Adding stored procedures complex types in Entity Framework

Question

I am trying to use a stored procedure in Entity Framework that returns nothing.

I did the following:

1. Added a function (right click on stored procedure -> add -> function import-> Complex Type -> Get column information -> create New Complex-Type)

2. My function name: summarySP_Result . After building the project the entity class is not generated in Generated_code ( BusinessAccount.web.g.cs )

But entity classes for tables and views are all created but nor for stored procedure.

Can anybody give the idea why it is not generated entity class in BusinessAccount.web.g.cs ?

Update :

Let me confirm ReturnDataFromTemTable_result entity class created in your XXXXXX.web.g.cs class.

Like :

[DataContract(Namespace="http://schemas.datacontract.org/2004/07/BizFramework.Web.Model")]
public sealed partial class ReturnDataFromTemTable_Result : Entity
{
   -------------------
 }

Answer 1

OK - here's the step-by-step way of doing this:

(1) add your stored procedure to the EDMX file (when you first create it, or later on by using Update model from database and picking that stored procedure)

(2) once you have the stored procedure in your model - use the Model Browser to add a Function Import :

(3) the next dialog that pops up is vitally important - you need to (1) define that the stored procedure returns a collection of complex types, then you need to (2) get the column info from that stored procedure to know what columns it will return, then (3) you tell Visual Studio to generate a new complex type based on that column info:

(4) once you've done that - you should now see the stored procedure in your conceptual model section in the Model Browser, and the newly generated complex type should show up there, too:

Answer 2

If this is still unresolved, after you Add the Function Import, go to the Solution Explorer, right click your {name}.Context.tt file and do "Run Custom Tool". The method will now show up in your derived Context class.

This seems like a bug in Visual Studio 2012, which is what I am using, I haven't applied Update 1, I will try to see if that fixes it.

Answer 3

This is for Ross Brigoli

Try adding this line to the beginning of your stored procedure:

SET FMTONLY OFF You can remove this after you have finished importing.

Source:- Why can't Entity Framework see my Stored Procedure's column information?

Answer 4

As Sandeep said, EF doesn't support importing stored procedures which build result set from Dynamic queries or Temporary tables.

But you don't have to rewrite your whole SP.

Just write another one, with the same name, that returns the correct row format without using dynamic SQL or a temp table. Then use the EF SP adding function, which will now auto generate the complex type.

Edit: It's actually easier to make a comment at the top of the SP that immediately selects the desired row with all the data types specified with CASTS. When you need to import the SP into EF, just uncomment the code.

eg

CREATE PROCEDURE myProc ()
AS
BEGIN
-- uncomment the following row to import:
-- SELECT CAST( 0 AS int) AS column1Name, CAST( 'a' AS varchar(50)) AS clumn2name

-- comment out the SP content when you want to import it.
< proper SP content >
END

Then drop the stored proc and create the original.
Save this temporary importing SP you have made in case you need it again, though.

Answer 5

EF doesn't support importing stored procedures which build result set from:

• Dynamic queries
• Temporary tables

Re-write your stored procedure to use a table variable instead. remember to drop the stored procudure and function import from your model before updating as it wont generate the complex type unless it also adds the stored procedure. or go to function import properties and use the get column information feature after updating your stored procedure.

Answer 6

create procedure [dbo].[usp_InsertOrUpdate]
/*if your table(tbl_InsertOrUpdate) as 3 columns like uniqueid,col1,col2*/
@uniqueId bigint NULL,/*if insert send value as null or 0*/
@col1 bigint null,
@col2 [varchar](500) NULL
as
begin
set nocount ON
SET FMTONLY OFF
/* for giving result which column updated(uniqueId) and is it insert or update(IsInsert)*/
declare @varResult table (uniqueId bigint ,IsInsert bit )
/*create a var table before inserting original table*/

declare @varInsertOrUpdate table (
uniqueId bigint ,
col1 [bigint] ,
col2 [varchar]
)
/*default we are feel as update only*/
insert into @varResult (uniqueId,IsInsert) values (@uniqueId,0)
/*insert into var table*/
INSERT INTO @varInsertOrUpdate (uniqueId,col1,col2)
VALUES
(@uniqueId,@col1,@col2)
/*Insert into original table with where condition without if else*/
 INSERT INTO tbl_InsertOrUpdate (col1,col2)
 select col1,col2 from @varInsertOrUpdate
 where uniqueId!=0;
/*if its insert updating result returning table*/
 update @varResult set 
 uniqueId=IDENT_CURRENT('tbl_InsertOrUpdate'),
IsInsert=1 where @uniqueId=0;
/*updating table where @uniqueid is  null or empty*/
UPDATE tbl_InsertOrUpdate
SET col1=@col1, 
col2=@col2,
WHERE uniqueId=@uniqueId and @uniqueId!=0

select *  from @varResult

end

Answer 7

This is my SP to Implement the multiple search

***************************************************

    CREATE PROCEDURE [dbo].[uspSEARCH_POSITIONS]
        @OBJ_TYPE_REQUEST varchar(2000),--'FIRST_NAME;SEARCHVALUE|LAST_NAME;SEARCHVALUE|JOB_DESCRIPTION;SEARCHVALUE'
        @DELIMITER varchar(10) --'| Which seperates the col;searchvalue|col;searchvalue
    AS
    BEGIN
    SET FMTONLY OFF
        DECLARE
            @lLastName varchar(100),
            @lFirstName varchar(100),
            @lPositionNumber varchar(20),
            @lJobDescription varchar(50),
            @lJobCode varchar(20),
            @lOccupancyIndicator varchar(50),
            @ldeleimitercolsearchval varchar(10)

    SET @ldeleimitercolsearchval =';'

    CREATE TABLE #TempTable (ColSearchValues VARCHAR(2000))

    INSERT INTO #TempTable 
    SELECT * FROM [dbo].[fnSplit](@OBJ_TYPE_REQUEST,@DELIMITER)--'fname;searchvalfname|lname;searchvallname|jobcode;searchvaljobcode','|')

    SELECT @lLastName=SUBSTRING(ColSearchValues,CHARINDEX(@ldeleimitercolsearchval ,ColSearchValues)+1,LEN(ColSearchValues)) from #TempTable where lower(ColSearchValues) like '%last%'
    SELECT @lFirstName =SUBSTRING(ColSearchValues,CHARINDEX(@ldeleimitercolsearchval ,ColSearchValues)+1,LEN(ColSearchValues)) from #TempTable where lower(ColSearchValues) like '%first%'
    SELECT @lPositionNumber =SUBSTRING(ColSearchValues,CHARINDEX(@ldeleimitercolsearchval ,ColSearchValues)+1,LEN(ColSearchValues)) from #TempTable where lower(ColSearchValues) like '%position%'
    SELECT @lJobDescription=SUBSTRING(ColSearchValues,CHARINDEX(@ldeleimitercolsearchval ,ColSearchValues)+1,LEN(ColSearchValues)) from #TempTable where lower(ColSearchValues) like '%jobd%'
    SELECT @lJobCode=SUBSTRING(ColSearchValues,CHARINDEX(@ldeleimitercolsearchval ,ColSearchValues)+1,LEN(ColSearchValues)) from #TempTable where lower(ColSearchValues) like '%jobc%'
    SELECT @lOccupancyIndicator=SUBSTRING(ColSearchValues,CHARINDEX(@ldeleimitercolsearchval ,ColSearchValues)+1,LEN(ColSearchValues)) from #TempTable where lower(ColSearchValues) like '%ccupancy%'

           SELECT  [PS].[POSITION_NUMBER]
          ,[PS].[COST_CENTER]
          ,[PS].[JOB_CODE]
          ,[PS].[JOB_CODE_DESCRIPTION]
          ,[PS].[SITE_CODE]
          ,[EMP].[EMPLOYEE_ID]
          ,[EMP].[EIN]
          ,[EMP].[GRADE]
          ,[EMP].[LOGIN_ID]
          ,[EMP].[FIRST_NAME]
          ,[EMP].[LAST_NAME]
          ,LTRIM(RTRIM(ISNULL([EMP].[LAST_NAME],''))) + ',' +LTRIM(RTRIM(ISNULL([EMP].[FIRST_NAME],''))) AS [FULL_NAME]      
          ,[EMP].[DISTRICT]
          ,[EMP].[SUPERVISOR_EIN]
          ,COUNT(*) OVER() AS TOTAL_RECORD_COUNT
      FROM [DBSERVER].[dbo].[uvwPOSITION_SEARCH] PS
      LEFT JOIN [DBSERVER].[dbo].[uvwEMPLOYEES] EMP
      ON PS.POSITION_NUMBER=EMP.POSITION_NUMBER
      WHERE
            (@lLastName  IS NULL OR [LAST_NAME] LIKE '%' + @lLastName + '%')
        AND (@lFirstName IS NULL OR [FIRST_NAME] LIKE '%' + @lFirstName + '%')
        AND (@lPositionNumber IS NULL OR [PS].[POSITION_NUMBER] LIKE '%' + @lPositionNumber + '%')
        AND (@lJobDescription IS NULL OR [PS].[JOB_CODE_DESCRIPTION] LIKE '%' + @lJobDescription + '%')
        AND (@lJobCode IS NULL OR [PS].[JOB_CODE] LIKE '%' + @lJobCode + '%')
        AND (@lOccupancyIndicator IS NULL OR [EMP].[FILLED_VACANT] LIKE '%' + @lOccupancyIndicator + '%')

    END

---

Now you can consume above SP in edmx using below

Adding stored procedures complex types in Entity Framework

Why can't Entity Framework see my Stored Procedure's column information?

And in case you have to update your SP below worked for me. Updating Complex Type if Stored Procedure Updates How Do I Get Entity Framework To Update Complex Types?

Answer 8

For me, Im having problems where importing my Stored Procedure into EF is not generating the Complex Entity return object (automatically). I found however, after commenting out sections of my sproc (aka stored procedure), that when I then re-imported the stored procedure back in (ie refreshed using the Get Column Information button in the Function Import Edit screen), that the Complex type could then be generated!

In short, there could be a where clause (or maybe something else) causing EF to not generate the Complex Type. Try commenting out sections of your sproc and re-importing the sproc to

UPDATE:

Further to my investigation above, I found that the reason the Complex Entity was not being generated was because my sproc was using a view (instead of a typical table). For curiosity sake, I changed the view to another table just to see what would happen, and the complex entity generated.

So, in short, it looks like Complex Entities might not generate automatically if you have a view. To try, I ripped out the view temporarily, re-import the sproc, generated the Complex Entity, then put the view back in. But now my code gives exceptions.

Will update on this later when I learn more =)

UPDATE:

Fixed the issue. Really silly mistake! The viewname that I was using was not spelled right =D. Im sort of angry that an error wasnt thrown by Sql Server when I created the sproc..... I guess that is life :) Alas, problem now fixed!

Answer 9

To add complex type correctly, go Model browser, right click on function, then display edit, click edit an fill the dialog box. The name of the function should be same as name of the stored procedure. Click OK button. Now function is created. Then right click on the created function and go edit again.There is a update button aside of complex type button.Update it using that update button. Now complex type is created completely.

Answer 10

The issue of complex type not appearing may happen due to a different reason as well which is what I faced in our case. The issue was due to a syntax error in the SPROC where temp table was defined as below - create table #temp( col1 int, col2 nvarchar(100), col3 nvarchar(100), -- Notice the comma in the end ); Surprisingly, SQL Server doesn't throw any error when you compile the sproc. Removing the comma fixed the problem for us.

In short, while some of the above solutions might work depending on the specific issue, my suggestion is to check your sproc for such syntactical errors that SQL might ignore but could be the underlying reason for this problem. Thanks.

Answer 11

Go to the Model Browser

If you need to modify existing function

Under the Function Imports >> Select the function to be modified >> Click Edit

You will need to update the function to refresh and you can see the columns need to be added