The most up-to-date version of this file is available online at the Microsoft Download Center.

The SQL Server documentation team welcomes your documentation feedback. We view and investigate all documentation issues but do not answer technical support questions here. For help with technical issues not related to documentation, see Getting Assistance with SQL Server Compact Edition.

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Contents

1.0 Introduction

Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2005 Compact Edition (SQL Server Compact Edition) is the next version of Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Mobile Edition (SQL Server Mobile) and will replace it later this year. SQL Server Compact Edition can be deployed on desktop computers, mobile devices, and Tablet PCs. The development support for SQL Server Compact Edition will be provided by Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 SP1 and the database administration support will be provided by an upcoming SQL Server 2005 Service Pack release.

SQL Server Compact Edition can be deployed on mobile devices either by manually copying and installing the CAB files or through Visual Studio 2005 SP1. SQL Server Compact Edition has a separate installer (SQLServerCE31-EN.msi) for desktop computers and Tablet PCs.

Note:
SQL Server Compact Edition should be installed on desktop computers and Tablet PCs by the SQLServerCE31-EN.msi only. Any other mode of installing SQL Server Compact Edition will lead to serviceability problems.

The following are important considerations when you install SQL Server Compact Edition on a desktop computer or Tablet PC:

  • To install or uninstall SQL Server Compact Edition, you must be an administrator on the desktop computer or the Tablet PC.

  • Unless you are using the OLEDB data provider, the Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 or a later version is required to install SQL Server Compact Edition. You can download the .NET Framework 2.0 from .NET Framework 2.0 Download Center.

  • You do not need Visual Studio 2005 or SQL Server 2005 installed before you install SQL Server Compact Edition on a desktop computer or Tablet PC.

  • To replicate data between SQL Server and SQL Server Compact Edition, you require SQL Server 2005, SQL Server 2000 SP3a or SQL Server 2000 SP4 replication components. For more information about SQL Server Replication components requirements, see the "Hardware and Software Requirements" topic in SQL Server Compact Edition Books Online.

  • To develop applications, you can use OLEDB or ADO.NET. For richer support, you can install Visual Studio 2005.

  • When you upgrade Visual Studio 2005 to Visual Studio 2005 SP1, ensure that you install both the SQL Server Compact Edition Developer Tools installation file (SqlMobile30DevToolsENU.msi) and the SQL Server Compact Edition installation file (SQLServerCE31-EN.msi). Both of these files are required to develop and deploy SQL Server Compact Edition applications.

Note:
SQL Server Compact Edition does not support development with Microsoft eMbedded Visual Basic.

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1.1 Obtaining SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition Tools for Visual Studio 2005 Service Pack 1

SQL Server Compact Edition Tools for Visual Studio 2005 SP1 includes UI/Dialogs, device CAB files, the DataDirectory feature, and ClickOnce support for the Smart Device Development components. You can download SQL Server Compact Edition Tools for Visual Studio 2005 SP1 at this Microsoft Web Site.

1.2 Obtaining SQL Server Compact Edition

SQL Server Compact Edition is available with Visual Studio 2005 SP1, with an upcoming Service Pack release of SQL Server 2005, and as a Web download. You can download SQL Server Compact Edition for a desktop and a Tablet PC at this Microsoft Download Center.

The SQL Server Compact Edition Server Tools file (sqlce30setupen.msi) will be available from within SQL Server 2005 SP2 and Visual Studio 2005 SP1. You can also download the SQL Server Compact Edition Server Tools at this Microsoft Web site.

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1.3 SQL Server Compact Edition Books Online

SQL Server Compact Edition Books Online is available for download at the Microsoft Download Center. The Books Online provides detailed information about the development, administration and deployment of SQL Server Compact Edition on desktop computers, mobile devices and Tablet PCs.

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2.0 Installing SQL Server Compact Edition

This section contains installation-related information. For complete information about installing and configuring a server environment for Remote Data Access or merge replication, see "Installing a Server Environment" and "Configuring and Securing Server Environment" in SQL Server Compact Edition Books Online.

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2.1 Installing SQL Server Compact Edition Server Tools

If you are installing SQL Server Compact Edition Edition Server Tools on a computer running Windows XP SP2 that uses Windows Firewall, you must specifically enable the HTTP and/or HTTPS services.

To enable the HTTP or HTTPS service

1. Double-click Windows Firewall in Control Panel.

2. Click the Advanced tab.

3. In Network Connection Settings, select the connection, and then click Settings.

4. Select Web Server (HTTP) or Secure Web Server (HTTPS), make sure the server name or IP address is correct, and then click OK.

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2.2 Uninstalling SQL Server Compact Edition Server Tools

To uninstall SQL Server Compact Edition Server Tools

1. Double-click Add or Remove Programs in Control Panel.

2. From the list of installed programs, select Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition.

3. Click Remove.

4. After uninstalling, you should restart IIS or reboot the computer running IIS.

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3.0 Supported Platforms

This release of SQL Server Compact Edition supports the following platforms:

Desktop and Tablet PC platforms:

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP4

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP4

  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP2

  • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition SP2

  • Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2002 SP2

  • Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004 SP2

  • Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005

  • Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition SP2

  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition SP1

  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition SP1

  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition SP1

  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2, Standard Edition

  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2, Enterprise Edition

  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2, Datacenter Edition

  • Windows Vista

Mobile device platforms:

  • Microsoft Windows CE 4.2

  • Microsoft Windows CE 5.0

  • Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003 for Pocket PC

  • Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0

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4.0 Deploying SQL Server Compact Edition Applications

This section describes support for deploying SQL Server Compact Edition applications.

4.1 SQL Server Compact Edition Desktop Deployment Support in Visual Studio 2005 SP1

You can deploy a SQL Server Compact Edition application to a desktop computer or a Tablet PC by using ClickOnce support in Visual Studio 2005 SP1. DataDirectory substitution string also simplifies deploying an application. For more information about ClickOnce and DataDirectory, see the Installing a Development Environment and Installing SQL Server Compact Edition on a Desktop and a Tablet PC topics in SQL Server Compact Edition Books Online and Microsoft Knowledge Base article 920700.

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4.2 SQL Server Compact Edition Mobile Devices Deployment Support in Visual Studio 2005 SP1

You can use Visual Studio 2005 SP1 to deploy a SQL Server Compact Edition application to either an emulator or a device in the following ways.

A Pocket PC 2003 application can be deployed on:

  • Pocket PC 2003 Device

  • Pocket PC 2003 Emulator

  • Pocket PC 2003 SE VGA Emulator

A Windows CE 5.0 application can be deployed on:

  • Windows Mobile Version 5.0 Pocket PC Device

  • Windows Mobile Version 5.0 Pocket PC Emulator

  • Windows Mobile Version 5.0 Pocket PC Phone Edition GSM (virtual radio) Emulator

  • Windows Mobile Version 5.0 Pocket PC Phone Edition GSM VGA (virtual radio) Emulator

  • Windows Mobile Version 5.0 Pocket PC VGA Emulator

  • Windows Mobile Version 5.0 Smartphone Device

  • Windows Mobile Version 5.0 Smartphone GSM (virtual radio) Emulator

  • Windows Mobile Version 5.0 Smartphone GSM QVGA (virtual radio) Emulator

  • Windows CE 5.0 Devices

A Windows Mobile Version 5.0 Pocket PC application can be deployed on:

  • Windows Mobile Version 5.0 Pocket PC Device

  • Windows Mobile Version 5.0 Pocket PC Emulator

  • Windows Mobile Version 5.0 Pocket PC Phone Edition GSM (virtual radio) Emulator

  • Windows Mobile Version 5.0 Pocket PC Phone Edition GSM VGA (virtual radio) Emulator

  • Windows Mobile Version 5.0 Pocket PC VGA Emulator

  • A Windows Mobile Version 5.0 Smartphone application can be deployed on:

  • Windows Mobile Version 5.0 Smartphone Device

  • Windows Mobile Version 5.0 Smartphone GSM (virtual radio) Emulator

  • Windows Mobile Version 5.0 Smartphone GSM QVGA (virtual radio) Emulator

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5.0 Known Issues

5.1 Database Encryption

To maintain backward compatibility, the database encryption feature of SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition uses the same encryption algorithms as SQL Server 2005 Mobile Edition. These algorithms are somewhat outdated and do not provide a level of security that satisfies the standard Microsoft product policies. We recommend that users use another way, such as Encrypted File System, to help secure data.

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6.0 Additional Information

This section describes how to get assistance with and provide feedback about SQL Server Compact Edition.

6.1 Getting SQL Server Compact Edition Assistance

For more information, see the SQL Server Compact Edition Forum and SQL Server Compact Edition Team Blog Web sites.

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6.2 Providing Feedback about SQL Server Compact Edition

To provide suggestions and bug reports about SQL Server Compact Edition:

  • Make suggestions and file bug reports about the features and user interface of SQL Server Compact Edition at the MSDN product feedback Web site.

  • Send suggestions and report inaccuracies about the documentation by using the feedback functionality in SQL Server Compact Edition Books Online.

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