Dropping database in use with EF Core - .net-core

I need to programmatically drop an EF core database. No problem, right? Get a context, call ctx.Database.EnsureDeleted(), and you're all set.
Except.. when the DB is in use, you're using connection pooling (there's good reason to do so), you can run into a situation where you can't drop the database.
Back in the EF6 days, I had a custom DB initializer which override InitializeDatabase as follows (setting the DB to single user mode so no other connections could interfere)
public override void InitializeDatabase(AudmDatabaseContext context)
{
context.Database.ExecuteSqlCommand(TransactionalBehavior.DoNotEnsureTransaction
, string.Format("ALTER DATABASE [{0}] SET SINGLE_USER WITH ROLLBACK IMMEDIATE", context.Database.Connection.Database));
base.InitializeDatabase(context);
}
Now I'm wondering.. how do you do this (or something else that gets me the same effect) using EF core 2.1?

Related

Entity Framework Core Scaffold - Dynamic Schema Name

I'm having an issue at the moment where, we have a database which was already created, so used ef scaffold to create a model of it - the schema the model was created against is called "xxxx-dev".
Now, this has been fine, but in preparation to go live, I created a new DB server and provisioned the database to be called "xxxx-live". Switched the connection string, and attempted a query against it, and got an error.
It seems that scaffolding has hard-coded the schema name into every table in the OnModelCreating call, for example:
modelBuilder.Entity<xxxx>(entity =>
{
...
entity.ToTable("xxxx", "xxxx-dev");
...
});
This is a bit of an issue as going forward, we might have multi-tenant sites based on the same database, and obviously the query overriding the connection string every query isn't a great experience.
Is there anyway to configure the schema name, either in the Scaffold, or at runtime? I've done a bit of searching around and can't seem to see a solution.
Thanks,

Optimize connection to SQLite DB using EF Core in UWP app

I'm currently working on a C# UWP application that runs on Windows 10 IoT Core OS on an ARM processor. For this application, I am using a SQLite DB for my persistence, with Entity Framework Core as my ORM.
I have created my own DBContext and call the Migrate function on startup which creates my DB. I can also successfully create a DBContext instance in my main logic which can successfully read/write data using the model. All good so far.
However, I've noticed that the performance of creating a DbContext for each interaction with the DB is painfully slow. Although I can guarantee that only my application is accessing the database (I'm running on custom hardware with a controlled software environment), I do have multiple threads in my application that need to access the database via the DbContext.
I need to find a way to optimize the connection to my SQLite DB in a way that is thread safe in my application. As I mentioned before, I don't have to worry about any external applications.
At first, I tried to create a SqliteConnection object externally and then pass it in to each DbContext that I create:
_connection = new SqliteConnection(#"Data Source=main.db");
... and then make that available to my DbContext and use in in the OnConfiguring override:
protected override void OnConfiguring(DbContextOptionsBuilder optionsBuilder)
{
optionsBuilder.UseSqlite(_connection);
}
... and then use the DbContext in my application like this:
using (var db = new MyDbContext())
{
var data = new MyData { Timestamp = DateTime.UtcNow, Data = "123" };
db.MyData.Add(data);
db.SaveChanges();
}
// Example data read
MyDataListView.ItemsSource = db.MyData.ToList();
Taking the above approach, I noticed that the connection is closed down automatically when the DbContext is disposed, regardless of the fact that the connection was created externally. So this ends up throwing an exception the second time I create a DbContext with the connection.
Secondly, I tried to create a single DbContext once statically and share it across my entire application. So instead of creating the DbContext in a using statement as above, I tried the following:
// Where Context property returns a singleton instance of MyDbContext
var db = MyDbContextFactory.Context;
var data = new MyData { Timestamp = DateTime.UtcNow, Data = "123" };
db.MyData.Add(data);
db.SaveChanges();
This offers me the performance improvements I hoped for but I quickly realized that this is not thread safe and wider reading has confirmed that I shouldn't do this.
So does anyone have any advice on how to improve the performance when accessing SQLite DB in my case with EF Core and a multi-threaded UWP application? Many thanks in advance.
Secondly, I tried to create a single DbContext once statically and share it across my entire application. So instead of creating the DbContext in a using statement as above, I tried the following...This offers me the performance improvements I hoped for but I quickly realized that this is not thread safe and wider reading has confirmed that I shouldn't do this.
I don't know why we shouldn't do this. Maybe you can share something about what you read. But I think, you can make the DBContext object global and static and when you want to do CRUD, you can do it in main thread like this:
await Dispatcher.RunAsync(Windows.UI.Core.CoreDispatcherPriority.Normal, () =>
{
//App.BloggingDB is the static global DBContext defined in App class
var blog = new Blog { Url = NewBlogUrl.Text };
App.BloggingDB.Add(blog);
App.BloggingDB.SaveChanges();
});
But do dispose the DBContext at a proper time as it won't automatically get disposed.

Create Database If Not Exist Without Restarting Application

I am creating dynamic connection strings in my project. They're created on the fly with the information provided specifically for every user. When the application first fires off, if a database doesn't exist (first time user logs on), a new database is created without problems with this initializer:
public DataContext() : base()
{
// ProxyCreation and LazyLoading doesn't affect the situation so
// comments may be removed
//this.Configuration.LazyLoadingEnabled = false;
//this.Configuration.ProxyCreationEnabled = false;
string conStr = GetDb();
this.Database.Connection.ConnectionString = conStr;
}
The problem is, with this method, I have to restart the application pool on the server and the new user should be the first accessor to the application.
I need the same thing without a requirement of restarting the app. Is that possible?
(This is a SPA using AngularJS on MVC views and WebApi as data provider - May be relevant somehow, so thought I should mention)
I already tried this, but this creates an error for EF and the application doesn't start at all...
You could try a little bit different approach to connect directly (and create) the right database.
public class DataContext : DbContext
{
public DataContext(DbConnection connection) : base(connection, true) { }
}
Here you create the DbContext already with the right connection.
Take also care because you need to specify to migrations that the right connection should be used (not the Web.Config connection but the connection that raised the database creation).
See the second overload here https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-US/library/hh829099(v=vs.113).aspx#M:System.Data.Entity.MigrateDatabaseToLatestVersion.

How to use Membership provider with EF Code First?

I have models based on EF Code First and I want to use them with the default MembershipProvider, but I don't know how to write the model correctly, so it won't erase all my data on recreating the tables when there were changes made to the model.
Have a look at this project
http://codefirstmembership.codeplex.com/
It has entity classes for users and roles, as well as a roleprovider and membershipprovider implementation. If you include the users and roles in your datacontext class the tables will be created in your database.
Your question has two parts.
How to use asp.net membership API with EF code first?
How to preserve existing data when model changes?
as for How to preserve existing data when model changes, as far as with EF 4.0/ asp.net mvc 3, database migrations are not yet supported. You will have to move to asp.net mvc 4.0/ EF 4.3 where database migrations are supported or use similar alternatives , but its still beta release.
asp.net mvc 4.0 database migration in scott gu's blog
Now coming to the point on how to use asp.net membership provider with EF code first. There are couple of challenges :
We cannot/should not do an join with asp.net membership provider tables. Its not recommended, so my suggestion will be to create a "adapter class" for asp.net membership provider classes. For ex :
public class UserAdapter
{
// all user related attributes. Not stored in membership schema, but your schema
public string UserProxyName;
// some attributes stored in membership schema
[NotMapped]
public string Email {
get
{
Membership.GetUser(UserProxyName).Email;
}
}
// some attributes stored in membership schema and not in your schema
[NotMapped]
public string[] UserRoles
{
get
{
return Roles.GetRolesForUser(UserProxyName);
}
}
}
Now for updating information , you may write some functions in Model itself, however i would suggest create a UserRepository with repository design pattern to handle user CRUD operations.
Second challenge is how to create the database on first run. As seeding becomes an issue, if you want to seed user information then seperately running aspnet_regsql is not efficient as membership schema is expected before the seeding happens. I came across this nice article , with some fine tuning it worked for me :
asp.net membership and EF
Currently (EF 4.1 CTP) EF Code First doesn't have that option. It always drops a table if you made changes to model.
Update:
EF 4.1 RTM allows you to create a custom database initializer and specify creation of db objects and data seeding.
If you are using SQL Server, then check this :
http://www.paragm.com/ef-v4-1-code-first-and-asp-net-membership-service/
There is also my library which basically allows you to define how almost everything should be configured including: key type, where the your context object is, and where your user/role entities are located. Extendable using abstract base classes or interfaces. Also works quite well out of the box with repository pattern / unit of work / IoC Containers.
Source: https://github.com/holyprin/holyprin.web.security
NuGet: https://nuget.org/packages/Holyprin.Web.Security
In my DbContext.cs file I have a Seed function where I call the ApplicationServices.InstallServices() to install the ASP.NET Membership to my database. Now everytime my initializer drop the database it recreates ASP.NET Membership schema again.
public class PanelInitializer : DropCreateDatabaseAlways<PanelContext>
{
protected override void Seed(PanelContext context)
{
//Install ASP.NET Membership
ApplicationServices.InstallServices(SqlFeatures.Membership | SqlFeatures.RoleManager);
new List<Panel>
{
The ApplicationServices class
using System.Configuration;
using System.Data.SqlClient;
using System.Web.Management;
namespace Lansw.Panels.DataAccess.Contexts
{
public class ApplicationServices
{
readonly static string DefaultConnectionString = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["DefaultConnectionString"];
readonly static string ConnectionString = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings[DefaultConnectionString].ConnectionString;
readonly static SqlConnectionStringBuilder MyBuilder = new SqlConnectionStringBuilder(ConnectionString);
public static void InstallServices(SqlFeatures sqlFeatures)
{
SqlServices.Install(MyBuilder.InitialCatalog, sqlFeatures, ConnectionString);
}
public static void UninstallServices(SqlFeatures sqlFeatures)
{
SqlServices.Uninstall(MyBuilder.InitialCatalog, sqlFeatures, ConnectionString);
}
}
}
Thanks to #ImarSpaanjaars http://imar.spaanjaars.com/563/using-entity-framework-code-first-and-aspnet-membership-together.

Asp.net ajax update panel sharing a database connection

I have a dropdown box and a literal tag inside an Update Panel. On the selection change event of the dropdown up requery the database and repopulate the literal tag and then call UPdatePanel.Update().
below, is there are way i can avoid having to create a new Oledbconnection each time as this seems slow. Can i reuse and store:
The Datasource
The connection in the page.
if so, how do i keep this state between calls from the GUI to the server? Here is my selection change code below
protected void cboPeople_SelectedIndexChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
string dataSource = ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings["contactsDB"];
var objConn = new OleDbConnection(dataSource);
string id = People[cboPeople.Text];
UpdateLiteral(objConn, id);
}
With .NET is not a good idea to keep your connection alive longer than needs. Good practice would be to put a using statement around it (so it always gets cleaned up):
string dataSource = ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings["contactsDB"];
using(var objConn = new OleDbConnection(dataSource))
{
string id = People[cboPeople.Text];
UpdateLiteral(objConn, id);
}
.NET uses connection pooling, which means that when you close/dispose of the connection it doesn't actually close the connection, rather resets it and add it back to the pool. The next time a connection is needed it is used from the pool. So the overhead is not as much as you think and it is not slow. In actual fact you will find that it will use the same connection as long as only one at a time is needed.
The danger with keeping connections open is that they never get closed, and in high demand situations you run out of connections.
You need to recreate this for each request. You have a a state less server. you never know when or if your client will call back. You do not want to keep an open connection to the database nor could you simply service multiply clients while maintaining one database connection.
To deploy high-performance
applications, you must use connection
pooling. When you use the .NET
Framework Data Provider for OLE DB,
you do not have to enable connection
pooling because the provider manages
this automatically. For more
information about how to use
connection pooling with the .NET
Framework Data Provider for OLE DB,
see OLE DB, ODBC, and Oracle
Connection Pooling (ADO.NET).
From OleDbConnection Class

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