How to instantiate a DbContext in EF Core

Question

How to instantiate a DbContext in EF Core

.net-core asp.net-core c# entity-framework-core

Question

I have setup .net core project and db context also. But i cant start using dbContext yet due this error-

"there is no argument given that corresponds to the required formal parameter 'options'"

Controller:

public IActionResult Index()
{
    using (var db = new BlexzWebDb())
    {

    }
    return View();
}

Dbcontext Code:

public class BlexzWebDb : DbContext
{
    public BlexzWebDb(DbContextOptions<BlexzWebDb> options)
       : base(options)
    { }

    public DbSet<User> Users { get; set; }
    public DbSet<Role> Roles { get; set; }
    public DbSet<AssignedRole> AssignedRoles { get; set; }

}

error picture attached. Whats the possible fix for that issue? Thanks in advance

john Cogdle

Instantiate new object of DbContext from ConnectionString

var connectionstring = "Connection string";

var optionsBuilder = new DbContextOptionsBuilder<ApplicationDbContext>();
    optionsBuilder.UseSqlServer(connectionstring);


ApplicationDbContext dbContext = new ApplicationDbContext(optionsBuilder.Options);

// Or you can also instantiate inside using

using(ApplicationDbContext dbContext = new ApplicationDbContext(optionsBuilder.Options))
{
   //...do stuff
}

Qamar Zaman

View more on Stack Overflow

Stefan · Accepted Answer · 2/21/2020 12:05:35 PM

update

These days the prefered method to add a DbContext to the service collection is to use the AddDbContextPool method:

//hey, options!
//hey, DbContextPool
services.AddDbContextPool<BlexzWebDb>(options => 
       options.UseSqlServer(Configuration.GetConnectionString("BlexzWebConnection")));

//etc

for more info, see msdn

In EF Core it's common to pass some DbContextOptions to the constructor.

So in general, a constructor looks like this:

public BlexzWebDb(DbContextOptions<BlexzWebDb> options) : base(options)

As you can see there, there is no valid overload in the form of a parameter-less constructor:

Thus, this does not work:

using (var db = new BlexzWebDb())

Instead

.Net Core has IoC implemented in it's roots. Okay, this means; you don't create a context, you ask the framework to give you one, based on some rules you defined before.

Example: somewhere you will register your dbcontext, (Startup.cs):

//typical configuration part of .net core
public void ConfigureServices(IServiceCollection services)
{
    //some mvc 
    services.AddMvc();

    //hey, options! 
    services.AddDbContextPool<BlexzWebDb>(options => 
           options.UseSqlServer(Configuration.GetConnectionString("BlexzWebConnection")));
    //...etc

Now the registering part is done, you can retrieve your context from the framework. E.g.: inversion of control through a constructor in your controller:

public class SomeController : Controller
{
    private readonly BlexzWebDb _db;

    //the framework handles this
    public SomeController(BlexzWebDb db)
    {
        _db = db;
    }

    //etc.

why?

So, why not just provide the arguments and new it?

Obviously that will work as well. But, Inversion Of Control is considered to be a good practice. When doing asp dotnet core you should use it quite often because most libraries provide extension methods to use it.

Therefore, instead of providing "just a way to instantiate" the object, I'll try to get you onto the right track - inline with the framework. It will save you some hassle afterwards. Besides, otherwise "use an activator's CreateInstance" would just be as valid as an answer ;-)

Some links:

How to instantiate a DbContext in EF Core

Question

Fastest Entity Framework Extensions

Accepted Answer

update

why?

Popular Answer

Instantiate new object of DbContext from ConnectionString

Performance

Expression Evaluator

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