The ASP.NET profile is used to store and retrieve user settings in a data source such as a database. The user profile is accessed using the Profile property of the current HttpContext. Profile information and property values are managed using a profile provider.

The SqlProfileProvider class is used by ASP.NET to store and retrieve profile settings for an ASP.NET application that is using a SQL Server database. To use a SqlProfileProvider, you must first create the SQL Server database used by the SqlProfileProvider. To create the database used by the SqlProfileProvider, run the aspnet_regsql.exe tool, which is found in the [drive:]\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\2.0versionNumber folder, and specify the -A p option. The following command demonstrates how you might use the aspnet_regsql.exe executable:

aspnet_regsql.exe -A p

The example above does not specify a name for the database that is created, so the default name will be used. The default database name is Aspnetdb.

The machine configuration contains a default SqlProfileProvider instance named AspNetSqlProvider that connects to the SQL Server on the local machine. You can use this instance of the provider, or specify your own in the Web.config file for your ASP.NET application.

Note
If the profile provider is configured with a connection string that uses integrated security, the process account of the ASP.NET application must have rights to connect to the SQL Server database.

The following code example shows the Web.config file for an ASP.NET application configured to use a SqlProfileProvider.

<configuration>
  <connectionStrings>
    <add name="SqlServices" connectionString=
      "Data Source=localhost;Integrated Security=SSPI;Initial Catalog=aspnetdb;" />
  </connectionStrings>

  <system.web>
    <authentication mode="Forms" >
      <forms loginUrl="login.aspx" name=".ASPXFORMSAUTH" />
    </authentication>
    <authorization>
      <deny users="?" />
    </authorization>
    <membership defaultProvider="SqlProvider" 
      userIsOnlineTimeWindow="15">
      <providers>
        <clear/>
        <add name="SqlProvider" 
          type="System.Web.Security.SqlMembershipProvider" 
          connectionStringName="SqlServices"
          applicationName="SampleApplication"
          enablePasswordRetrieval="true"
          enablePasswordReset="true"
          passwordFormat="Encrypted"
          requiresQuestionAndAnswer="true" />
      </providers>
    </membership>

    <profile defaultProvider="SqlProvider">
      <providers>
        <clear />
        <add name="SqlProvider"
          type="System.Web.Profile.SqlProfileProvider"
          connectionStringName="SqlServices"
          applicationName="SampleApplication"
          description="SqlProfileProvider for SampleApplication" />
      </providers>

      <properties>
        <add name="ZipCode" />
        <add name="CityAndState" />
      </properties>
    </profile>
  </system.web>
</configuration>

Windows 7, Windows Vista SP1 or later, Windows XP SP3, Windows XP SP2 x64 Edition, Windows Server 2008 (Server Core Role not supported), Windows Server 2008 R2 (Server Core Role not supported), Windows Server 2003 SP2

.NET Framework

Reference

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