Database question

[Cassio]

Hi! I'm doing an app and I plan to distribute it over the internet. Its a question and answer program. I need to store the questions and answers in a database so the program can call them and show them to the user. Whats the best way to store this? Im thinking of using XML, but I dont want the users to have access to the contents of this xml file. Is it possible?

If I use an Access mdb, will I be able to distribute it or the end user will need Access installed?

 

Thanks!

[Nerseus]

You can use Access and password protect it. You can distribute an MDB file and access it without having Access, but they will need the data providers to access it. Installing MDAC will give them what they need (mdac_typ.exe from MS installs the drivers).

 

You could develop your program using an XML file, and embed it in your EXE when you compile, reading it as XML from a resource (since it's embedded). You could also store it as a file with some simple encryption (or complex - depends on your needs).

 

-ner

[Cassio]

Thanks Nerseus! The encryption idea looks nice, what do I need to encrypt the xml file? Will I be able to write new data in it after its encrypted?

[Nerseus]

I've never used the Crypography in .NET, just know it exists. I've used it in VB6 (through the API) and it wasn't bad once you learn the basics. I'd read the help to figure out basic encryption mechanisms.

 

You'll probably be writing out a binary file (if it's XML) that's encrypted. Just overwrite the file each time. After loading the data into a byte array (you'll have to figure that out, too, if you don't know how), you can decrypt it back to XML and then load it into an XmlDocument (or whatever you want).

 

-Nerseus

[Cassio]

Cool, ill try that.

Thanks.

[dotnetgirl]

Hello Nerseus and all.

 

i am too trying out same thing. I ve three xml files that i want to embed into the assembly or exe. But the Al.exe tool is not taking the file as a resource. It only allows Images and text strings.

 

Have you tried out this thing?

Once embeding into resouce, can i access them using ResourceManager or any other class?

Is it really needed to encrypt them be'coz users will not be accessing them?

 

 

Reply awaited.

Thanks.