How to add LocalDB to Visual Studio 2015 Community's SQL Server Object Explorer?

Question

Problem

I don\'t understand how to make LocalDB show up in the SQL Server Object Explorer. On some VMs, it shows up automatically, on some other VMs, it doesn\'t. S

Answer 1

My App.config looks as below:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
  <configSections>
    <!-- For more information on Entity Framework configuration, visit http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=237468 -->
    <section name="entityFramework" type="System.Data.Entity.Internal.ConfigFile.EntityFrameworkSection, EntityFramework, Version=6.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" requirePermission="false" />
  </configSections>
  <entityFramework>
    <defaultConnectionFactory type="System.Data.Entity.Infrastructure.LocalDbConnectionFactory, EntityFramework">
      <parameters>
        <parameter value="v11.0" />
      </parameters>
    </defaultConnectionFactory>
    <providers>
      <provider invariantName="System.Data.SqlClient" type="System.Data.Entity.SqlServer.SqlProviderServices, EntityFramework.SqlServer" />
    </providers>
  </entityFramework>
</configuration>

I noticed that there is localDB in the path that you mentioned above and has the version v11.0. So I entered (LocalDB\V11.0) in Add Connection dialogue and it worked for me.

Answer 2

If you are not sure if local db is installed, or not sure which database name you should use to connect to it - try running 'sqllocaldb info' command - it will show you existing localdb databases.

Now, as far as I know, local db should be installed together with Visual Studio 2015. But probably it is not required feature, and if something goes wrong or it cannot be installed for some reason - Visual Studio installation continues still (note that is just my guess). So to be on the safe side don't rely on it will always be installed together with VS.

Answer 3

I had the same issue today recently installing VS2015 Community Edition Update 1.

I fixed the problem by just adding the "SQL Server Data Tools" from the VS2015 setup installer... When I ran the installer the first time I selected the "Custom" installation type instead of the "Default". I wanted to see what install options were available but not select anything different than what was already ticked. My assumption was that whatever was already ticked was essentially the default install. But its not.

Answer 4

1. Search for sqllocaldb or localDB in your windows start menu and right click on open file location
2. Open command prompt in the file location you found from the search

3. On your command prompt type sqllocaldb start

4. Use <add name="defaultconnection" connectionString="Data Source=(localdb)\MSSQLLocalDB;Initial Catalog=tododb;Integrated Security=True" providerName="System.Data.SqlClient" />

Answer 5

I tried to install only LocalDB, which was missed in my VS 2015 installation. Followed below URL & selectively download the LocalDB (2012) installer which is only 33mb in size :)

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=29062

If you are looking for the SQL Server Data Tool for Visual Studio 2015 Integration, then Please download that from :

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/mt186501

Answer 6

1. Search "sqlLocalDb" from start menu,
2. Click on the run command,
3. Go back to VS 2015 tools/connect to database,
4. select MSSQL server,
5. enter (localdb)\MSSQLLocalDB as server name

Select your database and ready to go.