See message 1091867 for more details on how to replicate this just using VS 2005. Yes, the Framework could probably be corrected to handle this situation better but the error is not specific to Mere Mortals.

As I noted on that message, I suspect your sa password is not really blank. You might try changing or setting your sa password and then make sure your connection string agrees. Or just change your connection string to use integrated security and don't pass the UID and PWD, something like:

add key="Northwind\Connection" value="server=(local);integrated security=true;database=NorthWind;"


>Kevin
>
>I am having problems setting a connection strng that the MM .Net Business Layer Generator can use. I have spent WAY too many hours fiddling with this step in the Jump Start to be anywhere close to being a happy camper. This should not be voodo.
>
>Others have reported the same issue (See thread #037472)
>
>I can connect to Northwind via the VS Server Explorer.
>I can connect to Northwind via the command line using osql
>
>To be sure that I have a "pure" environment, I have uninstalled MM.Net AND Visual Studio; reinstalling both.
>
>I have tried all of the sample connection strings from "Specifying Connection Strings in the Config File" without success.
>
>I can eventually figure it out ...but I am not happy about having to debug a framework while I am trying to learn to use it.
>
>The last two connection strings attempted resulted in the following error as reported by the CLR Debugger:
>..an unhandled exception of type 'System.Data.SqlClient.SqlException' ocurred in unkonwn module. It further reports that the default SQL Server does not allow remote connections. Error 40 - cannot open connection to SQL Server
>
>These two (2) connection strings used in app.config yield the same error reported above:
>
>

><add key="maindata\Connection" value="server=(local);Integrated Security=SSPI;Persist Security Info=False;Initial Catalog=Northwind" />
>
><add key="Northwind\Connection" value="server=(local);uid=sa;pwd=;database=NorthWind;" />
>

>
>Yes, I have tried variants which include including a connection strings that name the local machine, the sql server name, etc and also variants that attempt to attach Northwind, and using "Northwnd".
>
>Environment:
>Visual Studio 2005, default installation of SQL Express, MM .Net 2005
>
>Regards
>Don Lowrey