/I have some code of of the following form. Does this mean the connection is left open if there is an exception? Note, I am using a Microsoft SQL compact edition database./

try
        {
            SqlCeConnection conn = new SqlCeConnection(ConnectionString);

            conn.Open();

            using (SqlCeCommand cmd = new SqlCeCommand("SELECT stuff FROM SomeTable", conn))
            {
              // do some stuff
            }

            conn.Close();
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            ExceptionManager.HandleException(ex);
        }

      /*Surely a  better way would be to declare a connection object before the try, establish
      a connection inside the try block and close it in a finally block?
      */


         SqlCeConnection conn = null;
         try
         {
            conn = new SqlCeConnection(ConnectionString);

            conn.Open();

            using (SqlCeCommand cmd = new SqlCeCommand("SELECT stuff FROM SomeTable", conn))
            {
              // do some stuff
            }

                  }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            ExceptionManager.HandleException(ex);
        }
        finally
        {
            if( conn != null )  conn.Close();
        }