SqlConnection.ConnectionString Property

public:
 virtual property System::String ^ ConnectionString { System::String ^ get(); void set(System::String ^ value); };

[System.ComponentModel.SettingsBindable(true)]
public override string ConnectionString { get; set; }

public override string ConnectionString { get; set; }

[<System.ComponentModel.SettingsBindable(true)>]
member this.ConnectionString : string with get, set

member this.ConnectionString : string with get, set

Public Overrides Property ConnectionString As String

Property Value

The connection string that includes the source database name, and other parameters needed to establish the initial connection. The default value is an empty string.

Attributes

SettingsBindableAttribute

Exceptions

Examples

The following example creates a SqlConnection and sets the ConnectionString property before opening the connection.

using Microsoft.Data.SqlClient;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        OpenSqlConnection();
        Console.ReadLine();
    }

    private static void OpenSqlConnection()
    {
        string connectionString = GetConnectionString();

        using (SqlConnection connection = new SqlConnection())
        {
            connection.ConnectionString = connectionString;

            connection.Open();

            Console.WriteLine("State: {0}", connection.State);
            Console.WriteLine("ConnectionString: {0}",
                connection.ConnectionString);
        }
    }

    static private string GetConnectionString()
    {
        // To avoid storing the connection string in your code, 
        // you can retrieve it from a configuration file.
        return "Data Source=MSSQL1;Initial Catalog=AdventureWorks;"
            + "Integrated Security=true;";
    }
}

The following example creates a SqlConnection and sets the ConnectionString property before opening the connection.

using System;
using System.Data;
using Microsoft.Data.SqlClient;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        OpenSqlConnection();
        Console.ReadLine();
    }

    private static void OpenSqlConnection()
    {
        string connectionString = GetConnectionString();

        using (SqlConnection connection = new SqlConnection())
        {
            connection.ConnectionString = connectionString;

            connection.Open();

            Console.WriteLine("State: {0}", connection.State);
            Console.WriteLine("ConnectionString: {0}",
                connection.ConnectionString);
        }
    }

    static private string GetConnectionString()
    {
        // To avoid storing the connection string in your code, 
        // you can retrieve it from a configuration file.
        return "Data Source=MSSQL1;Initial Catalog=AdventureWorks;"
            + "Integrated Security=true;";
    }
}

Remarks

The ConnectionString is similar to an OLE DB connection string, but is not identical. Unlike OLE DB or ADO, the connection string that is returned is the same as the user-set ConnectionString, minus security information if the Persist Security Info value is set to false (default). The .NET Framework Data Provider for SQL Server does not persist or return the password in a connection string unless you set Persist Security Info to true.
You can use the ConnectionString property to connect to a database. The following example illustrates a typical connection string.

"Persist Security Info=False;Integrated Security=true;Initial Catalog=Northwind;server=(local)"  

Use the new SqlConnectionStringBuilder to construct valid connection strings at run time. For more information, see Connection String Builders.

The ConnectionString property can be set only when the connection is closed. Many of the connection string values have corresponding read-only properties. When the connection string is set, these properties are updated, except when an error is detected. In this case, none of the properties are updated. SqlConnection properties return only those settings that are contained in the ConnectionString.

To connect to a local computer, specify "(local)" for the server. If a server name is not specified, a connection will be attempted to the default instance on the local computer.

Resetting the ConnectionString on a closed connection resets all connection string values (and related properties) including the password. For example, if you set a connection string that includes "Database= AdventureWorks", and then reset the connection string to "Data Source=myserver;Integrated Security=true", the Database property is no longer set to "AdventureWorks".

The connection string is parsed immediately after being set. If errors in syntax are found when parsing, a runtime exception, such as ArgumentException, is generated. Other errors can be found only when an attempt is made to open the connection.

The basic format of a connection string includes a series of keyword/value pairs separated by semicolons. The equal sign (=) connects each keyword and its value. To include values that contain a semicolon, single-quote character, or double-quote character, the value must be enclosed in double quotation marks. If the value contains both a semicolon and a double-quote character, the value can be enclosed in single quotation marks. The single quotation mark is also useful if the value starts with a double-quote character. Conversely, the double quotation mark can be used if the value starts with a single quotation mark. If the value contains both single-quote and double-quote characters, the quotation mark character used to enclose the value must be doubled every time it occurs within the value.

To include preceding or trailing spaces in the string value, the value must be enclosed in either single quotation marks or double quotation marks. Any leading or trailing spaces around integer, Boolean, or enumerated values are ignored, even if enclosed in quotation marks. However, spaces within a string literal keyword or value are preserved. Single or double quotation marks may be used within a connection string without using delimiters (for example, Data Source= my'Server or Data Source= my"Server), unless a quotation mark character is the first or last character in the value.

Keywords are not case sensitive.

The following table lists the valid names for keyword values within the ConnectionString.