Cart

Featured Database Connections

Table of Contents

In what we called featured databases – SQLite, Firebird, Microsoft SQL Server CE, and Microsoft Access – you have full free access to any available feature, from any application. Microsoft Access however must be purchased separately and be installed on your local machine.

The process described here is for Data Xtractor, but it’s valid for all our products as well, with few exceptions: ER models are supported and generated only in Data Xtractor and Model Xtractor, while queries are not supported or generated in Model Xtractor.

How to Connect to a SQLite Database

Latest tested and supported SQLite version is 3.28. Our own system database project files are SQLite-based. Your database must have been previously installed with a third-party tool.

Database Connection SQLite

  1. Click on Connect > Open-Source Databases > SQLite. This will open the previous New Database Connection popup. Return here anytime with the Properties context menu command on your database node.
  2. Or use File > Open Database File. Select a local or remote SQLite file. Typical extension are .db, .db3, .sqlite, .sl3, but you can filter by All Files as well. You are then redirected to this same popup, with the File field populated with your selected path.
  3. No need to install any data provider. The full SQLite engine is included, through the  System.Data.SQLite driver, from the SQLite .NET Data Provider.
  4. Enter your SQLite File. This may be already filled-in from step 2. There is one single database per file.
  5. Enter an optional encryption Password. Leave Save Password checked. We support today only encrypted files, with no encryption through plugins.
  6. Connect through SSH if required. Follow the steps described separately below for SSH and come back to continue.
  7. Leave Other Properties as they are. Or pass additional connection string values, when in need.
  8. Click on Test. This will check the number of tables and file’s version, as in this example. Do not continue until your connection has been properly verified as successful.
  9. Click on OK. Wait for metadata to be collected. The popup will close and a database connection node will be created, with table child nodes. In Data Xtractor or Model Xtractor, some ER model diagrams will also be generated, and one will be opened on screen.
  10. Click on Queries > Demo Queries > add demo queries. If you are not in Model Xtractor and want to play with some built-in SQL samples, this will open a popup with the missing queries.
  11. Double-click on any model or query node. This will open it up on the right pane.

With SSH (Secure Shell), you no longer connect directly to a remote database, but rather to the remote machine that hosts it. While in the Database Connection popup, you may need extra steps if you are forced to use this type of connection.

Database Connection SQLite SSH

  1. Switch to the SSH tab and check the Use SSH Tunneling option. The SSH Parameters section appears only when this option is checked.
  2. Enter your Tunnel’s Host and Port Number. This is the remote machine you try to connect to, not the database.
  3. Enter your Tunnel’s User Name and Password. Leave Save Password checked. This are as well credentials required to connect to the remote machine, not the database.
  4. Enter an optional Identity File. This is the path of a file previously saved on your computer.
  5. Enter your SSH Local Port. This is a local port number forwarded as the remote database connection port number. Leave empty to use the database default port number.
  6. Click on Test. This will check your connectivity with these parameters.
  7. Switch back to the Connection tab..Continue from step 5, as described there before.

How to Connect to a Firebird Database

Supported and tested versions are from 2.5 up. Your database must have been previously installed with a third-party tool. We recommend the free FlameRobin.

Database Connection Firebird

  1. Click on Connect > Open-Source Databases > Firebird. This will open the previous New Database Connection popup. Return here anytime with the Properties context menu command on your database node.
  2. Or use File > Open Database File. Select a local or remote Firebird file, with the typical extension .fdb. You are then redirected to this same popup, with the File field populated with your selected path.
  3. No need to install any data provider. The FirebirdSql.Data.FirebirdClient driver, part of the Firebird .NET Data Provider, is included.
  4. Enter your Firebird local or remote File. This may be already filled-in from step 2. There is one single database per file.
  5. Enter your database Host Name and Port Number. Type localhost or your machine name for a local database. Default port number in Firebird is 3050.
  6. Connect with your User Name and Password. Leave Save Password checked. Admin’s user name in Firebird is sysdba by default, with masterkey password.
  7. Specify a Character Set to Other Options. This step is optional. chartset=UTF8; is obviously for a UTF8 encoding. Chain with extra connection string options, when in need.
  8. Click on Test. This will check the number of tables and server’s version, as in the example. Do not continue until your connection has been properly verified as successful.
  9. Click on OK. Wait for metadata to be collected. The popup will close and a database connection node will be created, with table child nodes. In Data Xtractor or Model Xtractor, some ER model diagrams will also be generated, and one will be opened on screen.
  10. Click on Queries > Demo Queries > add demo queries. If you are not in Model Xtractor and want to play with some built-in SQL samples, this will open a popup with the missing queries.
  11. Double-click on any model or query node. This will open it up on the right pane.

How to Connect to a Microsoft SQL Server CE Database

SQL Server CE is a free compact SDF file-based database no longer supported by Microsoft. We support version 4.0, and you can always easily upgrade from 3.5. Your database must have been previously installed with a third-party tool. We recommend the free LINQPad.

Database Connection SQL Server CE

  1. Click on Connect > Open-Source Databases > Microsoft SQL Server CE. This will open the previous New Database Connection popup. Return here anytime with the Properties context menu command on your database node.
  2. Or use File > Open Database File. Select a local or remote SQL CE file, with the typical extension .sdf. You are then redirected to this same popup, with the File field populated with your selected path.
  3. No need to install any data provider. We included the full SQL CE engine, through the Microsoft SQL Server Compact Data Provider 4.0, with the System.Data.SqlServerCe.4.0 driver.
  4. Enter your local or remote File. This may be already filled-in from step 2. There is one single database per file.
  5. Connect with a Password. Leave Save Password checked.
  6. Specify an optional Max Database Size. The maximum size of a SQL CE database is by default 128 MB, and can go up to 4GB. You may override this by an additional setting added to Other Properties. The Chinook database file size here can increase up to max 4MB. Chain with extra connection string options, when in need.
  7. Click on Test. This will check the number of tables and file’s version, as in the example. Do not continue until your connection has been properly verified as successful.
  8. Click on OK. Wait for metadata to be collected. The popup will close and a database connection node will be created, with table child nodes. In Data Xtractor or Model Xtractor, some ER model diagrams will also be generated, and one will be opened on screen.
  9. Click on Queries > Demo Queries > add demo queries. If you are not in Model Xtractor and want to play with some built-in SQL samples, this will open a popup with the missing queries.
  10. Double-click on any model or query node. This will open it up on the right pane.

    How to Connect to a Microsoft Access Database

    Microsoft Access is a ACCDB/MDB file-based commercial database, shipped with Office. We support all versions since 2007. Beware there are still a number of MS Access functions that we cannot call from an external application. The restriction comes from Microsoft. Your database must have been previously created with Microsoft Access.

    Database Connection Access

    1. Click on Connect > Open-Source Databases > Microsoft Access. This will open the previous New Database Connection popup. Return here anytime with the Properties context menu command on your database node.
    2. Or use File > Open Database File. Select a local or remote MS Access file, with the typical extensions .mdb/.mde or .accdb/.accde. You are then redirected to this same popup, with the File field populated with your selected path.
    3. You need to have Microsoft Access and Access Redistributable Files installed locally. Follow the separate steps described below to install the Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0 and Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0 Access providers.
    4. Enter your local or remote File. This may be already filled-in from step 2. There is one single database per file.
    5. Connect with an optional administrator Password. Leave Save Password checked.
    6. Leave Other Properties as they are. Or pass additional connection string values, when in need.
    7. Click on Test. This will check the number of tables, as in the example. Do not continue until your connection has been properly verified as successful.
    8. Click on OK. Wait for metadata to be collected. The popup will close and a database connection node will be created, with table child nodes. In Data Xtractor or Model Xtractor, some ER model diagrams will also be generated, and one will be opened on screen.
    9. Click on Queries > Demo Queries > add demo queries. If you are not in Model Xtractor and want to play with some built-in SQL samples, this will open a popup with the missing queries.
    10. Double-click on any model or query node. This will open it up on the right pane.

    Microsoft Access must be installed on your local machine. Unlike all other supported databases, we connect to Access through OLE-DB, not ADO.NET. So you also need installed and registered locally the OleDb Data Provider and the MS Access OLE DB providers, through a free third-party Microsoft package, as described below.

    Database Connection Access Provider

    1. Switch to the Provider tab. The System.Data.OleDb driver should be already there and selected, as it is part of .NET.
    2. You are already fine, if you see a message in green at the bottom. If both Microsoft Jet (for MDB files) and Microsoft ACE (for ACCDB files) OLE-DB providers are in the list, you should be ok. Otherwise continue.
    3. Download the free Microsoft Access Database Engine 2010 Redistributable. The link sends you to Microsoft’s website. It is important to download the 32-bits version (for x32), as our applications are still 32-bits in large part because of some Microsoft Access restrictions.
    4. Install the third-party product on your local computer. This should register the OleDb Data Provider (.Net Framework Data Provider for OleDb) and the MS Access OLE DB providers on your machine.
    5. Click on the Refresh button. You should see and select all these new OLE-DB drivers from the list. It should look like in the previous image, with a message in green at the bottom.
    6. Switch back to the Connection tab. Continue with the database setup from where you left.