Migrations and configuration.seed not running on Azure deployment - entity-framework

Question

I am on EF, with a standard code first DbContext.
public class MyContext : DbContext {}
My seed method in Configuration.cs runs fine locally, when I do an 'Update-Database'
But when I deploy to an Azure Web App instance, none of my seed data shows up. My initial migration runs, but when I add a new migration and publish, it does not get run. So basically only my Initial migration is showing up, and no seed data.
If I check 'Update database', the publish just hangs indefinitely.
I have read that there is supposed to be an 'Execute code first migrations' checkbox, but I don't seem to have that checkbox. I have tried cleaning my project, and restarting VS2013update4. Rebuilding the project, etc. Nothing makes it show up. I have also tried this: http://www.dominicstpierre.com/2012/11/enable-code-first-migrations-check-box.html, but it doesn't seem to work with VS2013u4.
Migrations are in my MyProject.DataLayer project. The actual web app is in MyProject.WebApp. Will this matter? It works fine locally.
What can I do to get this checkbox to show up?

Answer 1

Entity Framework sets up an initialiser on the target machine web.config
This initialiser is run when your app hits the database for the first time.
Here is a link to a good article on the asp.net site that explains how to achieve this: http://www.asp.net/mvc/overview/getting-started/getting-started-with-ef-using-mvc/migrations-and-deployment-with-the-entity-framework-in-an-asp-net-mvc-application

Answer 2

I had the same issue, the seed would simply not get executed after an azure deployment.
I fixed this by adding this to the entityFramework element in the web.config:
<entityFramework>
<!-- excluded other settings for brievity... -->
<contexts>
<context type="WebApplication.Data.ApplicationDbContext, WebApplication" disableDatabaseInitialization="false" >
<databaseInitializer type="System.Data.Entity.MigrateDatabaseToLatestVersion`2[[WebApplication.Data.ApplicationDbContext, WebApplication], [WebApplication.Migrations.Configuration, WebApplication, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral]], EntityFramework" />
</context>
</contexts>
</entityFramework>
It is important that the namespaces are correct for ApplicationDbContext and Configuration, otherwise it will not work.