how to open *.sdf files?

c# visual-studio-2008 sql-server-ce
Gold picture Gold · Mar 3, 2010 · Viewed 106.8k times · Source

I used to open sdf (sqlCE) files with visual-studio? or sql-server? I really don't remember. Now I can't open this sdf file. With what program do I need to open it?

Answer

Chris Voon picture Chris Voon · May 18, 2011

Try LINQPad, it works for SQL Server, MySQL, SQLite and also SDF (SQL CE 4.0). Best of all it's free!

LINQPad

Steps with version 4.35.1:

  1. click 'Add Connection'

  2. Click Next with 'Build data context automatically' and 'Default(LINQ to SQL)' selected.

  3. Under 'Provider' choose 'SQL CE 4.0'.

  4. Under 'Database' with 'Attach database file' selected, choose 'Browse' to select your .sdf file.

  5. Click 'OK'.

  6. Voila! It should show the tables in .sdf and be able to query it via right clicking the table or writing LINQ code in your favorite .NET language or even SQL. How cool is that?

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