request. The exception message is 'Keyword not supported: 'initial catalog;MyDatabase;data source'.'. See server logs for more details. The exception stack trace is:

Stacktrace:

at System.Data.Common.DbConnectionOptions.ParseInternal(Hashtable parsetable, String connectionString, Boolean buildChain, Hashtable synonyms, Boolean firstKey) at System.Data.Common.DbConnectionOptions..ctor(String connectionString, Hashtable synonyms, Boolean useOdbcRules) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnectionString..ctor(String connectionString) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnectionFactory.CreateConnectionOptions(String connectionString, DbConnectionOptions previous) at System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionFactory.GetConnectionPoolGroup(DbConnectionPoolKey key, DbConnectionPoolGroupOptions poolOptions, DbConnectionOptions& userConnectionOptions) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.ConnectionString_Set(DbConnectionPoolKey key) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.set_ConnectionString(String value) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection..ctor(String connectionString, SqlCredential credential)

This was my faulty connection string:

<add name="Production" connectionString="Password=Secret;Persist Security Info=True;User ID=MyUserID;Initial Catalog;MyDatabase;Data Source=aquickborwnfoxjumpedover.us-west-2.rds.amazonaws.com,1433" providerName="System.Data.SqlClient" />

Looks good right? WRONG

Eventually I spotted the semi-colon here:

Initial Catalog;MyDatabase

To correct it, I used an equal sign:

Initial Catalog=MyDatabase

The correct connection string:

<add name="ConnString" connectionString="Password=Secret;Persist Security Info=True;User ID=MyUserID;Initial Catalog=MyDatabase;Data Source=aquickborwnfoxjumpedover.us-west-2.rds.amazonaws.com,1433" providerName="System.Data.SqlClient" />