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I will like to connect to sql express from visual studio. when I go to Database Explorer and click on add a new data connection I don't get the option "Microsoft SQL Server".

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I will like to connect to a SQL Server instance. Why does visual studio does not give me that option. I have installed sql express on this computer:

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edit

Take a look how in this other computer I have more options: enter image description here

Tono Nam
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I ran into the same exact problem when trying to do some experimental side-project work at home using Visual Studio Express 2010.

According to http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vssetup/thread/5ac1c88b-ba4a-472b-a734-872febdceb0a/ it all comes down to a licensing restrictrion on Visual Studio Express, which isn't allowed to connect to "remote" data sources (which ".\sqlexpress" shouldn't be considered, IMO).

Maddeningly, this is just a restriction of Visual Studio Express 2010: Visual Web Developer 2010 Express (love those MS names) does NOT have this restriction.

Fortunately, this provides a workaround, as I found in one of the answers on another post here: Connecting to SQL Server with Visual Studio Express Editions

Essentially the workaround is this: open your solution in Visual Web Developer and add the ADO.NET Entity Data Model there, then save the solution and open it back up in Visual Studio Express and continue as normal.

Community
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DaveD
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It looks like this list is opulated based on installed DDEX (Data Designer Extensibility) providers. I am guessing here, but most likely your DDEX providers didn't install correctly or somehow got uninstalled.

Did you try repairing your Visual Studio 2010 installation?

Krzysztof Kozielczyk
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  1. Click on add connection by right clicking on the data connection tab on server explorer.
  2. In server name type the name of your server. i.e if you installed sql server management studio copy that name from "Connect to database" Window appears on the start up and paste that name to the server name drop down box.
  3. select your database from the list over there. So simple.
Prateek Gupta
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