Entity Framework 5.0 code-first with MySQL Connector 6.6.5.0 on .Net 4.5

Question

For the life of me, I can't get my C# WinApp to work with Entity Framework 5.0 with a MySql database using MySql connector 6.6.5.0 (MySql.Data reference) and MySql Entity 6.5.4.0 (MySql.Data.Entity reference). Using .Net Framework 4.5 on Visual Studio 2012. At the time of this writing, the versions above are all the latest stable ones.

Here's what I have on app.config

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
  <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=5.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" requirePermission="false" />
  </configSections>
  <startup>
    <supportedRuntime version="v4.0" sku=".NETFramework,Version=v4.5" />
  </startup>
  <system.data>
    <DbProviderFactories>
      <add name="MySQL Data Provider" 
           invariant="MySql.Data.MySqlClient" 
           description=".Net Framework Data Provider for MySQL" 
           type="MySql.Data.MySqlClient.MySqlClientFactory, MySql.Data" />
    </DbProviderFactories>
  </system.data>
  <connectionStrings>
    <add name="MyConnectionName" 
         connectionString="Server=mysql13.myserver.com.br;Database=mydb;User Id=username;Pwd=pa$$w0rd;" 
         providerName="MySql.Data.MySqlClient" />
  </connectionStrings>
  <entityFramework>
    <defaultConnectionFactory type="MySql.Data.MySqlClient.MySqlClientFactory, MySql.Data">
    </defaultConnectionFactory>
  </entityFramework>
  <runtime>
    <assemblyBinding xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1">
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="MySql.Data" publicKeyToken="c5687fc88969c44d" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-6.6.5.0" newVersion="6.6.5.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
    </assemblyBinding>
  </runtime>
</configuration>

In the code

User class

public class User
{
    public int Id { get; set; }
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public virtual List<Permission> Permissions { get; set; }

    public User()
    {
        Permissions = new List<Permission>();
    }
}

public class Permission
{
    public int Id { get; set; }
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public string Description { get; set; }
}

public class UserContext : DbContext
{
    public DbSet<User> Users { get; set; }
    public DbSet<Permission> Permissions { get; set; }
}

Creating a new record

        using (var db = new UserContext())
        {
            Permission permission1 = new Permission() { Name = "Permission 1", Description = "The desc 1" };
            Permission permission2 = new Permission() { Name = "2nd Perm", Description = "Desc2" };
            User user = new User() { Name = "Joao" };
            user.Permissions.Add(permission1);
            user.Permissions.Add(permission2);

            db.Users.Add(user);
            db.SaveChanges();
        }

And I get the exception at the line db.Users.Add(user);

System.InvalidOperationException was unhandled
  HResult=-2146233079
  Message=Failed to set Database.DefaultConnectionFactory to an instance of the 'MySql.Data.MySqlClient.MySqlClientFactory, MySql.Data' type as specified in the application configuration. See inner exception for details.
  Source=EntityFramework
  StackTrace:
       at System.Data.Entity.Internal.AppConfig.<.ctor>b__1()
       at System.Lazy`1.CreateValue()
    --- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
       at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
       at System.Lazy`1.get_Value()
       at System.Data.Entity.Internal.AppConfig.get_DefaultConnectionFactory()
       [removing the rest of the stack]
  InnerException: System.InvalidCastException
       HResult=-2147467262
       Message=Unable to cast object of type 'MySql.Data.MySqlClient.MySqlClientFactory' to type 'System.Data.Entity.Infrastructure.IDbConnectionFactory'.
       Source=EntityFramework
       StackTrace:
            at System.Data.Entity.Internal.AppConfig.<.ctor>b__1()
       InnerException: 

I've tried several things, including adding Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=c5687fc88969c44d in the DbProviderFactories section to no avail..

I added the Entity Framework, MySql Data Connector and MySql.Data.Entity using NuGet Package Manager.

I've seen many other posts with a similar problem, but can't find a clear solution, especially with the versioning combo EF 5 + MySql Connector 6.6.5.0.

Has anyone made this work? Can you post both the app.config AND the code to make it work?

Answer 1

The MySQL Connector 6.6.5 only supports Entity Framework 4.3 as mentioned here. I have personally used it which worked well so far. However, if you require Entity Framework 5 specifically, you would need to use MySQL Connector 6.6.7 Beta which now supports it as mentioned here. I haven't tried v 6.6.7 though.

Update 1: You can find the blog post of using EF 4.3 code-first with MySQL Connector 6.6 here.

Update 2: Sample .NET 4.5 console application using EF 4.3 and MySql Connector 6.6.5 here.