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Does anybody know if Windows RT will have some form of SQL Express available? Hoping for something C# friendly rather than C++.

Charles
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Richard
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  • Sadly found this http://stackoverflow.com/questions/10909202/do-windows-8-metro-style-application-support-sql-server-ce-local-database, which makes it sound like Microsoft dropped the ball on database support for Windows RT :( – Richard Oct 17 '12 at 06:13

1 Answers1

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SQLite seems to be the most common option for WinRT apps. As you can see here they made WinRT support the key feature of 3.7.13 release. I'm not too familiar with SQLite, but I think it could be (easily?) used from C# as well.

It seems that some people were successfully building SQLite for ARM processors, see here.

Given that ADO.NET and ODBC are not allowed in Windows Store apps, even if SQL Server Express could run on ARM you wouldn't be able to connect to it. It is safe to assume SQL Server Express and SQL Server Compact are not going to be available for Windows Store apps anytime soon, if ever.

Community
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Krzysztof Kozielczyk
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    Thanks, I'm worried about Windows RT, not WinRT though - I was hoping for an ARM version of SQLLite, or preferably SQL Express :) – Richard Oct 17 '12 at 06:15
  • I clarified my answer and added a link to a post on SQLite on ARM. Also, I wouldn't hold your breadth waiting for SQL Server Express on ARM :-) – Krzysztof Kozielczyk Oct 17 '12 at 16:51
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    Thanks, it seems that relational data is something Microsoft just don't like on mobile devices anymore. Windows RT doesn't support even System.Data, Windows Phone 7.0 didn't support anything, but 7.1 did. Not sure where that leaves Windows Phone 8. I think your bottom line is right - don't wait for Microsoft to solve this one. – Richard Oct 26 '12 at 09:21