Format of the initialization string does not conform to specification starting at index 0

Question

_{Thursday, April 21, 2016 12:06 PM}

Imports System.Data.SqlClient
Imports System.Data
Imports System.Text
Imports System.Windows.Forms

Public Class Form1
    Public i As String = Environment.MachineName.ToString()
    Public conn As New SqlConnection("server=192.168.1.6,1433; database=Students_MAM12A; User ID=sa; Password=123")
   

    Private Sub Button1_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        Cursor.Current = Cursors.WaitCursor
        Try
            If conn.State = ConnectionState.Closed Then
                conn.Open()
                Cursor.Current = Cursors.Default
                MsgBox("connected")
            End If

        Catch ex As Exception
            MsgBox(ex.Message)
        End Try
    End Sub

    Private Sub Button2_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button2.Click
        conn.Close()
    End Sub

    Private Sub Button3_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button3.Click
        Dim connectionString As String = conn.ToString()
        Dim sql As String = "SELECT * FROM Students_MAM12A"
        Dim connection As SqlConnection = New SqlConnection(connectionString)
        Dim dataadapter As SqlDataAdapter = New SqlDataAdapter(sql, conn.ToString())
        Dim ds As DataSet = New DataSet()
        connection.Open()
        dataadapter.Fill(ds, "FirstName")
        connection.Close()
        DataGridView1.DataSource = ds


    End Sub
End Class

here is my code, i have no idea why is this error occuring:

Format of the initialization string does not conform to specification starting at index 0:

the error is on this line:

dim connection as sqlconnection = New sqlconnection (connectionstring)

i am using SQL server 2014.

All replies (3)

_{Thursday, April 21, 2016 7:22 PM ✅Answered}

The error indicates that the connection string is incorrect. See below link for examples:

http://www.connectionstrings.com/sql-server/

Paul ~~~~ Microsoft MVP (Visual Basic)

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_{Thursday, April 21, 2016 9:28 PM ✅Answered}

As Paul said, you don't have a properly formatted connection string for SQL Server.  Try:

"Data Source=192.168.1.6,1433;Initial Catalog=Students_MAM12A;Persist Security Info=True;User ID=sa;Password=123"  

Reed Kimble - "When you do things right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all"

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_{Thursday, April 21, 2016 12:38 PM}

You simply use the name of that conn.class (what the ToString default does)

Use

conn.connectionstring

Although I find it a very difficult way to get the connectionstring, why not simply use conn in the adapter.. 

 Dim dataadapter As SqlDataAdapter = New SqlDataAdapter(sql, conn)

Success
Cor