My company has a web based billing program which was created using .net and MS SQL server. Now they want to create a windows version of the software. I am a Web programmer and new to windows application. I would like to use .net for this. My question is how do I take care of the database so that the program wouldn't require MS SQL server to be installed on user's computer. Any help will be much appreciated. Thank you.

Could you describe the program, your company, and your clients - the transactions, the database location, language (VB,C#), and what the client application will be used for?

This should be fairly easy to do, providing the ASP.NET version was written properly. Ideally, the data structures, data access, and business logic layers should all be separate from the UI. As such, you should be able to reference those assemblies in a winforms project and use all the same code. If the ASP.NET version is not written properly, you should tell your boss that this project will require some restructuring of the current code. Under NO circumstances should you duplicate any of the data access or business logic code already in the ASP.NET version. There's no reason for the users to have ms sql installed...They'll all be connecting to a central server somewhere, so they just need the connection information. The .NET framework takes care of everything else for you. Good luck, -SN

Thank you guys for your reply. My question probably wasn't very not clear. For example if I want to create an executable windows invoice application how would I do it. What I actually wanted to know is on the web I can store the customer information or transaction on MSSQL database. But how would I store the data on windows application. It could be MSSQL or mysql or a text file but it needs to be one package and the clients will not be required to install any other software or program. Thank you again.

I am very new to windows application. I downloaded some demo software and noticed that it could be run without intalling any other database software. Do u have any idea how those are done. Thank you.

I'm not sure you're asking the right question here... It sounds like you actually want to distribute this application and have each person have their own database...ie user a creates an invoice and saves it to the database, but user b has his own database and can't see it. Is that what you're after? I would guess that if you are converting an asp.net app, you would want each user to connect to the same database, so they can share data. If you really do want each user to have their own database, you would use SQL Server 2005 express, which you can redistribute with your own application without the user having to install or configure it. Check out this article which explains some of your options for deployment. I use ClickOnce, which is very neat and simple. Good luck, -SN

Thanks SN. You are right.I do want to distribute this application and have each person have their own database and user a creates an invoice and saves it to the database. I do not necessarily have to use MS SQL server.But is that the best choice or is their other ways to store data. Thanks again.