Each of the RDBMS-based providers has a connection property, which is there to contain the name of a data store. The data store property is initially not required in order to make a connection. If the property is not set, then the resulting connection, if successful, is in a pending state.
As a result of the initial connection operation, the data store property is populated with the names of the data stores in the RDBMS, and its optionality attribute is changed to a value of required.
Use the EnumeratePropertyValues method on the FdoIPropertyDictionary object to read the set of data store names and set the data store property in the dictionary object to one of those names. Then call the Open method on the <strong>FdoIConnection</strong> object again. This will result in a fully open connection.
You can connect to an ArcSDE provider using a pending connection, you will find that there is only ever one name in the set of data store names returned as a result of the initial connection.