Batch Rename Classes in Entity Framework Database First

Question

Is it possible to batch rename the Class (Entity) names in auto generated .cs files inside edmx model? I need to have uppercase first letter for all the entities e.g. "account" needs to be changed to "Account".

partial class account
    {
        public long id { get; set; }
        public int idPartner { get; set; }
        public string accountName { get; set; }
    }

Visual Studio has been generating lower case names for MySql tables used in the project which has been deployed in production & the table names cannot be changed. I know that mappings can be changed using property window in edmx designer but it is not useful in this case because of so many tables. Is there a tool which can do this? If there is none, then what are the exact steps to modify the edmx & other files so that I can create a tool for batch modification of all the entities?

Answer 1

I'm not sure whether Entity Framework 6 has improved the situation over EF 5. I had a similar issue a while back with EF 5 and found a solution wherein I was able to successfully transform the VS-generated EDMX. Basically, it's a console app that takes in an EDMX file and transforms it.

I merely (successfully) used the tool. You'll find the original with notes here: https://www.tabsoverspaces.com/233202-changing-entity-names-i-e-removing-prefix-in-entity-frameworks-edmx-in-batch/

Credit to Jiří Činčura (www.tabsoverspaces.com)

Below is the code:

static void TransformEDMXEntities(string inputFile, string outputFile)
{
    XDocument xdoc = XDocument.Load(inputFile);

    const string CSDLNamespace = "http://schemas.microsoft.com/ado/2009/11/edm";
    const string MSLNamespace = "http://schemas.microsoft.com/ado/2009/11/mapping/cs";
    const string DesignerNamespace = "http://schemas.microsoft.com/ado/2009/11/edmx";
    XElement csdl = xdoc.Descendants(XName.Get("Schema", CSDLNamespace)).First();
    XElement msl = xdoc.Descendants(XName.Get("Mapping", MSLNamespace)).First();
    XElement designerDiagram = xdoc.Descendants(XName.Get("Designer", DesignerNamespace)).First();

    Func<string, string> transformation = (string input) =>
    {
        const string PREFIX = "tbl";
        Regex re = new Regex(string.Format(@"{0}(\w+)", Regex.Escape(PREFIX)), RegexOptions.None);
        return re.Replace(input, new MatchEvaluator(
            (Match m) =>
            {
                return m.Groups[1].Value;
            }));
    };

    TransformCSDL(CSDLNamespace, csdl, transformation);
    TransformMSL(MSLNamespace, msl, transformation);
    TransformDesigner(DesignerNamespace, designerDiagram, transformation);

    using (XmlTextWriter writer = new XmlTextWriter(outputFile, Encoding.Default))
    {
        xdoc.WriteTo(writer);
    }
}

static void TransformDesigner(string DesignerNamespace, XElement designerDiagram, Func<string, string> transformation)
{
    foreach (var item in designerDiagram.Elements(XName.Get("EntityTypeShape", DesignerNamespace)))
    {
        item.Attribute("EntityType").Value = transformation(item.Attribute("EntityType").Value);
    }
}

static void TransformMSL(string MSLNamespace, XElement msl, Func<string, string> transformation)
{
    foreach (var entitySetMapping in msl.Element(XName.Get("EntityContainerMapping", MSLNamespace)).Elements(XName.Get("EntitySetMapping", MSLNamespace)))
    {
        entitySetMapping.Attribute("Name").Value = transformation(entitySetMapping.Attribute("Name").Value);
        foreach (var entityTypeMapping in entitySetMapping.Elements(XName.Get("EntityTypeMapping", MSLNamespace)))
        {
            entityTypeMapping.Attribute("TypeName").Value = transformation(entityTypeMapping.Attribute("TypeName").Value);
        }
    }
}

static void TransformCSDL(string CSDLNamespace, XElement csdl, Func<string, string> transformation)
{
    foreach (var entitySet in csdl.Element(XName.Get("EntityContainer", CSDLNamespace)).Elements(XName.Get("EntitySet", CSDLNamespace)))
    {
        entitySet.Attribute("Name").Value = transformation(entitySet.Attribute("Name").Value);
        entitySet.Attribute("EntityType").Value = transformation(entitySet.Attribute("EntityType").Value);
    }
    foreach (var associationSet in csdl.Element(XName.Get("EntityContainer", CSDLNamespace)).Elements(XName.Get("AssociationSet", CSDLNamespace)))
    {
        foreach (var end in associationSet.Elements(XName.Get("End", CSDLNamespace)))
        {
            end.Attribute("EntitySet").Value = transformation(end.Attribute("EntitySet").Value);
        }
    }

    foreach (var entityType in csdl.Elements(XName.Get("EntityType", CSDLNamespace)))
    {
        entityType.Attribute("Name").Value = transformation(entityType.Attribute("Name").Value);
    }
    foreach (var association in csdl.Elements(XName.Get("Association", CSDLNamespace)))
    {
        foreach (var end in association.Elements(XName.Get("End", CSDLNamespace)))
        {
            end.Attribute("Type").Value = transformation(end.Attribute("Type").Value);
        }
    }
}