Custom persistent-storage?

I need to make a desktop application that stores data, I want this data to protected, and besides, the user shouldn't have to install any data-servers (i.e. SQL-Server, office etc.).

I thought XML would be the best idea, the question is how can I protect the data whilst enjoying the other cool features of it which is XML literals and XLinq (VB.NET is the love of my life).

UPDA开发者_C百科TE:

It's important for me the users shouldn't know I am using an external tool.

Any ideas on this or other approaches would be appreciated.

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Have you considered SQLite? It can be bundled with your app as a DLL and a data file - nothing else needed.

EDIT: It's been a while, but I believe that there's also an embedded version of Firebird. Never used it though.

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SQLite, SQL Server Compact Edition, or SQL Server Express if you need a little more oomph.

they're all redistributable - your end-users don't have to install anything.

as for encryption, your app can decrypt database values after retrieving them. or if using an xml file, the file can be loaded into a buffer, decrypted and parsed into an xml doc.