How can I deploy an application that uses a SQL Server 2005 database?

Question

I developed a winform application that uses a SQL Server 2005 database. When the application was deployed (using the deploy wizard in Visual Studio .NET 2005) and installed on the user's machine, the application failed to run because the database file(.mdf) was not installed along with the application. I guess this was because the SQL server 2005 database was not included in the deployment folder.

So I want to know how I can deploy the application together with the database and I would also like to know whether SQL Server Express Edition should be installed on the user's machine in order to use this database. Thank you very much.

my friend said I can use the ClickOnce and XCopy feature but I could not find how to use them. (by the way, the XCopy feature is the xcopy dos command? )

I have SQL Server 2005 express edition and Visual Studio .NET 2005 installed on my machine.

Answer 1

Use the Microsoft Deployment tools