How do I connect to an .mdf (Microsoft SQL Server Database File) in a simple web project?

Question

Specifically, in VS 2008, I want to connect to a data source that you can have by right-clicking on the automatically-generated App_Data folder (an .mdf "database"). Seems easy, and it is once you know how.

Answer 1

In your Login.aspx.cs (the code behind file for your login page in the submit button click event) add

string constr = @"Data Source=(LocalDB)\v11.0; AttachDbFilename=|DataDirectory|\myData.mdf; Integrated Security=True; Connect Timeout=30;";
using (SqlConnection conn = new SqlConnection(constr))
string constr =    ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["myData"].ToString();

using (SqlConnection conn = new SqlConnection(constr))
{
sqlQuery=" Your Query here"
SqlCommand com = new SqlCommand(sqlQuery, conn);
com.Connection.Open();
string strOutput = (string)com.ExecuteScalar();
}