Unable to compare database schema using SSDT Visual studio 2012 "Unable to determine the database platform type. The database may be unavailable.."

Question

I have created database project in Visual studio 2012 Version 11.0.60610.01 Update 3. I am using this database project for comparing and publishing database on SQL Server 2008 R2 Version 10.50.4000.0

My database project target platform was set to SQL Server 2008.

My SSDT version is 11.1.20627.00

Now my SQL Server version upgraded to SQL Sever 2012 Version 12.0.2000.8

After that i changed my database project target platform to SQL Server 2012.

But it is not allowing me to compare database schema or publish database.

It throws following error

Error 345 Validation error in the target: DB_Name Unable to determine the database platform type. The database may be unavailable..

I have also checked from Edit Connection wizard using Test Connection button that database connection is successful.

Can anybody please help me on this? Is there any more configuration i need to set for changing database platform type?

Answer 1

Version 12.0.2000.8 of SQL Server actually means you're on SQL Server 2014. It's confusing but SQL Server 2012 == Version 11, SQL Server 2014 == Version 12.

To resolve this, please update the SQL Server tooling in Visual Studio 2012 to be SQL Server 2014 compatible per the instructions here. For VS2012 the SQL Server updates aren't built-in, happily from VS2013 onwards the updates show up automatically through the Visual Studio update mechanism.