SQL Express Instance Name

Question

(I've found lots of related posts, but still can't get my code to work in my particular situation. Also, I'm not new to SQL Server -- just to using SQLExpress in VS Express 2013.)
I've installed VS Express 2013, along with (I believe) SQLExpress. In the query editor I can do 'SELECT @@SERVERNAME' and get the following:
RICHARD-PC\LOCALDB#836BEFF7 (although the number seems to change occasionally; not sure what that means)
So I've tried every combination I can think of in the connection string:
cn.ConnectionString = "Server=RICHARD-PC\5836BEFF7;Database=BrightStar;user=root;password=root"
cn.ConnectionString = "Server=5836BEFF7\RICHARD-PC;Database=BrightStar;user=root;password=root"
cn.ConnectionString = "Server=localdb\RICHARD-PC;Database=BrightStar;user=root;password=root"
cn.ConnectionString = "Server=RICHARD-PC\localdb;Database=BrightStar;user=root;password=root"
also "#" in front of the hex number, and parens around 'localdb'.
I keep getting this error when trying to connect:
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)
Obviously, the server is there, since I can access it via the query editor. What (!) is wrong with my connection string? I've tried numerous other values for the Server parameter (based on info gleaned from various websites; all give the same error. Of course,
I haven't even gotten to what the root user ID and password are. Any suggestions there (if 'root' and 'root' are wrong) would also be greatly appreciated.
(Please excuse the font problems. I couldn't figure out what was going on with that.)
Richard Ezell

Answer 1

general format :Server=myServerName\myInstanceName;Database=myDataBase;User
Id=myUsername;
Password=myPassword;
or
Trusted Connection
Server=myServerAddress;Database=myDataBase;Trusted_Connection=True;
or
Standard Security
Server=myServerAddress;Database=myDataBase;User
Id=myUsername;
Password=myPassword;
if you are on your visual studio you will be able to connect to you sql via:
goto view tab in visual studio : select server explorer .
now you should see it in left pannel.
right click on datd connections option and click add connection now it open a dilouge top connect to your sql sepecifiy the server name as you previously know it :
and give valid credentials:
and test connction and once its sucesfull click ok.
now right click on the new connection under data connections of server explorer and click on properties and in 
bottom right you will be able to see the set of properties in which you can see connection string and copy the whole string thats the connection string you are looking for .