Saving connection information is a lose-lose propisition (as is not saving it).
If you base the project on a resource file that might not exist, you get an error.
If you hold connection information inside the project, you get an error.
If the user changes the connection options inside the project, and you use the old file,
you get an error. If the connection file changes in a way the project would not support,
you get an error.
Right now, the connection information is stored in the project, as part of layer properties.
A tool to rewrite the project file could be, well, not a solution, but at least make the overall
experience less painful (check ideas.esri.com).
- V