Add/Modify Connection Dialog Box (General)

Allows you to create and modify database connections. There are four ways to access this dialog box:

  • On the Tools menu. choose Connect to Database.

  • In Server Explorer, open the shortcut menu for the Data Connections node and choose Add Connection.

  • In Server Explorer, open the shortcut menu for the data connection you want to modify and choose Modify Connection.

This topic does not cover the elements within the body of the dialog box, so if you need more specific information, give the dialog box focus and then press F1. If you return to this topic, it may be that the provider you chose in the Choose/Change Data Source does not supply Help for this dialog box.

Note

In Visual Studio 2012, you can connect to a SQL Server database from either SQL Server Object Explorer or the Data Connections node in Server Explorer. SQL Server Object Explorer provides a view that is like SQL Server Management Studio. To open this explorer from the menu bar, choose View, SQL Server Object Explorer. For more information, see Connected Database Development.

Note

Your computer might show different names or locations for some of the Visual Studio user interface elements in the following instructions. The Visual Studio edition that you have and the settings that you use determine these elements. For more information, see Visual Studio Settings.

  • Test Connection
    Tests the connection without closing the dialog box so you can make adjustments to the settings if the connection does not succeed.

  • OK button
    Commits the connection settings.

See Also

Tasks

How to: Connect to a Database from Server Explorer

Reference

Advanced Properties

Choose/Change Data Source Dialog Box

Add/Modify Connection (ODBC)

Add/Modify Connection (Oracle)

Add/Modify Connection (Microsoft SQL Server)

Add/Modify Connection (Microsoft Access)

Add/Modify Connection (OLE DB)

Add/Modify Connection (Microsoft SQL Server Database File)