System.Data.SQLite

From the 1.0.47.0 announcement: 

Added installer support for Visual Studio 2008.  Code is still using the VS2005 SDK...

 I could not include a sqlite database in a project as a data source in VS2008 C# Express because of a VS2005 dependency. I get an error after choosing 'OK' from the 'Add Connection' dialog that says:

Could not load file or assembly 'Microsoft.VisualStudio.Data, Version=8.0.0.0 ...' or one of its dependencies.

 I'm guessing the eventual fix will involve producing two versions (one built with VS2005 and the other with VS2008) so it can find the right assemblies?

Rats.  I tested it on a machine with VS2005 and VS2008 and it worked just fine ... I didn't try it on a machine with only VS2008 installed.

I fired up VS C# Express 2005 and it does work there. The assemblies are present, but are not in my GAC. If you need any more information, I'll do my best to help.

Hello Robert and all,

I'm getting the same thing with 1.0.47.2.  The exact error message I get is the following:

Could not load file or assembly ‘Microsoft.VisualStudio.Data, Version=8.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx' or one of its dependencies. The located assembly's manifest definition does not match the assembly reference. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80131040)

I don't know if the PublicKeyToken should be posted or not since the original poster didnt.  If you need that, I have it and can email or edit this post. 

I'm attempting to add a SQLite DB to the Database Explorer in Visual Basic 2008 Express.

System:  Windows XP SP2 Pro with Visual Basic 2005 Express, Visual Web Developer 2005 Express, Visual C# 2005 Express, Visual Basic 2008 Express, Visual Web Developer 2008 Express installed

Steps to reproduce the problem:

1. Click on Add Connection in Database Explorer
2. In Choose Data Source dialog - Data source: SQLIte Database File and Data provider.NET Framework Data Provider for SQLite 
3. In Add Connection dialog, type in the connection string: data source=C:\test.db (which I think is odd, since there was a 'Browse' button before.
4. Press the Test Connection button and it should succeed.
5. Click OK button, then it errors out. 

Thanks very much for the work you've done on this.  I appreciate it.

I still need to download an Express edition and test it there ... however, it appears as though MS plugged that little hole that allowed me to operate in Express Editions of Visual Studio.  I can confirm that on a Vista testbed with only VS2008 (full) installed, the SQLite provider works just fine in the designer.

I'll do my best to get it working in 2008 Express editions, but I can't make any promises.

Robert

Robert Simpson:

I still need to download an Express edition and test it there ... however, it appears as though MS plugged that little hole that allowed me to operate in Express Editions of Visual Studio.  I can confirm that on a Vista testbed with only VS2008 (full) installed, the SQLite provider works just fine in the designer.

I'll do my best to get it working in 2008 Express editions, but I can't make any promises.

Robert

 Thanks for even looking into it. I really hope you can get it to work.

Thanks very much!

JB 

Hi, I just found SQLite on .NET so have zero experience. I just installed VS2008EE after removing VS2005EE. I'm also getting this same error when entering a connect string. Can someone tell me if this is still a problem with 1.0.48.0 ?? Do I understand that if I reinstall VS2005EE (so I have both versions installed on Win XP Pro) the VS2008EE designer will work correctly?? Thanks, Sturdy

As I stated earlier in the thread -- MS plugged the hole that allowed me to operate my extension in Express Editions of VS2008.  There's currently no workaround, and no way to get designer support in any Express Editions of Visual Studio 2008.

Thanks for the fast response. I apologize for misreading your previous comment.

quote: I still need to download an Express edition and test it there ... however, it appears as though MS plugged that little hole that allowed me to operate in Express Editions of Visual Studio. I can confirm that on a Vista testbed with only VS2008 (full) installed, the SQLite provider works just fine in the designer. I'll do my best to get it working in 2008 Express editions, but I can't make any promises. Robert endquote

Hello again,

I updated VC# 2008 to SP1 and SQLite.NET to 1.0.51.0. The result is still the same as my first post.

Since it is clear that something is trying to do happen but not suceeding, I attempted some detective work. I used Lutz Roeder's Reflector utility to examine SQLite.Designer.dll version 1.0.33.0 dated 05/28/2008. According to Reflector, the dll references (among others) a Microsoft.Data.ConnectionUI assembly version 8.0.0.0 and a Microsoft.VisualStudio.Data assembly version 8.0.0.0. I could not find an assembly with that version, especially since I nuked my copy of VC#2005 Express and that would be the likely place to find it (being of the version 8 family of VS).  However, I did find both of those assemblies and both with version 9.0.0.0 in the "Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\Common7\IDE' directory.

Could this version mismatch explain why the SQLite designer is not working in VC# Express? If so, why are only the Express editions affected?

Microsoft disabled the "hack" I was using to get SQLite to work on the Express editions.  There's literally nothing I can do at this point to fix it.  SQLite's designer will never work in the Express editions again I'm afraid.

To answer your question about it only affecting express editions ... those are freebies MS gives out and are not supposed to support plugins like my designer.  As a matter of fact, all non-MS plugins are disabled on express editions.  I exploited a loophole to get the SQLite designer to work on Express 2005 editions.  Microsoft plugged that loophole in the 2008 editions and it no longer works.

The 8.0 references are necessary to support VS2005, and they all forward to the 9.0 versions on VS2008 ("specific version" is set to false).

Thanks for your reply.

 I found a plug in to Reflector that lets me alter assemblies. I used it to change those references in the designer dll to version to 9.0.0.0, re-signed the assembly with the key from the 1.0.51.0 source, and now it (mostly) works. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to uninstall/reinstall because the Entity designer crashes on startup.

This step should be completely unnecessary.  The references to the 8.0 assemblies will automatically resolve to the 9.0 assemblies in the GAC at runtime.