Getting Assistance (SQL Server Compact Edition)

There are three principal sources of information from Microsoft about Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition (SQL Server Compact Edition):

  • The documentation, tutorials, and samples installed with SQL Server 2005.
  • The SQL Server sites on the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) and TechNet.
  • SQL Server information on additional Microsoft Web sites.

You can also get help from others either through the SQL Server community or directly from Microsoft support.

SQL Server Compact Edition Documentation

You can access SQL Server Compact Edition documentation in two ways:

  • If you have installed the SQL Server Compact Edition Server Tools (sqlce30setupen.msi), from the Start menu, click All Programs, click Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition, and then click SQL Server Compact Edition Books Online.
  • If you have installed only SQL Server 2005, from the Start menu, click All Programs, click Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Documentation and Tutorials, and then click SQL Server Books Online. This opens SQL Server 2005 Books Online. The left pane shows four nodes, one of which is SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition Books Online.

Information on MSDN and TechNet

The Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) provides online and offline services that help developers write applications using Microsoft products and technologies. The Microsoft TechNet Program delivers comprehensive technical resources that help IT professionals efficiently evaluate, deploy, and support Microsoft solutions.

Several sites on MSDN and TechNet provide a specific audience with links to the SQL Server information most relevant to their jobs, including the information in the copy of SQL Server Books Online on MSDN. These sites also contain information that extends the information available in Books Online.

The following table describes these resources and their intended audience.

Resource Audience

SQL Server Developer Center

Developers who are building SQL Server databases, reporting systems, and business intelligence solutions, and enabling their applications and Web sites to use these systems.

Data Access and Storage Developer Center

Developers who are enabling their applications and Web sites to use data stored using products such as SQL Server and Access.

XML Developer Center

Web site creators and application developers whose sites and applications utilize XML for data storage and manipulation.

SQL Server TechNet Site

Administrators and operators who are planning, deploying, administering, and supporting systems using SQL Server.

Additional Online Information

Resource Audience

Microsoft SQL Server Compact Edition

Provides information about evaluating SQL Server Compact Edition as a data storage solution for mobile devices.

Microsoft SQL Server

Provides pre-sales information about evaluating SQL Server as a data storage and business intelligence tool.

Microsoft Knowledge Base

Provides a searchable repository of SQL Server articles written by Microsoft Support.

Microsoft Learning

Describes Microsoft training and certifications for SQL Server.

Microsoft Press

Lists Microsoft Press books about SQL Server 2005.

Getting Assistance From Others

If you have not found the information you are looking for in the product documentation or on the Web, you can either ask a question in the SQL Server community or request help from Microsoft support.

The following table links to and describes these resources.

Resource Description

SQL Server Community

Has links to newsgroups and forums monitored by the SQL Server community. It also lists community information sources, such as blogs and Web sites. The SQL Server community is very helpful in answering questions, although there is no guarantee of an answer.

SQL Server Developer Center Community

This site focuses on the newsgroups, forums, and other community resources that are useful to SQL Server developers.

Microsoft Help and Support

You can use this Web site to open a case with a Microsoft support professional.