Using SLN files with Server Management Studio

I'm trying to learn how to use SQL server with MapPoint, and this article wants me to download a code file project and "run the script against the database". I'm totally lost on how to get started. I tried simply opening the .SLN file, but it does nothing. How do I run this script to create the database stored in the folder?

Is there somewhere in SSMS-E that I need to run the sc开发者_运维技巧ript from? Or do I need to create a DB connection before double clicking the file? I've never used Solution files before.

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Solution files (.sln) are opened with Visual Studio (VS) or SQL Server Business Intelligence Development Studio (which is basically just Visual Studio, but ship with MS SQL). Without VS you will not be able to open the solution file.

Now, what you may be able to do is look at the other files that are in the package and look for .sql files. Those can be opened in SSMS and run.

If you don't have a copy of Visual Studio, you should be able to get a free one from http://msdn.microsoft.com. Look for an Express version as that is what they call their free versions. That said, I don't know if the Express version will open that particular SLN file as it may require features that the Express version does not ship with.

P.S. I just took a quick look at the article from your link and while it does not mention what Edition of VS needed, it did mention what version is needed (VS 2010) and I can tell you that SQL Server Business Intelligence Development Studio will not work as it only VS 2008.