Can I connect mysql to visual studio 2010 express visual tools[^]MySQL Connector/NET will not work in the Express Version of Microsoft Studio due to limitations within the express products. In order to use Data sources based in server architecture Non-"Express" versions must be used. Connectivity to even Microsoft's Own MSSQL will not work, aside from local limited "Compact" or "Express" versions.
VS 2010 Express + MySql[^]This is a limitation of the Express editions of Visual Studio. They offer very limited designer support for databases. For example, you can't connect to a standard SQL Server database using the Visual Studio designers using an Express edition, only a "user instance" database. You can still work with MySQL databases via code using the .NET Framework. While I'm guessing this isn't the answer you were hoping for, I hope that knowing that you're running into a limitation of the Express edition helps save you some time searching around for the cause of the behavior.
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