Connection string with relative path to the database file

Question

I load data from sdf database in winforms App. I use full path to the database file . Example :

conn = new SqlCeConnection

{

ConnectionString =\"Data Sou         


        

Answer 1

In your config file give the relative path

ConnectionString = "Data Source=|DataDirectory|\Database.sdf";

Change the DataDirectory to your executable path

string path = AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory;
AppDomain.CurrentDomain.SetData("DataDirectory", path);

If you are using EntityFramework, then you can set the DataDirectory path in your Context class

Answer 2

   <?xml version="1.0"?>  
<configuration>  
  <appSettings>  
    <!--FailIfMissing=false -->  
    <add key="DbSQLite" value="data source=|DataDirectory|DB.db3;Pooling=true;FailIfMissing=false"/>  
  </appSettings>  
</configuration>  

Answer 3

Relative to what, your application ? If so then you can simply get the applications current Path with :

System.Environment.CurrentDirectory 

And append it to the connection string

Answer 4

I did this in the web.config file. I added to Sobhan's answer, thanks btw.

<connectionStrings>
    <add name="listdb" connectionString="Data Source=|DataDirectory|\db\listdb.sdf"/>
  </connectionStrings>

Where "db" becomes my database directory instead of "App_Data" directory.

And opened normally with:

var db = Database.Open("listdb");

Answer 5

After several strange errors with relative paths in connectionstring I felt the need to post this here.

When using "|DataDirectory|" or "~" you are not allowed to step up and out using "../" !

Example is using several projects accessing the same localdb file placed in one of the projects.

" ~/../other" and " |DataDirectory|/../other" will fail

Even if it is clearly written at MSDN here the errors it gave where a bit unclear so hard to find and could not find it here at SO.

Answer 6

Would you please try with below code block, which is exactly what you're looking for:

SqlConnection conn = new SqlConnection
{
    ConnectionString = "Data Source=" + System.IO.Path.GetDirectoryName(System.Reflection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().GetName().CodeBase) + "\\Database.sdf"
};