How to connect to SQL Server LocalDB using Invoke-Sqlcmd?

Question

I have sqlcmd.exe from both SQLServer 2008 and SQLServer 2012:

PS C:\> Get-Command sqlcmd.exe

Definition
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C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Tools\Binn\SQLCMD.EXE
C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\110\Tools\Binn\SQLCMD.EXE

By modifying $env:PATH i force the use of sqlcmd.exe from SQL Server 2012:

PS C:\> $env:PATH = ($env:PATH -split ";" | Where-Object { $_ -notlike "*\Microsoft SQL Server\100\*" }) -join ";"
PS C:\> Get-Command sqlcmd.exe

Definition
----------
C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\110\Tools\Binn\SQLCMD.EXE

The default instance of LocalDB is up and running, and owned by the current user:

PS C:\> sqllocaldb i v11.0
Name:               v11.0
Version:            11.0.2318.0
Shared name:
Owner:              DOMAIN\me
Auto-create:        Yes
State:              Running
Last start time:    12/06/13 18:17:57
Instance pipe name: np:\\.\pipe\LOCALDB#08EDBEF0\tsql\query

Now, i can execute command on (localdb)\v11.0 using sqlcmd.exe

PS C:\> sqlcmd.exe -S "(localdb)\v11.0" -Q "select 1"

-----------
          1

But when trying the same with Invoke-Sqlcmd i get a connection error:

PS C:\> Import-Module sqlps
PS C:\> Invoke-Sqlcmd -ServerInstance "(localdb)\v11.0" -Query "select 1"
Invoke-Sqlcmd : A network-related or instance-specific error occurred while establishing a connection to SQL Server. The server was not found or was not accessible. Verify that the instance name is correct and that SQL Server is configured to allow remote connections. (provider: SQL Network Interfaces, error: 26 - Error Locating Server/Instance Specified)

What can i do to lmake Invoke-Sqlcmd connect to (localdb)\v11.0 ?

Answer 1

From what I know sqlcmd.exe uses a connection string that has all the information, whereas Invoke-Sqlcmd breaks that information down into different parameters. So you likely need to split (localdb) and v11.0 across ServerInstance, Database, and ComputerName. Or you can use the ConnectionString parameter instead.

Now, I am not familiar with your use of localdb so there might be something funky with the way it handles that...or something.