C# addin with EF6 - No connection string named 'Entities' could be found in the application config file

Question

I'm working right now on upgrading a VB.net Solidworks addin to a better version of it but in CSharp. I'm trying to migrate towards Entity Framework 6 when it comes to Database integration.

So I started a Visual Studio 2017 SwAddin C# project. You can follow my steps in this post here. I then added the NuGet Package Entity Framework.

When this is done, i'm adding an ADO.net Entity Data Model to my project.

Then you may use a syntax like this one to Insert a new entry :

            Info_IndusEntities context = new Info_IndusEntities();

        WillyDemandes newDemande = new WillyDemandes()

        {

            PathModel = "ModelTest",

            ConfigName = "ConfigTest",

            Revision = 1,

            Priority = 2,

            Statut = "EnTest",

            WilmaTQ = true,

            WilmaRBRE = true,

            WilmaRBTK = true,

            WilmaTLS = true,

            GenerateBOM = true,

            PdfPage = "L;",

            ECO = "ECO #1234",

            SendingComputer = System.Environment.MachineName,

            Username = System.Environment.UserName,

            MailAddress = "myemail@mycompany.com",

            DateProduite = DateTime.Now

        };

        context.WillyDemandes.Add(newDemande);

        context.SaveChanges();

The problem is that this would work fine in any other projet. I tried a C# console project for example. But when it comes to trying this in an Addin, i'm getting the following error :

'No connection string named 'Entities' could be found in the application config file.'

I tried many things like changing the App.config "Build Action" to Embedded Ressource, or changing the "Copy to Output Directory" property to Always Copy but nothing seems to work.

This is a Class Librabry project and this is the Startup project of the solution.

The content is in my config file :

I solved this by executing the FileName.exe with the FileNAme.exe.config in the same directory. — kurdy, Aug 16 '18 at 12:57
Possible duplicate of [No connection string named 'MyEntities' could be found in the application config file](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/12622408/no-connection-string-named-myentities-could-be-found-in-the-application-config) — AndrewK, Aug 17 '18 at 21:20

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 16 '18 at 12:56

2

To solve that issue

1- Set the project as startup project

2- Make sure you add the connection strings after entityFramework section:

<configSections>
<!-- For more information on Entity Framework configuration, visit http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=237468 -->
<section name="entityFramework" type="System.Data.Entity.Internal.ConfigFile.EntityFrameworkSection, EntityFramework, Version=6.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" requirePermission="false"/>

</configSections>

<connectionStrings>
   <!-- your connection string goes here, after configSection -->
</connectionString>

answered Aug 16 '18 at 12:56

Muhammad Hassan

475
2
14

1 - I only have 1 project. I did right-click, Set as Startup project (Even though it already was) 2 - Connections strings are already after the entityFramework section as you can see in the last image above. Still not working – Michaël Corriveau-Côté Aug 16 '18 at 13:09
I tried to help you, hope you find the solution asap :). – Muhammad Hassan Aug 16 '18 at 13:38
Setting project as startup, worked for my case. Is there workaround for this? – IvanP Sep 22 '20 at 11:52

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 20 '18 at 00:43

2

Unfortunately the way Solidworks is loading your addin dll prevents you (or libraries that you are using like EF) from accessing .config file in the usual way. The easiest solution for you is to use overloaded constructor for your entities object and pass connection string from code.

answered Aug 20 '18 at 00:43

Vlad

793
6
15

Yes! I did exactly this. I added a class that overloads it and passed the connection string from the config file in arguments. works like a charm. Thanks – Michaël Corriveau-Côté Aug 20 '18 at 11:08

C# addin with EF6 - No connection string named 'Entities' could be found in the application config file

2 Answers2