Is it possible to get Entity Framework to recognize previous migrations if you change your project namespace? - entity-framework

Question

Let me break down the scenario:
I create my models/mappings using the code-first approach
I setup a database initializer for MigrateDatabaseToLatestVersion
I create a migration using add-migration
This creates a Configuration class like so:
namespace MyApp.Migrations
{
internal sealed class ConfigurationInfo : DbMigrationsConfiguration<MyContext>
{
}
}
I can run my code and the database will be automatically created with no issue.
Now I go in and change the namespace that my Configuration class lives under:
namespace MyApp.Data.Migrations // <-- new namespace
{
internal sealed class ConfigurationInfo : DbMigrationsConfiguration<MyContext>
{
}
}
I drop the database and rerun the code. I now get this message:
Unable to update database to match the current model because there are pending changes and automatic migration is disabled. Either write the pending model changes to a code-based migration or enable automatic migration. Set DbMigrationsConfiguration.AutomaticMigrationsEnabled to true to enable automatic migration.
When I renamed the namespace that Configuration lived under it no longer recognizes any of the migrations that were previously created.
I did a lot of experimenting and when I set MigrationsNamespace equal to the old value in the Configuration constructor like so:
namespace MyApp.Data.Migrations
{
internal sealed class ConfigurationInfo : DbMigrationsConfiguration<MyContext>
{
public ConfigurationInfo()
{
AutomaticMigrationsEnabled = false;
MigrationsNamespace = "MyApp.Migrations"; // <-- this works
}
}
}
Now everything works, except all of the previously created migrations need to live under the old namespace in order to work, as well as all future ones (which get the old namespace automatically).
This workaround didn't really do what I wanted to do, which is be able to refactor my code and still have entity framework recognize my previous migrations.
What if the name of my project changes, but I have multiple installations out there that are depending on the MigrateDatabaseToLatestVersion database initializer to receive schema changes to my code?
Am I locked into using the same namespace for my DAL as soon as I enable migrations?

Answer 1

This was my own fault, I did the refactor by hand and thought that I had changed the namespace for all files in my project, but I forgot to expand the migration files and update the "designer" files as well!
When I set the same namespace between the configuration file, the migration files, and the migration designer files everything works great, and I can change the namespace at any time without EF losing track of the old migrations.