Hi - I'm developing a Winforms application using Visual Studio 2008 C# that uses a SQL compact 3.5 database on the client. The client will most likely be 32 bit XP or Vista machines. I'm using a standard Windows Installer project that creates an msi file and
setup.exe to install the app on a client machine. I'm new to SQL compact so I haven't had to distribute a client database like this before now. When I run the
setup.exe (on new Windows XP 32 bit with SP2 and IE 7) it installs fine but when I run the app I get the error below:
Unable to load DLL 'sqlceme35.dll'. The specified module could not be found
I spent a few hours searching this error already but all I can find are issues relating to installing on 64 bit Windows, none relating to normal 32 bit that I'm using. The install app copies the all the dependant files that it found into the specified install directory, including the System.Data.SqlServerCe.dll file (assembly version 3.5.1.0). The database file is in a directory called 'data' off the application directory, and the connection string for it is
<add name="Tickets.ieOutlet.Properties.Settings.TicketsLocalConnectionString" connectionString="Data Source=|DataDirectory|\data\TicketsLocal.sdf" providerName="Microsoft.SqlServerCe.Client.3.5" />
Some questions I have:
should the app be able to find the dll if it's in the same directory i.e. local to the app, or do I need to install it in the GAC? (If so cam I use the Windows Installer to install a dll in the GAC?)
is there anything else I need to distribute with the app in order to use a Sql Compact database?
there are other dlls also such as MS interop for exporting data to Excel on the client. Do these need to be installed in the GAC or will locating them in the application directory suffice?
TIA,
Ciaran.
