here's a basic example for connecting, does this help?

'form a command that waits longer than 30 seconds for testing

Dim sqlcmd As String = "WaitFor Delay '00:00:45';SELECT name FROM sys.tables;"

Dim mySqlConnectionFormat As String = "data source={0};initial catalog={1};user id={2};password={3};Trusted_Connection=False;Connect Timeout=600;Application Name=GhostInTheMachine;"

Dim MyConn As New SqlConnection

MyConn.ConnectionString = String.Format(mySqlConnectionFormat, ".", "SandBox", "Noobie", "NotARealPassword")

MyConn.Open()

'now lets get a command object

Dim mySqlCommand As New SqlCommand

mySqlCommand.Connection = MyConn

mySqlCommand.CommandTimeout = 600

mySqlCommand.CommandType = CommandType.Text

mySqlCommand.CommandText = sqlcmd

Dim myDataReader As SqlDataReader

myDataReader = mySqlCommand.ExecuteReader

' could either loop thru the reader itself, or stick it into a datatable .

Dim MyDataTable As New DataTable

MyDataTable.Load(myDataReader)

'do something witht eh data?

For Each dr As DataRow In MyDataTable.Rows

Debug.Print(dr!name) ' [name] because i Know the column name from the query.

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