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I install SQL Server Compact. This shows up in the list of installed programs I can find via Control Panel. But when I hit the Windows button and type in "SQL" or "Compact" I can't find it anywhere.

Even typing in "Compact" brings up a suggestion to install it, which I have just done. I just can't run the application after install and can't find the .exe file to do this anywhere either.

jarlh
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Pope On The Run
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    SQL Server is a database engine, not an application. You will see it running as a service under services. To access the database you need an IDE or other program (such as SSMS) to interface with it. – Jacob H Oct 19 '17 at 13:15

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SQL Server Compact is not a software that you open and start working on it, instead rightly said by @Jacob in comments, that we need Management Softwares like ssms (sql server management studio) in order to access contents and work on generated databases.

Microsoft SQL Server Compact is a free, embedded database that software developers can use for building ASP.NET websites and Windows desktop applications.

SQL Server Compact are seen from Control panel, as you have installed them.

Location like:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server Compact Edition\

Hope now you got an idea !

Please follow SO post to open sdf files or just open from VS itself : How do you open an SDF file (SQL Server Compact Edition)?

Tharif
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  • Thank you both. I kinda had that idea to begin with, but this was partially because I couldn't get SSMS to open a .sdf file and I kept on reading comments elsewhere that I needed Compact to open it and query it. I've subsequently managed to get it to work by using LinqPad instead. Would still be keen to find out how to get SSMS to run .sdf files if you know the answer to that though! Cheers – Pope On The Run Oct 19 '17 at 13:51