updating an entity needs re-making relations in ef? - entity-framework

Question

I am using ef 4.1 in my application and I have entities like below:
public partial class Role
{
[Key]
public int Id { get; set; }
[StringLength(20)]
[Required()]
public string RoleTitle { get; set; }
public virtual ICollection<User> Users { get; set; }
}
public partial class User
{
[Key]
[DatabaseGenerated(DatabaseGeneratedOption.None)]
public long UserId { get; set; }
[StringLength(20)]
[Required()]
public string UserName { get; set; }
public bool Status { get; set; }
[Required()]
public virtual Role Role { get; set; }
}
is it true that every time I want to update some field of User entity, say Status, I should re0make it is relations ?
Cause when I want to update only status field and save changes (I use Unit of Work), it throws and says "The Role field is required."...

Answer 1

No, you don't have to remake its relations. You also shouldn't be putting the Required annotation on the virtual property. You should be putting it on the ForeignKey ID field for the Role table. I believe you're getting the error because it's never setting the Role correctly on the User class in the first place, which is why you keep having to remake it.
To illustrate, here's what your User class should look like:
public partial class User
{
[Key]
[DatabaseGenerated(DatabaseGeneratedOption.None)]
public long UserId { get; set; }
[StringLength(20)]
[Required]
public string UserName { get; set; }
[Required, ForeignKey("Role")]
public int RoleID { get; set; }
public bool Status { get; set; }
public virtual Role Role { get; set; }
}