builder("Data Source") = My.Settings.DataSource

builder("Initial Catalog") = My.Settings.Database

builder("User ID") = My.Settings.UserID

builder("Password") = My.Settings.Password

DataLayer.DataSources.Add(New SqlDataSourceItem("", builderCMPR.ConnectionString))

"Test connection here...............If fails, possibly using a try/catch show a user friendly error message and gracefully exit the app." 

Thanks for the help!

Using the logic below incorporating the DataLayer.DataSources("").IsAvailable method did not work.  This method always returned 'True' even though I put in invalid information.  Is there something I have to do before calling .IsAvailable method to get it to return false?

Thanks for your help!

'-- Initialize builder

builder.DataSource = My_Invalid_DataSource

builder.InitialCatalog = My_Invalid_DatabaseName

builder.UserID = MyUserID

'-- Add datasource

DataLayer.DataSources.Add(New SqlDataSourceItem("", builder.ConnectionString))

If Not DataLayer.DataSources("").IsAvailable Then

'-- Show failure message

MessageBox.Show("Unable to connect to '" & builder.DataSource & "\" & builder.InitialCatalog & "' database!", "System Notification", MessageBoxButtons.OK)

End

End If