I'm slowly learning C# and bit confused about the code. I have here a simplified version of my class for the database connection settings

```
public class DatabaseSettings
{
    private static string connectionString = string.Empty;

    public static string ConnectionString
    {
        get 
        {
            return connectionString;
        }
        private set
        {
            connectionString = value;
        }
    }

    public bool TestConnection()
    {
        bool _returnVal = false;
        string _connectionString = String.Format("Data Source={0};Persist Security Info=False", databaseLocation);

        using (SqlCeConnection connection = new SqlCeConnection(_connectionString))
        {
            try
            {
                connection.Open();
                connectionString = _connectionString; // sets the value of the connection string here
                _returnVal = true;
            }
            catch (SqlCeException e)
            {
                // other codes here
                _returnVal = false;
            }
            finally
            {
                connection.Close();
            }
        }
        return _returnVal;
    }

    // other methods here
}

```

now on my `Main Class`, I am confused what is happening here. When i tried this code:

```
string _databaseLocation = "database path";
DatabaseSettings _dbaseSetting = new DatabaseSettings(_databaseLocation, true);
_dbaseSetting.TestConnection();
string newConnectionString = _dbaseSetting.ConnectionString;
//                                        ^ i got an error here
// Member 'SQLCE_Sample.ClassList.DatabaseSettings.ConnectionString.get' 
// cannot be accessed with an instance reference; 
// qualify it with a type name instead  

```

this one below works without an error but the problem is I got an empty string:

```
string _databaseLocation = "database path";
DatabaseSettings _dbaseSetting = new DatabaseSettings(_databaseLocation, true);
string newConnectionString = DatabaseSettings.ConnectionString;

```

What I really want is I need to create a class that has a `public method` which *tests the connection from the application to the database*. Inside that method contains a syntax that *sets the value of the connection string*. Then I need also a `property` that *retrieves the value of the connection string* without instantiating the class (*that's why i added the `static` keyword*). How can I possibly to this?