Using MySQL with Entity Framework

It's been released - Get the MySQL connector for .Net v6.5 - this has support for [Entity Framework]

I was waiting for this the whole time, although the support is basic, works for most basic scenarios of db interaction. It also has basic Visual Studio integration.

UPDATE http://dev.mysql.com/downloads/connector/net/ Starting with version 6.7, Connector/Net will no longer include the MySQL for Visual Studio integration. That functionality is now available in a separate product called MySQL for Visual Studio available using the MySQL Installer for Windows (see http://dev.mysql.com/tech-resources/articles/mysql-installer-for-windows.html).

Check out my post on this subject.

http://pattersonc.com/blog/index.php/2009/04/01/using-mysql-with-entity-framework-and-aspnet-mvc-–-part-i/

MySQL is hosting a webinar about EF in a few days... Look here: http://www.mysql.com/news-and-events/web-seminars/display-204.html

edit: That webinar is now at http://www.mysql.com/news-and-events/on-demand-webinars/display-od-204.html

This isn't about MS and what they want. They have created an *open system for others to plug-in 'providers' - postgres and sqlite have it - mysql is just laggin... but, good news for those interested, i too was looking for this and found that the MySql Connector/Net 6.0 will have it... you can check it out here:

http://www.upfromthesky.com/blog/post/2009/03/24/MySql-Supports-the-Entity-Framework.aspx

You would need a mapping provider for MySQL. That is an extra thing the Entity Framework needs to make the magic happen. This blog talks about other mapping providers besides the one Microsoft is supplying. I haven't found any mentionings of MySQL.

Vintana,

Od course there's something ready now. http://www.devart.com/products.html - it's commercial although (you have a 30days trial IIRC). They make a living writing providers, so I guess it should be fast and stable. I know really big companies using their Oracle provider instead of Orace and MS ones.

This MySQL tutorial shows how to generate and use EF entities as a datasource for a control.

You might also look at http://www.devart.com/

They have commercial provider ($$) that supports EF.

Be careful using connector .net, Connector 6.6.5 have a bug, it is not working for inserting tinyint values as identity, for example:

create table person(
    Id tinyint unsigned primary key auto_increment,
    Name varchar(30)
);

if you try to insert an object like this:

Person p;
p = new Person();
p.Name = 'Oware'
context.Person.Add(p);
context.SaveChanges();

You will get a Null Reference Exception:

Referencia a objeto no establecida como instancia de un objeto.:
   en MySql.Data.Entity.ListFragment.WriteSql(StringBuilder sql)
   en MySql.Data.Entity.SelectStatement.WriteSql(StringBuilder sql)
   en MySql.Data.Entity.InsertStatement.WriteSql(StringBuilder sql)
   en MySql.Data.Entity.SqlFragment.ToString()
   en MySql.Data.Entity.InsertGenerator.GenerateSQL(DbCommandTree tree)
   en MySql.Data.MySqlClient.MySqlProviderServices.CreateDbCommandDefinition(DbProviderManifest providerManifest, DbCommandTree commandTree)
   en System.Data.Common.DbProviderServices.CreateCommandDefinition(DbCommandTree commandTree)
   en System.Data.Common.DbProviderServices.CreateCommand(DbCommandTree commandTree)
   en System.Data.Mapping.Update.Internal.UpdateTranslator.CreateCommand(DbModificationCommandTree commandTree)
   en System.Data.Mapping.Update.Internal.DynamicUpdateCommand.CreateCommand(UpdateTranslator translator, Dictionary`2 identifierValues)
   en System.Data.Mapping.Update.Internal.DynamicUpdateCommand.Execute(UpdateTranslator translator, EntityConnection connection, Dictionary`2 identifierValues, List`1 generatedValues)
   en System.Data.Mapping.Update.Internal.UpdateTranslator.Update(IEntityStateManager stateManager, IEntityAdapter adapter)
   en System.Data.EntityClient.EntityAdapter.Update(IEntityStateManager entityCache)
   en System.Data.Objects.ObjectContext.SaveChanges(SaveOptions options)
   en System.Data.Entity.Internal.InternalContext.SaveChanges()
   en System.Data.Entity.Internal.LazyInternalContext.SaveChanges()
   en System.Data.Entity.DbContext.SaveChanges()

Until now I haven't found a solution, I had to change my tinyint identity to unsigned int identity, this solved the problem but this is not the right solution.

If you use an older version of Connector.net (I used 6.4.4) you won't have this problem.

If someone knows about the solution, please contact me.

Cheers!

Oware

I didn't see the link here, but there's a beta .NET Connector for MySql. Click "Development Releases" to download 6.3.2 beta, which has EF4/VS2010 integration:

http://dev.mysql.com/downloads/connector/net/5.0.html#downloads

If you interested in running Entity Framework with MySql on mono/linux/macos, this might be helpful https://iyalovoi.wordpress.com/2015/04/06/entity-framework-with-mysql-on-mac-os/