Noob question: what connection string to use at discountAsp.net?

Hi—great company, discountASP.net is, very pleased here my first day.

I just published a Hello World app in ASP.NET and it works fine. My first time publishing from Visual Studio 2008 and following the excellent instructions from DiscountASP.net it worked. Congrats to the staff.

Next I decided to test a more complicated ASP.NET app that was working on my hard drive under Visual Studio 2008 fine (localhost). Keep in mind this is my first time ever—a total Noob—so I don’t have experience with accessing remote databases. When published my database ASP.NET app I got this error message, probably related to the connection string:

A network-related or instance-specific error occurred while establishing a connection to SQL Server. The server was not found or was not accessible. Verify that the instance name is correct and that SQL Server is configured to allow remote connections. (provider: SQL Network Interfaces, error: 26 - Error Locating Server/Instance Specified)

I did check out this post:

https://support.discountasp.net/KB/...ledb-connection-string.aspx?KBSearchID=125220

Here is my connection string, from Web.config:

<connectionStrings>
<add name="FolktaleDBConnectionString" connectionString="Data Source=.\SQLEXPRESS;AttachDbFilename=&quot;|DataDirectory|FolktaleDB2b.mdf&quot;;Integrated Security=SSPI;Connect Timeout=30;User Instance=True" providerName="System.Data.SqlClient"/>
</connectionStrings>

My database resides on the parent directory of the app itself, and is called FolktaleDB2b.pdf.

Couple of potential problems:

1) Maybe since I appear to be running SQL Server Express I need to change Data Source = to something else than above?

2) Maybe my Integrated Security setting is wrong? I tried Integrated Security=True and still got the same error message. I am running this locally on my machine using “Use Windows Authentication”—do I need to add a switch? Change to "SQL Server Authentication" (which asks for a name and password)? For purposes of this thread (since this is a hello world type app with nothing confidential about it) let’s keep security to a minimum. Suppose I don’t care who is updating or reading the database, and so I want to open it up to the world. What connection string do I use?

3) Maybe I need to add the name of a server, a specific server name that DiscountASP.net uses? What would that server name be?

There’s also a Usenet group that handles connection string issues, but any input you can tell me here would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again, great site.

PJ

 

One more thing...

...I saw this post below in another thread...I signed up perhaps with the "base" package (it was dirt cheap), so perhaps I am not set up for SQL Server? But, if you, moderator, see something in my OP that I can fix (or should fix) let me know. Also if you (moderator) can tell whether or not I'm set up for SQL Server, please let me know. No sweat, as I'll call customer service later this week...but if you can figure it out on your end please do...

PJ

SQL is an addon to the base plan. The SQL 2005 addon comes with 300mb of sql disk space and the SQL 2008 addon comes with 500mb of sql disk space.

We don't support sql express on our hosting platform. You can develop with sql express on your computer. We offer an Attach MDF file tool in our control panel for uploading your local sql express database to the live sql database.

We offer a sql backup tool in our control panel that you can use to backup your sql database.
__________________
Eric
DiscountASP.NET - Microsoft Gold Partner

 

Hi,
Yes SQL Server accounts are additional addons and are not included with the sign-up package but you can add them at anytime.
You can't use SQL Server Express on DASP servers, it is not supported.
There is however an attach feature which makes it easy for you to work with SQL Server Express on your local system and then place that DB into a SQL Server account on-line.
If you need more help just post.
All the best,
Mark

 

I want DASP. I want it bad. Give it to me!

Yes SQL Server accounts are additional addons and are not included with the sign-up package but you can add them at anytime.

OK. I sent an email to Customer Service since I did not know what link to click on. They should help me soon, but if you have the link for adding SQL Server 2008 to my base package please let me know.

You can't use SQL Server Express on DASP servers, it is not supported.

OK. No problem, as I assume DASP servers are running the full blown SQL Server. BTW I notice when I FTP that the servers seem to allow Unix style permissions--I wonder if Windows servers also have a form of Unix style permissions (I'm a complete noob in server stuff, so no need to explain, just typing out a thought of mine).

There is however an attach feature which makes it easy for you to work with SQL Server Express on your local system and then place that DB into a SQL Server account on-line.

OK. I have a feeling it's not going to be that easy but I'll cross that bridge when I find it...so far this site is too good to be true! But it is...thanks again!


If you need more help just post.
All the best, Mark

You bet I will. This site is the best bargain since valet parking used to be...before the whole world filled up with cars... Incredible (you have to be in my shoes to know why--the other place I was using was like pulling teeth--and after a week they would time out without a real answer). Manna from heaven, discountasp.net is for me.

PJ

 

https://my.discountasp.net/addons/SqlServer2008.aspx

No, the server will not accept the changes you make to permissions with the typical FTP client.

In some FTP clients it looks like you can apply *nix permissions - the client will send the commands - but on the server side nothing actually happens because Windows doesn't recognize the unix style file attributes.