How to: Build an EntityConnection Connection String

This topic provides an example of how to build an EntityConnection.

To run the code in this example

1. Add the AdventureWorks Sales Model to your project and configure your project to use the Entity Framework. For more information, see How to: Use the Entity Data Model Wizard.

2. In the code page for your application, add the following using statements (Imports in Visual Basic):

   Imports System
   Imports System.Collections.Generic
   Imports System.Collections
   Imports System.Data.Common
   Imports System.Data
   Imports System.IO
   Imports System.Data.SqlClient
   Imports System.Data.EntityClient
   Imports System.Data.Metadata.Edm
   

   using System;
   using System.Collections.Generic;
   using System.Collections;
   using System.Data.Common;
   using System.Data;
   using System.IO;
   using System.Data.SqlClient;
   using System.Data.EntityClient;
   using System.Data.Metadata.Edm;
   

Example

The following example initializes the System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnectionStringBuilder for the underlying provider, then initializes the System.Data.EntityClient.EntityConnectionStringBuilder object and passes this object to the constructor of the EntityConnection.

' Specify the provider name, server and database. 
Dim providerName As String = "System.Data.SqlClient"
Dim serverName As String = "."
Dim databaseName As String = "AdventureWorks"

' Initialize the connection string builder for the 
' underlying provider. 
Dim sqlBuilder As New SqlConnectionStringBuilder()

' Set the properties for the data source. 
sqlBuilder.DataSource = serverName
sqlBuilder.InitialCatalog = databaseName
sqlBuilder.IntegratedSecurity = True

' Build the SqlConnection connection string. 
Dim providerString As String = sqlBuilder.ToString()

' Initialize the EntityConnectionStringBuilder. 
Dim entityBuilder As New EntityConnectionStringBuilder()

'Set the provider name. 
entityBuilder.Provider = providerName

' Set the provider-specific connection string. 
entityBuilder.ProviderConnectionString = providerString

' Set the Metadata location. 
entityBuilder.Metadata = "res://*/AdventureWorksModel.csdl|res://*/AdventureWorksModel.ssdl|res://*/AdventureWorksModel.msl"
Console.WriteLine(entityBuilder.ToString())

Using conn As New EntityConnection(entityBuilder.ToString())
    conn.Open()
    Console.WriteLine("Just testing the connection.")
    conn.Close()
End Using

// Specify the provider name, server and database.
string providerName = "System.Data.SqlClient";
string serverName = ".";
string databaseName = "AdventureWorks";

// Initialize the connection string builder for the
// underlying provider.
SqlConnectionStringBuilder sqlBuilder =
    new SqlConnectionStringBuilder();

// Set the properties for the data source.
sqlBuilder.DataSource = serverName;
sqlBuilder.InitialCatalog = databaseName;
sqlBuilder.IntegratedSecurity = true;

// Build the SqlConnection connection string.
string providerString = sqlBuilder.ToString();

// Initialize the EntityConnectionStringBuilder.
EntityConnectionStringBuilder entityBuilder =
    new EntityConnectionStringBuilder();

//Set the provider name.
entityBuilder.Provider = providerName;

// Set the provider-specific connection string.
entityBuilder.ProviderConnectionString = providerString;

// Set the Metadata location.
entityBuilder.Metadata = @"res://*/AdventureWorksModel.csdl|
                            res://*/AdventureWorksModel.ssdl|
                            res://*/AdventureWorksModel.msl";
Console.WriteLine(entityBuilder.ToString());

using (EntityConnection conn =
    new EntityConnection(entityBuilder.ToString()))
{
    conn.Open();
    Console.WriteLine("Just testing the connection.");
    conn.Close();
}

See Also

Tasks

How to: Use EntityConnection with an Object Context

Concepts

EntityClient Provider for the Entity Framework