How to use DbConnection in DbContext

user4524874

I'm working in ASP.NET 4.5 project using Entity Framework 6 Database First approach.

I need to use a OracleConnection into DbContext because I can't use a connection string to establish the communication with the DBMS.

I know DbContext class has a constructor accepting an instance of DbConnection but I having some problems with it.

Do you know where I can get more information about this issue?

Thanks.

Alex Keh-Oracle

What is the exact problem?

user4524874

When I try to execute a LINQ expression using the DbContext instance I got using the constructor with a OracleConnection object I get the following exception:

	Name	Value	Type
◢	$exception	{"Unable to determine the provider name for provider factory of type 'Oracle.ManagedDataAccess.Client.OracleClientFactory'. Make sure that the ADO.NET provider is installed or registered in the application config."}	System.NotSupportedException

The program works fine when I use the DbContext constructor with a parameter that uses a connection string specified in the Web.config.

	Name	Value	Type
	StackTrace	" at System.Data.Entity.Utilities.DbProviderFactoryExtensions.GetProviderInvariantName(DbProviderFactory factory) at System.Data.Entity.Infrastructure.DependencyResolution.DefaultInvariantNameResolver.GetService(Type type, Object key) at System.Data.Entity.Infrastructure.DependencyResolution.CachingDependencyResolver.<>c__DisplayClass1.<GetService>b__0(Tuple`2 k) at System.Collections.Concurrent.ConcurrentDictionary`2.GetOrAdd(TKey key, Func`2 valueFactory) at System.Data.Entity.Infrastructure.DependencyResolution.CachingDependencyResolver.GetService(Type type, Object key) at System.Data.Entity.Infrastructure.DependencyResolution.ResolverChain.<>c__DisplayClass3.<GetService>b__0(IDbDependencyResolver r) at System.Linq.Enumerable.WhereSelectArrayIterator`2.MoveNext() at System.Linq.Enumerable.FirstOrDefault[TSource](IEnumerable`1 source, Func`2 predicate) at System.Data.Entity.Infrastructure.DependencyResolution.ResolverChain.GetService(Type type, Object key) at System.Data.Entity.Infrastructure.DependencyResolution.RootDependencyResolver.GetService(Type type, Object key) at System.Data.Entity.Infrastructure.DependencyResolution.ResolverChain.<>c__DisplayClass3.<GetService>b__0(IDbDependencyResolver r) at System.Linq.Enumerable.WhereSelectArrayIterator`2.MoveNext() at System.Linq.Enumerable.FirstOrDefault[TSource](IEnumerable`1 source, Func`2 predicate) at System.Data.Entity.Infrastructure.DependencyResolution.ResolverChain.GetService(Type type, Object key) at System.Data.Entity.Infrastructure.DependencyResolution.CompositeResolver`2.GetService(Type type, Object key) at System.Data.Entity.Infrastructure.DependencyResolution.DbDependencyResolverExtensions.GetService[T](IDbDependencyResolver resolver, Object key) at System.Data.Entity.Utilities.DbConnectionExtensions.GetProviderInvariantName(DbConnection connection) at System.Data.Entity.Internal.InternalConnection.get_ProviderName() at System.Data.Entity.Internal.LazyInternalContext.get_ProviderName() at System.Data.Entity.Internal.DefaultModelCacheKeyFactory.Create(DbContext context) at System.Data.Entity.Internal.LazyInternalContext.InitializeContext() at System.Data.Entity.Internal.InternalContext.Initialize() at System.Data.Entity.Internal.InternalContext.GetEntitySetAndBaseTypeForType(Type entityType) at System.Data.Entity.Internal.Linq.InternalSet`1.Initialize() at System.Data.Entity.Internal.Linq.InternalSet`1.GetEnumerator() at System.Data.Entity.Infrastructure.DbQuery`1.System.Collections.Generic.IEnumerable<TResult>.GetEnumerator() at System.Linq.Lookup`2.CreateForJoin(IEnumerable`1 source, Func`2 keySelector, IEqualityComparer`1 comparer) at System.Linq.Enumerable.<JoinIterator>d__38`4.MoveNext() at System.Linq.Enumerable.WhereEnumerableIterator`1.MoveNext() at System.Linq.Lookup`2.CreateForJoin(IEnumerable`1 source, Func`2 keySelector, IEqualityComparer`1 comparer) at System.Linq.Enumerable.<JoinIterator>d__38`4.MoveNext() at System.Linq.Enumerable.WhereEnumerableIterator`1.MoveNext() at ….

I suppose I have to specify the data provider name somewhere but I don't find more information about this case where you use a DbConnection object anywhere.

Thanks.

Alex Keh-Oracle

This error is generally a setup config or install issue. Can you describe how you installed and setup ODP.NET and the Oracle EF provider in your project?

The other way to approach this is to use one of the existing EF6 tutorials, which covers install and setup. Here's the Code First tutorial:

https://www.oracle.com/webfolder/technetwork/tutorials/obe/db/dotnet/2015/codefirstandcodefirstmigrations/Entity%20Frame…

In case you need to know what DB First setup is like, here's that tutorial:

https://www.oracle.com/webfolder/technetwork/tutorials/obe/db/dotnet/2015/entityframework_linq_modelfirst/Entity%20Frame…