Entity Framework 6 Programmatically Connect to Postgres - entity-framework

Question

I'm working on programmatically establishing a connection to PostgresSQL using Entity Framework 6. I have this class:
public class ClearspanDatabaseContext : DbContext
with this constructor:
public ClearspanDatabaseContext()
: base(buildConnectionString())
{
}
Here's the static method that makes the connection string programmatically:
private static string buildConnectionString()
{
RegisterDbProvider("Npgsql", ".Net Framework Data Provider for Postgresql", "Npgsql Data Provider", "Npgsql.NpgsqlFactory, Npgsql");
EntityConnectionStringBuilder entityConnectionStringBuilder = new EntityConnectionStringBuilder();
entityConnectionStringBuilder.Provider = "Npgsql";
entityConnectionStringBuilder.ProviderConnectionString = "host=192.168.168.140;Port=5432;username=ClearspanDevLogin;password=*******;database=ClearspanWebServerDev";
return entityConnectionStringBuilder.ToString();
}
And here's the method that registers Npgsql as a database provider, taken from this source:
public static bool RegisterDbProvider(string invariant, string description, string name, string type)
{
try
{
DataSet ds = ConfigurationManager.GetSection("system.data") as DataSet;
foreach (DataRow row in ds.Tables[0].Rows)
{
if (row["InvariantName"].ToString() == invariant)
{
return true;
}
}
ds.Tables[0].Rows.Add(name, description, invariant, type);
return true;
}
catch
{
}
return false;
}
This generates a string like this:
"provider=Npgsql;provider connection string=\"host=192.168.168.140;Port=5432;username=ClearspanDevLogin;password=********;database=ClearspanWebServerDev\""
But I get an ArgumentException:
Keyword not supported: 'provider'.
I think I am close to the programmatic connection, but am missing something small. What can I do to resolve this exception and properly setup this connection programmatically? No app.config answers, I'm working in a class library, which ignores app.config (see the comments of the accepted answer to this question). This program must remain this way because it is used as a plugin - it does not (nor should it) run on its own. Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Ok, here is working example for you which I verified is working.
Using dummy code-first EF 6 model + custom DbConfiguration class:
public class Enrollment {
public int EnrollmentID { get; set; }
public int CourseID { get; set; }
public int StudentID { get; set; }
}
[DbConfigurationType(typeof (NpgsqlConfiguration))]
public class SchoolContext : DbContext {
public SchoolContext(string cs) : base(cs) {
}
public DbSet<Enrollment> Enrollments { get; set; }
protected override void OnModelCreating(DbModelBuilder modelBuilder) {
}
}
class NpgsqlConfiguration : System.Data.Entity.DbConfiguration
{
public NpgsqlConfiguration()
{
SetProviderServices("Npgsql", Npgsql.NpgsqlServices.Instance);
SetProviderFactory("Npgsql", Npgsql.NpgsqlFactory.Instance);
SetDefaultConnectionFactory(new Npgsql.NpgsqlConnectionFactory());
}
}
Then, instead of your buildConnectionString(), just pass postgre connection string in constructor:
using (var ctx = new SchoolContext("host=192.168.168.40;port=5432;...")) {
Console.WriteLine(ctx.Enrollments.ToArray());
}
And that is all. Config file is completely empty during that, and it works.

Answer 2

Have you looked at Code-Based Configuration? Create a DbConfiguration class with a public parameterless constructor in the same assembly as your DbContext
class MyConfiguration : System.Data.Entity.DbConfiguration
{
public MyConfiguration()
{
SetProviderServices("Npgsql", Npgsql.NpgsqlServices.Instance);
SetProviderFactory("Npgsql", Npgsql.NpgsqlFactory.Instance);
}
}
Now I think the DbContext should use that provider factory by default, and you can construct the DbContext with just the connection string. But if it's in a different assembly, then you have a bit more work to do, but that can be found in the link above.
A potential problem with the above solution is that any configuration in the config file will take precedence, so maybe it would be safer to use the option described in here:
var conn = DbProviderFactories.GetFactory("MY_CONN_PROVIDER").CreateConnection();
conn.ConnectionString = "MY_CONN_STR";
new DbContext(conn, true);
where your provider is "Npgsql", which was registered in RegisterDbProvider above.
Also see https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd0w4a2z(v=vs.110).aspx