Azure Functions: Can compile but cannot run with custom datalayer library - entity-framework

Question

I've tried to come up with a better title but can't.
The issue is I am new to Azure functions but have made a simple one work that writes to a SQL Azure table. Now I've attempted to build the simplest kind of Entity Framework based Datalayer and uploaded it. Right now it is compiled as .Net 4.6 and using EF 6.1.3.
I'm using a connection string as per the second answer here Second answer and have checked it is being retrieved correctly. Update - I also used this guide.
Removing this {#r "D:\home\site\wwwroot\sharedbin\TestDataLayer.dll"} causes the editor to complain about missing assemblies, so it IS finding the dll in question.
However it will not run - it cannot find TestDataLayer.dll.
I'm only running this in the portal editor (I've not yet mastered deployment direct from a Visual Studio Project - don't laugh :P).
#r "System.Configuration"
#r "System.Data.Entity"
#r "D:\home\site\wwwroot\sharedbin\TestDataLayer.dll"
using System;
using System.Collections;
using System.Configuration;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Data.Entity;
using System.Data.Entity.ModelConfiguration.Conventions;
using System.Data.Entity.SqlServer;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations;
using System.Net;
using TestDataLayer;
public static void Run(TimerInfo myTimer, TraceWriter log)
{
var connection = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["sql_connection"].ConnectionString;
using(var db = new SyncDbContext(connection))
{
var RK = new RKAzureTest() {TestField1 = "It finally worked?" };
db.RKAzureTests.Add(RK);
db.SaveChanges();
}
}
[DbConfigurationType(typeof(myDBContextConfig))]
public partial class SyncDbContext : System.Data.Entity.DbContext
{
public SyncDbContext(string cs) : base(cs) {}
public DbSet<RKAzureTest> RKAzureTests {get;set;}
protected override void OnModelCreating(DbModelBuilder modelBuilder)
{
// modelBuilder.Conventions.Remove<PluralizingTableNameConvention>();
}
}
public class myDBContextConfig : DbConfiguration
{
public myDBContextConfig()
{
SetProviderServices("System.Data.EntityClient",
System.Data.Entity.SqlServer.SqlProviderServices.Instance);
SetDefaultConnectionFactory(new System.Data.Entity.Infrastructure.SqlConnectionFactory());
}
}
This is the function.json:
{
"frameworks": {
"net46":{
"dependencies": {
"EntityFramework": "6.1.3"
}
}
}
}
I've compiled the dll itself to .Net 4.6 after a suspicion that the Azure Functions don't support .net 4.7.1 and via Kudu uploaded the compiled dll to a sharedbin folder (checked the path a dozen times!).
This is the error thrown up:
2018-05-01T11:00:00.012 [Warning] Unable to find assembly 'TestDataLayer, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null'. Are you missing a private assembly file?
2018-05-01T11:00:00.012 [Error] Exception while executing function: Functions.TimerTriggerCSharp1. mscorlib: Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation. f-TimerTriggerCSharp1__514732255: Could not load file or assembly 'TestDataLayer, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null' or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified.
Not quite sure what else can be left - I'm using runtime version 1.0.11702 in the Application settings as I found life got a LOT more complicated if I went onto the Beta version.
If anyone can point me to a working guide for this use case (Database first, EF 6.1.3 etc) I'd be grateful.
Any help offered gratefully received!
Thank you :)

Answer 1

Go to Azure Portal, create a folder called, 'bin' inside your Azure functions using CMD Shell, upload the 'TestDataLayer.dll' file to bin folder which has just been created.
#r "System.Configuration"
#r "System.Data.Entity"
#r "TestDataLayer.dll"
Project structure should look like,
AzureFunctionProjectName001
bin
TestDataLayer.dll
run.csx
project.json
project.lock.json
...
Azure functions should be able to discover your library this time. I believe, EntityFramework works just fine.