Neil,

>I have the very light desktop version of SQL server (that came with vs.net), which only allows me limited control of SQL server (command line control). There is no SQL Server Enterprise Manager. I see MSSQLSEVER, MSSQL$VSDOTNET and MSSQLSERVERADHelper running as local services but no actual control manager. I am only using SQL so that I may follow along with the examples and Jump Starts in the MM.net developer notes. It is for that reason that I never invested in the full blown version of SQL server. Once I finish the Jump Starts I was hoping to return to development utilizning VFP as my database tool. Have I hit a wall or is there a way to get my version of SQL to allow ASPNET access?

You can do it, but it takes a little work (MS wants you to buy SQL Server!)

When you install MSDE, you also get SQLDMO.dll (Microsoft SQL Data Management Objects) which is a COM server that allows you to perform all of the functionality of SQL Server Enterprise Manager from within .NET code. To do this, you need to create a new project and add the SQLDMO server to the project, and then write code that accesses the objects in SQLDMO to create a new user.

FORTUNATELY, there is an article titled "Manage MSDE Secuirty" in the June 2003 issue of Visual Studio magazine:

http://www.fawcette.com/vsm/2003_06/magazine/columns/databasedesign/default_pf.asp

In this article, there is a sample application you can run in VS .NET that allows you to add users to MSDE without the need for Enterprise Manager.

When you open the sample code zip file, you'll see two other zip files within it. You want UserManNet.zip. After you unzip this file, you need to double-click the UserMan.sln file which opens it in VS .NET, and then run the application (press F5). Once the tool dialog appears, check out the third tab for a description of how to use this tool.

Regards,