EF6 Code First Lazy Load results in null collection - entity-framework

Question

So the dynamic proxy is created, but I can't figure out what I've done wrong to prevent navigation properties from lazy loading. Here is the exact code I've run to test the issue.
DbContext:
public class MyDbContext : DbContext
{
public MyDbContext()
: base("MyConnection")
{
}
public DbSet<One> Ones { get; set; }
public DbSet<Many> Manies { get; set; }
}
Classes:
public class One
{
public int Id { get; set; }
public virtual ICollection<Many> Manies { get; set; }
public One()
{
Manies = new List<Many>();
}
}
public class Many
{
public int Id { get; set; }
public string Value { get; set; }
public int OneId { get; set; }
public virtual One One { get; set; }
public Many()
{
}
}
Test:
[TestMethod]
public void OneToManyTest()
{
One parent1 = new One();
parent1.Manies.Add(new Many() { Value = "child 1" });
parent1.Manies.Add(new Many() { Value = "child 2" });
using (MyDbContext db = new MyDbContext())
{
db.Ones.Add(parent1);
db.SaveChanges();
}
Assert.IsTrue(parent1.Id > 0, "Id not set");
One parent2;
using (MyDbContext db = new MyDbContext())
{
db.Configuration.ProxyCreationEnabled = true;
db.Configuration.LazyLoadingEnabled = true;
parent2 = db.Ones.Find(parent1.Id);//parent2 is a dynamic proxy
}
Assert.AreEqual(parent1.Id, parent2.Id);
/*parent2.Manies is null*/
Assert.AreEqual(parent1.Manies.Count, parent2.Manies.Count);//fails
}
Database:
I've verified the correct information is being inserted in the database. The relationships look good. I'm sure I'm missing something obvious.
Update
This works:
using (MyDbContext db = new MyDbContext())
{
db.Configuration.ProxyCreationEnabled = true;
db.Configuration.LazyLoadingEnabled = true;
parent2 = db.Ones.Find(parent1.Id);//parent2 is a dynamic proxy
Assert.AreEqual(parent1.Id, parent2.Id);
Assert.AreEqual(parent1.Manies.Count, parent2.Manies.Count);
}
This doesn't:
using (MyDbContext db = new MyDbContext())
{
db.Configuration.ProxyCreationEnabled = true;
db.Configuration.LazyLoadingEnabled = true;
parent2 = db.Ones.Find(parent1.Id);//parent2 is a dynamic proxy
}
using (MyDbContext db = new MyDbContext())
{
Assert.AreEqual(parent1.Id, parent2.Id);
Assert.AreEqual(parent1.Manies.Count, parent2.Manies.Count);//parent2.Manies is null
}
So the same db context is required for built in lazy loading.

Answer 1

To trigger lazy loading you need to access the property in some way, before disposing of the context.
Your test code doesn't acces the property before leaving the context:
One parent2;
using (MyDbContext db = new MyDbContext())
{
db.Configuration.ProxyCreationEnabled = true;
db.Configuration.LazyLoadingEnabled = true;
parent2 = db.Ones.Find(parent1.Id);//parent2 is a dynamic proxy
}
// Context disposed: thsi would throw an exception:
var manies = parent2.Manies.ToList()
At this point, your context has been disposed. If you tried to access the Manies property you'd get an error stating this.
One parent2;
using (MyDbContext db = new MyDbContext())
{
db.Configuration.ProxyCreationEnabled = true;
db.Configuration.LazyLoadingEnabled = true;
parent2 = db.Ones.Find(parent1.Id);//parent2 is a dynamic proxy
// Context available: this sill lazy load the Manies entities
var manies = parent2.Manies.ToList();
}
Now, if you check the manies properties, it will be available.
The idea of lazy loading is that, while the context is available, the first time you access a property which wasn't loaded initially, it will be loaded at that moment.
Please, see this article to understand the different ways (eager, lazy, explicit) of loading entities with EF:
Loading Related Entities

Answer 2

parent2 = db.Ones.Include(o=>o.Manies).FirstOrDefault(o=>o.Id == parent1.Id);