重新生成实体框架代码优先模型

Question

Using Entity Framework 6 Code First in an ASP.NET project with Visual Studio 2013, is there any way to rebuild (or update) the generated DataContext and model classes without stepping through the Entity Data Model Wizard every time?

I'm fully aware of how to do this with an EDMX designer, but again, I'm using the "Code First from database" method and just wondering if there's a one-click (or one console command) way to trigger the rebuild without having to delete the generated context class and then step through the Entity Data Model Wizard every time I make a change to the backing database.

Answer 1

Code first requires you to create the DataContext by hand. You don't create/change the database and refresh the DataContext class. The Code first from database or EF Reverse POCO template is a middle ground between true Code First and the Database First approach of doing things. It meets at the middle by generating the same kind of POCO classes that you would have written by hand in Code First. They don't do it in Code First way but the end result is something similar to Code First. Hence the confusing name.

If you are using one of these templates to generate POCOs, you can right click on the t4 template file and click Run Custom Tool. If that doesn't work, you might want to delete that entity and then run the custom tool again. Also right clicking on the EDMX and clicking 'Update Model from Database' should work.

Answer 2

In VS 2015 (and supposedly 2013/2012) you can use the Entity Framework Reverse POCO generator to accomplish this.

https://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/ee4fcff9-0c4c-4179-afd9-7a2fb90f5838

You can make all your changes to database first, and to re-generate your models all you have to do is save your Database.tt file (usually I just add white space).

Answer 3

I have the solution for rebuild without wizard:

using the t4 is Transform All T4 Templates and create the classes