Quick ways to test OLE DB Connection String

Question

For debugging purpose I'd like to know ways to test OLE DB connection string quickly.

I've found this free software, it works on my machine, tested successfully.

Is there a even quicker way to do so, maybe from command line on Windows? Because most of the time, it is the client rather than me that would do this task, so I prefer a "zero-installation" approach that would impact their system the least.

Answer 1

The following method has proven useful for me. It's super quick and practical and doesn't require PowerShell:

• Open up Notepad and create an empty text file, then click File -> click Save -> and save it with the File name: TestConnection.udl to your desktop.
• Go to your desktop and double-click on the TestConnection.udl file you just created and the Data Link Properties box will popup.
• Select the Provider tab and Find the provider that you want to connect with and click Next >>.
• Now from the Connection tab, select or enter your source/ server name -> then enter information to log on to server -> and select the database on the server.
• Click Test Connection and click OK to save the file. If errors occur during testing of your connection string, you will get a popup box with the error message.

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Walkthrough (same as above but with images)

Open up Notepad and create an empty text file, then click File -> click Save -and save it with the File name: TestConnection.udl to your desktop:

Go to your desktop and double-click on the TestConnection.udl file you just created and the Data Link Properties box will popup.

Select the Provider tab and Find the provider that you want to connect with and click Next >>.

Now from the Connection tab, select or enter your source/ server name -> then enter information to log on to server -> and select the database on the server.

Click Test Connection and click OK to save the file. If errors occur during testing of your connection string, you will get a popup box with the error message.

Source

Answer 2

If the client has PowerShell installed (a given if they are running Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2), then you can execute these commands from a PowerShell console window:

$conn = New-Object System.Data.OleDb.OleDbConnection $conn.ConnectionString = "Provider=Search.CollatorDSO" # whatever you are testing $conn.Open() $conn.Close()