105

New to C# programming, I'd like to be able to access MySQL Databases.

I know MySQL connector/NET and MySQL for Visual Studio are required for C# development.
Do I need to install them into my app?
Is it possible I can just release the connector DLL with the program?

Update:
Are both of them required for the end-user or just the connector?
Is there anything else they would need?

oguz ismail
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user3282097
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    Yes, all you need to do is package the DLL with you program, it should already be in your output debug/release folder when you run your program. – ohmusama Feb 07 '14 at 02:15
  • Note: MySQL for Visual Studio don't work in VS2010E – Enrique San Martín Aug 19 '15 at 18:47
  • As for the above note by @EnriqueSanMartín [Version 2.0](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/visual-studio/en/visual-studio-what-is-new-20.html) and [Version 1.2](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/visual-studio/en/visual-studio-what-is-new-12.html) _Support for Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 was removed_. – Curiosity Aug 11 '17 at 04:36
  • See here if you need to connect to MySQL over SSH rather than directly on port 3306 https://stackoverflow.com/questions/10806799/how-to-connect-to-mysql-from-c-sharp-over-ssh – Matthew Lock Dec 03 '20 at 08:43

6 Answers6

119

Install Oracle's MySql.Data NuGet package.

using MySql.Data;
using MySql.Data.MySqlClient;

namespace Data
{
    public class DBConnection
    {
        private DBConnection()
        {
        }

        public string Server { get; set; }
        public string DatabaseName { get; set; }
        public string UserName { get; set; }
        public string Password { get; set; }

        private MySqlConnection Connection { get; set;}

        private static DBConnection _instance = null;
        public static DBConnection Instance()
        {
            if (_instance == null)
                _instance = new DBConnection();
           return _instance;
        }
    
        public bool IsConnect()
        {
            if (Connection == null)
            {
                if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(databaseName))
                    return false;
                string connstring = string.Format("Server={0}; database={1}; UID={2}; password={3}", Server, DatabaseName, UserName, Password);
                Connection = new MySqlConnection(connstring);
                Connection.Open();
            }
    
            return true;
        }
    
        public void Close()
        {
            Connection.Close();
        }        
    }
}

Example:

var dbCon = DBConnection.Instance();
dbCon.Server = "YourServer";
dbCon.DatabaseName = "YourDatabase";
dbCon.UserName = "YourUsername";
dbCon.Password = "YourPassword";
if (dbCon.IsConnect())
{
    //suppose col0 and col1 are defined as VARCHAR in the DB
    string query = "SELECT col0,col1 FROM YourTable";
    var cmd = new MySqlCommand(query, dbCon.Connection);
    var reader = cmd.ExecuteReader();
    while(reader.Read())
    {
        string someStringFromColumnZero = reader.GetString(0);
        string someStringFromColumnOne = reader.GetString(1);
        Console.WriteLine(someStringFromColumnZero + "," + someStringFromColumnOne);
    }
    dbCon.Close();
}
Matthew Lock
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Ocph23
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    If you might face internet connection problems and you would like to try until you connect this won't work. Delete `if (_instance == null)` line. Also make `bool result = false` by default because it might be not connected for internet connections problems and many other actually, not only because database name wouldn't be set. In that case `if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(databaseName)) return false;` because it will just throw an exception otherwise and might even return true which wouldn't be correct. However, upvoted, thanks for the clean code. – Brackets Mar 22 '17 at 16:20
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    Why do you have a "circular" reference with a private constructor ? (`new DBConnection();` and `private DBConnection()`) – Soleil Sep 20 '18 at 06:22
  • You'd have to do `connection = null` on `DBConnection.Close()` since it is singleton and you may want to use it again – Roman Aug 01 '19 at 06:07
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    This is great to get started ! I've already expanded a little on `public bool IsConnect()`. To reuse the connection, after the `if` statement: `else if (connection.State == System.Data.ConnectionState.Closed) { connection.Open(); }` In your application you can just do `dbCon.IsConnect()` again, after you've closed it after a previous query. So don't do `connection = null;` in `DBConnection.Close()` as Roman suggested, otherwise reusing won't work. – Larphoid Sep 25 '19 at 14:44
  • Great answer, but how do I connect to a certain port. My network is that both the dev, test and live data is on the same server, but on different ports. How can I connect to just 1 port. – James Ashwood Oct 30 '20 at 20:13
  • `Error CS0103 The name 'databaseName' does not exist in the current context` – Alex G Jul 26 '21 at 19:29
  • "MySqlConnection Connection" property needs to be set to public to access. – KBNanda Mar 17 '22 at 12:08
56

You can use Package Manager to add it as a package and it is the easiest way. You don't need anything else to work with a MySQL database.

Or you can run this command in Package Manager Console:

PM> Install-Package MySql.Data

NuGet MySql.Data

Pang
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Damith
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  • If you search it through "Manage NuGet Packages" window, keep in mind that package name is **case sensitive**. Maybe not such an obvious thing for someone coming from package managers with lowercase names. – Dimitry K Apr 06 '15 at 16:08
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    Thanks, it is very small detail, so if anyone wants to check complete step by step procedure to connect with MySQL Check https://qawithexperts.com/article/c-sharp/mysql-connection-in-c-console-application-example/321 – Jyoti Apr 19 '22 at 15:56
18

You must to download MySQLConnection NET from here.

Then you need add MySql.Data.DLL to MSVisualStudio like this:

  1. Open menu project
  2. Add
  3. Reference
  4. Browse to C:\Program Files (x86)\MySQL\MySQL Connector Net 8.0.12\Assemblies\v4.5.2
  5. Add MySql.Data.dll

If you want to know more visit: enter link description here

To use in the code you must import the library:

using MySql.Data.MySqlClient;

An example with connectio to Mysql database (NO SSL MODE) by means of Click event:

using System;
using System.Windows;
using MySql.Data.MySqlClient;


namespace Deportes_WPF
{

public partial class Login : Window
{
    private MySqlConnection connection;
    private string server;
    private string database;
    private string user;
    private string password;
    private string port;
    private string connectionString;
    private string sslM;

    public Login()
    {
        InitializeComponent();

        server = "server_name";
        database = "database_name";
        user = "user_id";
        password = "password";
        port = "3306";
        sslM = "none";

        connectionString = String.Format("server={0};port={1};user id={2}; password={3}; database={4}; SslMode={5}", server, port, user, password, database, sslM);

        connection = new MySqlConnection(connectionString);
    }

    private void conexion()
    {
        try
        {
            connection.Open();

            MessageBox.Show("successful connection");

            connection.Close();
        }
        catch (MySqlException ex)
        {
            MessageBox.Show(ex.Message + connectionString);
        }
    }

    private void btn1_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
    {
        conexion();
    }
  }

}
Sergio Perez
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3

Looking at the code below, I tried it and found: Instead of writing DBCon = DBConnection.Instance(); you should put DBConnection DBCon - new DBConnection(); (That worked for me)

and instead of MySqlComman cmd = new MySqlComman(query, DBCon.GetConnection()); you should put MySqlCommand cmd = new MySqlCommand(query, DBCon.GetConnection()); (it's missing the d)

Noah Wetjen
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Hope
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1

Another library to consider is MySqlConnector, https://mysqlconnector.net/. Mysql.Data is under a GPL license, whereas MySqlConnector is MIT.

Andrew
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-6
 private void Initialize()
    {
        server = "localhost";
        database = "connectcsharptomysql";
        uid = "username";
        password = "password";
        string connectionString;
        connectionString = "SERVER=" + server + ";" + "DATABASE=" + 
        database + ";" + "U`enter code here`ID=" + uid + ";" + "PASSWORD=" + password + ";";

        connection = new MySqlConnection(connectionString);
    }
neelakanta
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