Generate SQL CE database from EF Code-First DbContext class

Question

I've defined a set of classes in the style of Entity Framework Code-First conventions and annotated the class properties with System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations attributes.

Now I want to generate a SQL Server Compact Edition (SCSE) (4.0) database from this code.

What code is needed to do this and what assemblies need to be imported?

So far I've imported the C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server Compact Edition\v4.0\Desktop{System.Data.SqlServerCe.dll,System.Data.SqlServerCe.Entity\System.Data.SqlServerCe.Entity.dll} dll files.

Any pointers appreciated. Articles and whatnot.

amantur · Accepted Answer · 2012-05-28 11:05:52Z

I found the solution. The critical thing is this line of code:

DbDatabase.DefaultConnectionFactory = new 
                      SqlCeConnectionFactory("System.Data.SqlServerCe.4.0");

Here's a full sample:

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;

namespace Proto
{
    using System.Data;
    using System.Data.Entity;
    using System.Data.Entity.Database;
    using System.Data.SqlServerCe;
    using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations;

    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            DbDatabase.DefaultConnectionFactory = new 
                        SqlCeConnectionFactory("System.Data.SqlServerCe.4.0");
            DbDatabase.SetInitializer(
                         new DropCreateDatabaseIfModelChanges<ProtoCatalog>()
                  );

            using (var db = new ProtoCatalog())
            {
                var user = new User
                {
                    Name = "bob",
                    Password = "123",
                    Creation = DateTime.Now,
                    PrimaryEmailAddress = "[email protected]"
                };

                db.Users.Add(user);

                db.SaveChanges();

                Console.ReadKey();
            }
       }
    }

    public class ProtoCatalog : DbContext
    {
        public DbSet<User> Users { get; set; }
    }

    public class User
    {
        [Key, StringLength(50)]
        public string Name { get; set; }

        [Required, StringLength(100)]
        public string Password { get; set; }

        [Required, StringLength(320)]
        public string PrimaryEmailAddress { get; set; }

        [StringLength(320)]
        public string SecondaryEmailAddress { get; set; }

        [Required]
        public DateTime Creation { get; set; }

        public bool Active { get; set; }
    }
}

The API will probably change between EF Code-First CTP 5 and RTM though, but this is how it's done now.

I've made a small blog post about it.

ErikEJ · Accepted Answer · 2011-01-30 10:01:46Z

2

See this blog and links in the same (for example the ScottGu article): http://erikej.blogspot.com/2011/01/sql-server-compact-40-released.html

answered Jan 30, 2011 at 10:01

ErikEJ

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1 Comment

Bent Rasmussen Over a year ago

Thanks. I'll check those out.

user10935 · Accepted Answer · 2011-01-30 10:21:50Z

2

The best way I found was to install NuGet and play with the EF CodeFirst and SQL CE 4 packages, there is also a sample you can install from NuGet that has code examples for all the db creation strategies. You would do something like:

install-package EFCodeFirst.SqlServerCompact
install-package EFCodeFirst.Sample

In the root of your project directory should be a file called "AppStart_SQLCEEntityFramework.cs" refer to that for examples.

answered Jan 30, 2011 at 10:21

user10935

1 Comment

Bent Rasmussen Over a year ago

Thanks! I just have Visual C# Express installed at home but that may change.

cubski · Accepted Answer · 2012-08-23 07:34:40Z

2

Another way of providing the DefaultConnectionProvider is by adding it in app.config.

<entityFramework>
  <defaultConnectionFactory type="System.Data.Entity.Infrastructure.SqlCeConnectionFactory, EntityFramework">
    <parameters>
      <parameter value="System.Data.SqlServerCe.4.0" />
    </parameters>
  </defaultConnectionFactory>
</entityFramework>

answered Aug 23, 2012 at 7:34

cubski

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