How to test if a connection to a Db is established successfully?

Question

I want to write a unit-test which asserts a connection string is valid so that a conenction is established to a SQL Db.

if I have :

string connectionString = GetCOnenctionString();
bool conenctionEstablished = false;

How can I set 'conenctionEstablished' variable's value as a result of a check to a Db with the 'connectionString' provided?

So that I can use it in an Assert.

Answer 1

You could try to connect in a try/catch then set conenctionEstablished based on whether the connection succeeds or not.

Answer 2

It is not going to be a "pure" unit test because your database is real but any way. I would use a try catch block and after opening the connection execute a "select 1" statement with ExecuteNonQuery(). At the end of the try block set the flag to true.