When using an embedded database, use the ServerName (Server) connection parameter. This ensures that the database connects to the correct database server if there are other applications running SQL Anywhere database servers on the same computer.

If the database server has an alternate server name, the client application can only use the alternate server name to connect to the database that specified the alternate server name. You cannot use the alternate server name to connect to any other databases running on that database server.

The DBF connection parameter specifies the database file to use. The database file automatically starts on the database server matching the ServerName connection parameter (if it is not already running) and a database server is automatically started (if it is not already running).

The database automatically stops when there are no more connections to the database (generally when the application that started the connection disconnects). If the database server was automatically started, the database server stops once the database stops.

In the following example, the sample database is started as an embedded database:

"DBF=%SQLANYSAMP16%\demo.db"

The following connection parameters show you how to customize the startup of the sample database as an embedded database. The StartLine connection parameter is useful for using database server options. For example:

"START=dbeng16 -xd -c 8M;DBF=%SQLANYSAMP16%\demo.db"

Specifying the -xd option prevents the database server from becoming the default database server.

To prevent users from starting or stopping the embedded database, or starting other databases on the database server, set the -gd option to none.

There are many connection parameters that affect how a database server is started. It is recommended that you use the following connection parameters instead of providing the corresponding server options within the StartLine (START) connection parameter:

• ServerName (Server)
• DatabaseFile (DBF)
• DatabaseSwitches (DBS)
• DatabaseName (DBN)

Specifying ELEVATE=YES in your connection string setting allows non-elevated client processes to start elevated servers automatically, which may be necessary on Windows Vista or later if administrative rights are required to access the database file. This parameter is ignored if the database server is not started automatically.

The following is an example of a complete connection string for an application using an embedded database:

"UID=DBA;PWD=sql;DBF=c:\myapp\mydb.db;ServerName=myapp;START=dbeng16 -c 12M -xd"

• Cache warming
• DatabaseFile (DBF) connection parameter
• ServerName (Server) connection parameter
• StartLine (START) connection parameter
• -sn database option
• -gd database server option
• -xd database server option
• Elevate connection parameter
• Opening the Connect window (Sybase Central)
• Connection IDs