2.Download from Firebird

http://www.firebirdsql.org/index.php?op=files&id=netprovider

download#1                     Firebird ADO.NETData Provider downloads

                                        Version2.6 for .NET 4.0/3.5/2.0 [with Entity Framework support]

                                                     -FirebirdClient.msi            (612 kb, 17thNov 2010)

download#2                     DDEX Provider forVisual Studio downloads

                                        Version2.05 for Visual Studio 2005/2008/2010

                                                     -DDEXProvider.zip          (36kb, 26th Apr2010)

3.Install FirebirdClient.msi (install to C:\Program Files\FirebirdClient folder)

4.Extract DDEXProvider.zip to C:\Program Files\FirebirdClient\DDEXProvider folder

5.Add "FirebirdClient" to GAC

Start- Programs - MS Visual Studio 2010 - Visual Studio 2010 Tools - Visual StudioCommand Prompt (2010)

>cd\Program Files\FirebirdClient

>gacutil /i FirebirdSql.Data.FirebirdClient.dll

itshould respond "Assembly successfully added to the cache")

>gacutil /l FirebirdSql.Data.FirebirdClient

makea note of the reported values for Version, Culture, and PublicKeyToken (use Ctrl-C& Ctrl-V to minimise human error)

6.Add FirebirdSql.VisualStudio.DataTools.dll to GAC

>cd DDEXProvider

>gacutil /i FirebirdSql.VisualStudio.DataTools.dll

itshould respond "Assembly successfully added to the cache")

7.Edit machine.config for .NET framework (using the values from step 5)

EditC:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\CONFIG\machine.config with a texteditor, and add the new text using the values from step 5 instead of the ones Ihave highlighted.

<configuration>

                  <configSections>

                                   ...

<sectionname="firebirdsql.data.firebirdclient"type="System.Data.Common.DbProviderConfigurationHandler, System.Data,Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=3750abcc3150b00c"/>

...

</configSections>

...

<system.data>

  <DbProviderFactories>

                   ...

<add name="FirebirdClientData Provider" invariant="FirebirdSql.Data.FirebirdClient"description=".Net Framework Data Provider for Firebird"type="FirebirdSql.Data.FirebirdClient.FirebirdClientFactory,FirebirdSql.Data.FirebirdClient, Version=2.6.0.0,Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=3750abcc3150b00c"/>

...

                                   </DbProviderFactories>

                  </system.data>

                  ...

</configuration>

EditC:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Config\machine.config with a texteditor, and add the new text using the values from step 5 instead of the ones Ihave highlighted. (note: text is not the same)

<configuration>

                  <configSections>

                                   ...

<sectionname="firebirdsql.data.firebirdclient"type="System.Data.Common.DbProviderConfigurationHandler, System.Data,Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=3750abcc3150b00c"/>

...

</configSections>

...

<system.data>

  <DbProviderFactories>

                   ...

<addname="FirebirdClient Data Provider"invariant="FirebirdSql.Data.FirebirdClient" description=".NetFramework Data Provider for Firebird" type="FirebirdSql.Data.FirebirdClient.FirebirdClientFactory,FirebirdSql.Data.FirebirdClient, Version=2.6.0.0,Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=3750abcc3150b00c"/>

...

                                   </DbProviderFactories>

                  </system.data>

                  ...

</configuration>

8.Import registry entries

Edit(or edit a copy of it)

C:\ProgramFiles\FirebirdClient\DDEXProvider\reg_files\VS2005\withSDK\FirebirdDDEXProvider32.reg

-change "8.0" to "10.0" in all registry keys mentioned forVisual Studio

-replace the 2 instances of %PATH% with "C:\\Program Files\\FirebirdClient\\DDEXProvider"(escapethe backslash)

-save, then merge the reg file

9.Start Visual Studio, go to Server Explorer, right click on Data Connections,click on Add Connection...

Youshould see Firebird Data Source in the list of items presented. On the nextscreen you should be able to enter connection details such as server, username,password etc...

Ifthe dialog disappears upon input, then you may want to perform some checks:

1.Use gacutil /l FirebirdSql.Data.FirebirdClient to check that FirebirdClient isin the GAC

2.Use gacutil /l FirebirdSql.VisualStudio.DataTools to check that dll is also inthe GAC

3.Check that you have edited the machine.config files for every version of .NETframework installed, you may have to download and install missing frameworks!

4.Check that the values used in machine.config are those ofFirebirdSql.Data.FirebirdClient and not FirebirdSql.VisualStudio.DataTools

5.Check the Version in configSection is either 4.0.0.0 for .NET 4 or 2.0.0.0 forall earlier versions of .NET

6.Check the registry keys you imported