>>>>>I'm working on a small MS Access to C# WinForms conversion project. I have to decide which database to use. The client will most likely want to take the data home, so SQL will not be an easy option.
>>>>>
>>>>>I could do it in Access, which he knows and I hate, or I could do it in VFP, which I know. It's going to be one of these two, as I'm not
>>>>>interested in learning another DB at this point.
>>>>>
>>>>>I guess I'm just looking for thoughts....
>>>>
>>>>Why won't SQL be an easy option ? backup, restore at home. SQL Express is free.
>>>
>>>We're talking about someone who has never even HEARD of Sql. For us it;s a no brainer. To some people, an install wizard would panic them.
>>>
>>>He's already got to install my app. The database should be transparent.
>>
>>He should not have to know anything about SQL.
>>
>>Your app can control all SQL functions.
>
>He would have to install it. And how would he take his data home? With a file based DB he can just copy it.

To install SQL Server you can disable the user prompts with a config file. The user clicks a button during the setup of your app and couple of installer screens pop up and 2 minutes later SQL Server is installed and configured, ready for your app to use. Totaly transparent to your user.

To take the database home, just click another button in your app that creates a backup of the database, ONE single file instead of several files per table. The single backup file and be put on a thumb-drive and transported home. At home click another button in your app that restores the database from the backup.

How many tables and records are we talking anyways? You could store all the data in an XML dataset.

Einar