Unable to create a new EF migration on Azure SQL Database

Question

I have an Azure SQL Database (V12) which I am using with EF6 and db migrations. In the past, I have successfully performed database changes with migrations (with Add-Migration and Update-Database ). Recently I attempted another change, and have been met with a null ref exception when performing the Add-Migration command.

I've tried all sorts of workarounds, but I seem to get this error regardless. Even when I try to generate an empty migration (with no changes), I still get this error. Is there any way to debug this issue, or does anyone have any insight into what this means? Thanks!

EDIT: I used the sql migration tool to copy the database over to an SQL Server 2014 VM, and the migration went fine - is it possible that this is an SQL Azure V12 problem?

Here is the stack trace:

    System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
   at System.Data.SqlClient.TdsParser.TrySkipRow(_SqlMetaDataSet columns, Int32 startCol, TdsParserStateObject stateObj)
   at System.Data.SqlClient.TdsParser.TrySkipRow(_SqlMetaDataSet columns, TdsParserStateObject stateObj)
   at System.Data.SqlClient.TdsParser.TryRun(RunBehavior runBehavior, SqlCommand cmdHandler, SqlDataReader dataStream, BulkCopySimpleResultSet bulkCopyHandler, TdsParserStateObject stateObj, Boolean& dataReady)
   at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlDataReader.TryCloseInternal(Boolean closeReader)
   at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlDataReader.Close()
   at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.FinishExecuteReader(SqlDataReader ds, RunBehavior runBehavior, String resetOptionsString)
   at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.RunExecuteReaderTds(CommandBehavior cmdBehavior, RunBehavior runBehavior, Boolean returnStream, Boolean async, Int32 timeout, Task& task, Boolean asyncWrite, SqlDataReader ds, Boolean describeParameterEncryptionRequest)
   at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.RunExecuteReader(CommandBehavior cmdBehavior, RunBehavior runBehavior, Boolean returnStream, String method, TaskCompletionSource`1 completion, Int32 timeout, Task& task, Boolean asyncWrite)
   at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.RunExecuteReader(CommandBehavior cmdBehavior, RunBehavior runBehavior, Boolean returnStream, String method)
   at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior behavior, String method)
   at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.ExecuteDbDataReader(CommandBehavior behavior)
   at System.Data.Common.DbCommand.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior behavior)
   at System.Data.Entity.Infrastructure.Interception.DbCommandDispatcher.<Reader>b__c(DbCommand t, DbCommandInterceptionContext`1 c)
   at System.Data.Entity.Infrastructure.Interception.InternalDispatcher`1.Dispatch[TTarget,TInterceptionContext,TResult](TTarget target, Func`3 operation, TInterceptionContext interceptionContext, Action`3 executing, Action`3 executed)
   at System.Data.Entity.Infrastructure.Interception.DbCommandDispatcher.Reader(DbCommand command, DbCommandInterceptionContext interceptionContext)
   at System.Data.Entity.Internal.InterceptableDbCommand.ExecuteDbDataReader(CommandBehavior behavior)
   at System.Data.Common.DbCommand.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior behavior)
   at System.Data.Entity.Core.EntityClient.Internal.EntityCommandDefinition.ExecuteStoreCommands(EntityCommand entityCommand, CommandBehavior behavior)
   at System.Data.Entity.Core.Objects.Internal.ObjectQueryExecutionPlan.Execute[TResultType](ObjectContext context, ObjectParameterCollection parameterValues)
   at System.Data.Entity.Core.Objects.ObjectQuery`1.<>c__DisplayClass7.<GetResults>b__6()
   at System.Data.Entity.Core.Objects.ObjectContext.ExecuteInTransaction[T](Func`1 func, IDbExecutionStrategy executionStrategy, Boolean startLocalTransaction, Boolean releaseConnectionOnSuccess)
   at System.Data.Entity.Core.Objects.ObjectQuery`1.<>c__DisplayClass7.<GetResults>b__5()
   at System.Data.Entity.SqlServer.DefaultSqlExecutionStrategy.Execute[TResult](Func`1 operation)
   at System.Data.Entity.Core.Objects.ObjectQuery`1.GetResults(Nullable`1 forMergeOption)
   at System.Data.Entity.Core.Objects.ObjectQuery`1.<System.Collections.Generic.IEnumerable<T>.GetEnumerator>b__0()
   at System.Data.Entity.Internal.LazyEnumerator`1.MoveNext()
   at System.Linq.Enumerable.Single[TSource](IEnumerable`1 source)
   at System.Data.Entity.Core.Objects.ELinq.ObjectQueryProvider.<GetElementFunction>b__3[TResult](IEnumerable`1 sequence)
   at System.Data.Entity.Core.Objects.ELinq.ObjectQueryProvider.ExecuteSingle[TResult](IEnumerable`1 query, Expression queryRoot)
   at System.Data.Entity.Core.Objects.ELinq.ObjectQueryProvider.System.Linq.IQueryProvider.Execute[TResult](Expression expression)
   at System.Data.Entity.Internal.Linq.DbQueryProvider.Execute[TResult](Expression expression)
   at System.Linq.Queryable.Count[TSource](IQueryable`1 source, Expression`1 predicate)
   at System.Data.Entity.Migrations.History.HistoryRepository.QueryExists(String contextKey)
   at System.Data.Entity.Migrations.History.HistoryRepository.Exists(String contextKey)
   at System.Data.Entity.Migrations.History.HistoryRepository.GetPendingMigrations(IEnumerable`1 localMigrations)
   at System.Data.Entity.Migrations.DbMigrator.GetPendingMigrations()
   at System.Data.Entity.Migrations.DbMigrator.Scaffold(String migrationName, String namespace, Boolean ignoreChanges)
   at System.Data.Entity.Migrations.Design.MigrationScaffolder.Scaffold(String migrationName, Boolean ignoreChanges)
   at System.Data.Entity.Migrations.Design.ToolingFacade.ScaffoldRunner.Scaffold(MigrationScaffolder scaffolder)
   at System.Data.Entity.Migrations.Design.ToolingFacade.ScaffoldRunner.Run()
   at System.AppDomain.DoCallBack(CrossAppDomainDelegate callBackDelegate)
   at System.AppDomain.DoCallBack(CrossAppDomainDelegate callBackDelegate)
   at System.Data.Entity.Migrations.Design.ToolingFacade.Run(BaseRunner runner)
   at System.Data.Entity.Migrations.Design.ToolingFacade.Scaffold(String migrationName, String language, String rootNamespace, Boolean ignoreChanges)
   at System.Data.Entity.Migrations.AddMigrationCommand.Execute(String name, Boolean force, Boolean ignoreChanges)
   at System.Data.Entity.Migrations.AddMigrationCommand.<>c__DisplayClass2.<.ctor>b__0()
   at System.Data.Entity.Migrations.MigrationsDomainCommand.Execute(Action command)

Answer 1

I'm still hoping someone will be able to post a proper solution - in the meantime if anyone else has this issue, here's how I am able to temporarily solve it.

The main issue appears to be that EF cannot generate a migration for a SQL Azure V12 database, where a previous migration has been done. When performing the Add-Migration command, a NRE occurs (without much helpful info).

After some experimenting, I've found that I can copy over the schema of my db and the data from the _MigrationHistory tables to a SQL Server 2014 instance, and perform the Add-Migration targetting that shell db, in order to generate the migration classes. After that, I re-target my Azure SQL database, and run Update-Database to perform the migration. This is definitely NOT ideal, but will work as a stop gap until I can hopefully find a real fix.