Update database without migration in Entity Framework

Question

I've created an ASP.NET MVC sample application in Visual Studio. I added two classes like below :

public class Product
{
    public int Id { get; set; }
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public int Price { get; set; }
    public ICollection<Product> Products { get; set; }
}

public class Order
{
    public int Id{ get; set; }
    public Product Product { get; set; }
    public int ProductId { get; set; }
    public DateTime RegisterDate { get; set; }
}

and then I added two DbSet to the main DbContext like this:

 public class ApplicationDbContext : IdentityDbContext<ApplicationUser>
{
    public IDbSet<Product> Products { get; set; }
    public IDbSet<Order> Orders { get; set; }

    public ApplicationDbContext()
        : base("DefaultConnection", throwIfV1Schema: false)
    {
    }

    public static ApplicationDbContext Create()
    {
        return new ApplicationDbContext();
    }
}

But now when I run project, I get this error :

The model backing the 'ApplicationDbContext' context has changed since the database was created

I just wanted to know is there a way to update the database without using migrations (Add-migrations and update-database)?

You can use a database initializer as Rise suggests. These are handy for early development and have their own seed methods. Once you get non-seed data you want to preserve you can switch to migrations. Using a null initializer won't create the database objects - it will assume the code model matches the database (dangerous). — Steve Greene
– Steve Greene, Commented Aug 5, 2017 at 14:50
You can delete the dbo.__MigrationHistory and try. Please see my answer below stackoverflow.com/a/67821254/3057246 — Vinod Srivastav
– Vinod Srivastav, Commented Mar 7, 2022 at 7:33

bubi · Accepted Answer · 2017-08-05 12:13:54Z

6

You can update the database structure in the way you want (queries, via DBMS user interface and so on).
If you do so you need to disable configuration check.

Database.SetInitializer<YourContext>(null);

(I insert this in a static constructor in the context)

answered Aug 5, 2017 at 12:13

bubi

6,5013 gold badges32 silver badges50 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

Comments

ashin · Accepted Answer · 2019-01-03 05:56:52Z

4

You can enable automatic migrations to achieve this. This approach definitely uses code-first migration but you don't need to use Add-Migration command or update-database.

Run Enable-Migrations –EnableAutomaticMigrations from package manager console first to generates a Configuration class as follows:

internal sealed class Configuration : DbMigrationsConfiguration<ApplicationDbContext>
{
  public Configuration()
  {
    AutomaticMigrationsEnabled = true;
  }

  protected override void Seed(ApplicationDbContext context)
  { 
  }
}

Now you could either update the db context's constructor to migrate to latest version as follows:

public ApplicationDbContext()
    : base("DefaultConnection", throwIfV1Schema: false)
{
   Database.SetInitializer(
             new MigrateDatabaseToLatestVersion<ApplicationDbContext, Configuration>());
   this.Database.Initialize(true);
}

Or migrate to the latest version on application start up as follows:

using (var context = new ApplicationDbContext())
 {
    Database.SetInitializer(
              new MigrateDatabaseToLatestVersion<ApplicationDbContext, Configuration>());
    context.Database.Initialize(true);
 }

UPDATE

If you prefer not to use migrations at all, you may consider setting the database initializer to null and handle the db migration manually using scripts

Database.SetInitializer<YourContext>(null);

edited Jan 3, 2019 at 5:56

answered Aug 5, 2017 at 8:24

ashin

2,6131 gold badge14 silver badges17 bronze badges

2 Comments

Kenneth K. Over a year ago

The answer to "Update database without migration" is to run –EnableAutomaticMigrations?!?!

ashin Over a year ago

"I just wanted to know is there a way to update the database without using migrations (Add-migrations and update-database)?" - this question gave me a notion that the OP wanted to get it done without handling the migration manually..and moreover there was no mention that the OP wanted to take care of migration manually using scripts..anyways, i have updated the answer..thanks for pointing out!

Vinod Srivastav · Accepted Answer · 2021-06-03 12:11:10Z

2

With EF6:

I think what you can do it to have the Database.SetInitializer in your DbContext Class constructor to have the database created on the first run. This I guess you already have, next you can comment it where it says Database.SetInitializer<MyContext>(new CreateDatabaseIfNotExists<MyContext>());

and delete the dbo.__MigrationHistory table created in your database.

Now you can use Alter Table.. to add remove columns in your database table then in your C# Table class to match.

answered Jun 3, 2021 at 12:11

Vinod Srivastav

4,3261 gold badge32 silver badges45 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Update database without migration in Entity Framework

3 Answers 3

Comments

2 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

3 Answers 3

Comments

2 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related