Connecting to SQL Server since HeidiSQL/9.5.0.5318

If you get a Provider cannot be found error message like this:

… you need to download and install Microsoft® OLE DB Driver 18 for SQL Server® or a similar component from Microsoft. A user explains it in the issue tracker.

This procedure describes the easiest method for connecting to a SQL Server database. If you do not have the appropriate SQL Server driver installed, Designer prompts you to install it.

1. Drag an Input Data Tool or Output Data Tool onto the canvas and select it.
2. In the Configuration window, click the drop-down arrow and select Microsoft SQL Server.
3. Designer checks your system for a SQL Server driver. If a driver for connecting to SQL Server is already installed, the SQL Server Database Connection window displays. Proceed to the next step. If the SQL Server driver is not installed, you are provided a link to install it. For driver information, see Microsoft SQL Server 2008, 2012, 2014, 2016. If no driver is detected, Designer provides a link to install SQL Server Native Client 11. However, if you have a more recent driver installed (for example, ODBC Driver 13 for SQL Server), Designer uses the most recent driver for this connection. To use a newer driver with an existing connection created with an older driver, you must delete and re-add the connection from the Manage Data Connections.
4. In Connection Name, type a new connection name or select an existing connection. New connections are stored in the Manage Data Connections. Selecting an existing connection Modifying an existing connection
5. Select a connection Type (new connections only): User: Creates a connection that only you can use. User connections are visible only by the user who created them. System: Selectable only by administrator users. Creates a connection for any user on a machine. System connections are visible by all users.
6. In Host, either search the network for SQL Server hosts or type a host name. A network search for SQL Server hosts takes time to execute and may not return a complete list of hosts. If you know the name of the host, Alteryx recommends specifying it manually.
7. Under Authentication Type, select either Windows Authentication or SQL Server Authentication depending on how the SQL server is configured. See Manual connection setup for more information on authentication requirements.
8. Click Test to test the connection.
9. If the connection test is successful, a list of databases appears in the Default Database drop-down. To use the default database as configured by your server administrator, leave the drop-down unselected. To override the default, select a database from the list.
10. Click OK.

@kalvaro: yes, see here for a solution to that provider error: https://github.com/HeidiSQL/HeidiSQL/issues/237#issuecomment-435327277

@kalvaro: yes, see here for a solution to that provider error: https://github.com/HeidiSQL/HeidiSQL/issues/237#issuecomment-435327277

Yeah, that's the link I shared and where I copied the info from xD

Oh well :)

But you probably did not know I committed a workaround, for cases in which the newer OLE DB SQL provider is not available. HeidiSQL now connects through the old provider, along with showing a security notice in the log panel.

I have a variant of this problem starting from about the same time frame, and still occurring after confirmed installation of Microsoft® OLE DB Driver 18 for SQL Server. See screenshots. (NB. Same problem occurs even if trying TCP/IP)

Any help would be appreciated. I really have liked using HeidiSql.