VS.Net - Connecting to a mySQL databse

In my self tutoring, I would like to learn about C#'s methods of connecting to a mySQL database.

I have mySQL installed and running on my machine, I have used it before with some php scripts, so it's working fine. Can someone please explain the process of connecting to one of my mySQL databases using VS.net? I've had a quick attempt at adding a connection to server explorer, but for some reason I can't connect to the mySQL server.

Any help would be really appreciated.

Assuming you've got the 1.1 version and not 1.0, you'd use the ODBC .NET Data Provider.

using System.Data.Odbc;

For details and examples go to http://dev.mysql.com/tech-resources/articles/dotnet/

thanks Catalyst, I've read that link and found it very helpful, though I am still confused.

I ran winmysqladmin and under where it says server details, it's all blank?? Obviously I haven't set it up properly? But I can still access my databases using (as I said before) php scripts that I had been playing around with earlier. Also, under MyODBC it says, NOT FOUND. Obviously my problem is with the setup I have for mySQL, but I hardly know anything about it.

Do you have any ideas what I might have done wrong?

Hmm, not personally. I use SQLServer mostly, though I have run mySQL on my Win machine. Someone else might know more...

MySQL is pretty easy to setup... you install it and set the configuration file... and that's is, lol. It just works.
http://dev.mysql.com/doc/mysql/en/Wi...tallation.html

That's what I thought, but obviously I've done something wrong. I might try uninstalling and reinstalling, and pay more attention to the settings.

But why would I be able to access with everything but Visual Studio? Maybe I'm not setting it up right in VS? I right click on Data Connections, ->Add connection -> use "Dell" as my sql server (that's what localhost is), fill in username and password, then when I select the drop down menu for database, I get an error - SQL server does not exist or access denied. But I'm using the same settings I use for everything else that access my SQL databases???

I'm tearing my hair out....

OK, reinstalled mySQL and now I have all the server details showing up in the mysqladmin thing, but still no love from Visual Studio.

I give up - I'll ask one of the developers at work tomorrow.

did you fix this Tim?

Maybe this will help?:
http://aspnet101.com/aspnet101/tutorials.aspx?id=39 (Using MySQL in ASP.Net)

I spoke to one of the developers and he just recommended hard coding the database details instead of using the server explorer - he said that he has never used the server explorer for sql databases before. But I will check out your link Smokie, I appreciate your help!