Connect to MySQL Database using Visual Basic.NET

Hi, its time to play with Visual Studio (VB.NET) and MySQL Server. I want to use MySQL Server to store my data entry from Visual Basic.NET form. On this tutorial, I will show you how to connect to MySQL Database from VB.NET form. The best and easiest way to connect to MySQL Server is using Module. This module then can be easily used on other forms.

First of all, make sure you have MySQL Server up and running. I have created a simple tutorial to install MySQL Server on Ubuntu 15.04. Also, you must have MySQL Connector/Net installed on your Windows. You can download it from here.

Now open Visual Studio, create new solution and add MySQL.Data reference. You can do this by go to Project | Add References. Select Framework and look for MySQL.data.

Now we are ready to create a module. Go to Project | Add Module. Select module from the list and give a name to the module. For example “MySQLConnect”.

Now start coding on the new module.

Imports MySql.Data.MySqlClient
Module ConnectMySQL
    Dim conn As New MySql.Data.MySqlClient.MySqlConnection
    Public Sub Connect()
        Dim DatabaseName As String = "test"
        Dim Server As String = "10.34.0.1"
        Dim UserName As String = "fitri"
        Dim Password As String = "gamblis"
        If Not conn Is Nothing Then conn.Close()
        conn.ConnectionString = String.Format("server={0}; user id={1}; password={2}; database={3}; pooling=false", Server, UserName, Password, DatabaseName)
        Try
            conn.Open()
            MsgBox(conn.State.ToString)
        Catch ex As Exception
            MsgBox(ex.Message)
        End Try
    End Sub
End Module

Now create a new form with a single button to open the connection.

Double click the Connect button and insert this code

Private Sub btn_ConnectMySQL_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles btn_ConnectMySQL.Click
        ConnectMySQL.Connect()
End Sub

Run the program and connect to MySQL Database.