Is it possible to use Entity Framework Core in a Win Forms Application? / References Not Found Warnings

user_7921046 0
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I am attempting to use Entity Framework Core in a Windows Forms application. No other code has been written, this is all just initial project setup.

I am receiving the following warnings after setting up a windows forms application in .net framework 4.6.2 and using the NuGet manager to install Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer and Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Tools: 

Warning     The referenced component 'Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration.Abstractions' could not be found.  
Warning     The referenced component 'Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.Abstractions' could not be found.

Along with the two yellow warning symbols on the related references themselves. This causes the Scaffold-DbContext to fail with: 

Could not load file or assembly 'Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.Abstractions, Version=2.2.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=adb9793829ddae60' or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified.

I have already tried to edit the .csproj by adding:

<PropertyGroup>
  <AutoGenerateBindingRedirects>true</AutoGenerateBindingRedirects>
  <GenerateBindingRedirectsOutputType>true</GenerateBindingRedirectsOutputType>
</PropertyGroup>

And I tried changing around the Framework & Entity versions but I keep running into the same problems with the same references. I found the .dll's in the packages directory and tried to add them manually but that changed nothing.

Is this even possible to do?

entity-framework-core winforms .net c#
1 Answers

So I was able to do this. I created a separate project use EF Core and just put my data layer in there. It's much easier to keep the data separate and EF makes it easy to reference. Here are the references for my NET Framework project:

<Reference Include="Microsoft.Bcl.AsyncInterfaces, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=cc7b13ffcd2ddd51, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\Microsoft.Bcl.AsyncInterfaces.1.1.0\lib\net461\Microsoft.Bcl.AsyncInterfaces.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="Microsoft.Bcl.HashCode, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=cc7b13ffcd2ddd51, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\Microsoft.Bcl.HashCode.1.1.0\lib\net461\Microsoft.Bcl.HashCode.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="Microsoft.Data.SqlClient, Version=1.0.19269.1, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=23ec7fc2d6eaa4a5, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.1.0.19269.1\lib\net46\Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore, Version=3.1.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=adb9793829ddae60, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.3.1.1\lib\netstandard2.0\Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Abstractions, Version=3.1.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=adb9793829ddae60, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Abstractions.3.1.1\lib\netstandard2.0\Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Abstractions.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Relational, Version=3.1.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=adb9793829ddae60, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Relational.3.1.1\lib\netstandard2.0\Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Relational.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer, Version=3.1.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=adb9793829ddae60, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer.3.1.1\lib\netstandard2.0\Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="Microsoft.Extensions.Caching.Abstractions, Version=3.1.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=adb9793829ddae60, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\Microsoft.Extensions.Caching.Abstractions.3.1.1\lib\netstandard2.0\Microsoft.Extensions.Caching.Abstractions.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="Microsoft.Extensions.Caching.Memory, Version=3.1.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=adb9793829ddae60, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\Microsoft.Extensions.Caching.Memory.3.1.1\lib\netstandard2.0\Microsoft.Extensions.Caching.Memory.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration, Version=3.1.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=adb9793829ddae60, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration.3.1.1\lib\netstandard2.0\Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration.Abstractions, Version=3.1.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=adb9793829ddae60, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration.Abstractions.3.1.1\lib\netstandard2.0\Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration.Abstractions.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration.Binder, Version=3.1.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=adb9793829ddae60, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration.Binder.3.1.1\lib\netstandard2.0\Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration.Binder.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection, Version=3.1.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=adb9793829ddae60, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.3.1.1\lib\net461\Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.Abstractions, Version=3.1.2.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=adb9793829ddae60, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.Abstractions.3.1.2\lib\netstandard2.0\Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.Abstractions.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="Microsoft.Extensions.Logging, Version=3.1.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=adb9793829ddae60, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.3.1.1\lib\netstandard2.0\Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.Abstractions, Version=3.1.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=adb9793829ddae60, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.Abstractions.3.1.1\lib\netstandard2.0\Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.Abstractions.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.Configuration, Version=3.1.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=adb9793829ddae60, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.Configuration.3.1.1\lib\netstandard2.0\Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.Configuration.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.Console, Version=3.1.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=adb9793829ddae60, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.Console.3.1.1\lib\netstandard2.0\Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.Console.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="Microsoft.Extensions.Options, Version=3.1.2.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=adb9793829ddae60, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\Microsoft.Extensions.Options.3.1.2\lib\netstandard2.0\Microsoft.Extensions.Options.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="Microsoft.Extensions.Options.ConfigurationExtensions, Version=3.1.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=adb9793829ddae60, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\Microsoft.Extensions.Options.ConfigurationExtensions.3.1.1\lib\netstandard2.0\Microsoft.Extensions.Options.ConfigurationExtensions.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="Microsoft.Extensions.Options.DataAnnotations, Version=3.1.2.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=adb9793829ddae60, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\Microsoft.Extensions.Options.DataAnnotations.3.1.2\lib\netstandard2.0\Microsoft.Extensions.Options.DataAnnotations.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="Microsoft.Extensions.Primitives, Version=3.1.2.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=adb9793829ddae60, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\Microsoft.Extensions.Primitives.3.1.2\lib\netstandard2.0\Microsoft.Extensions.Primitives.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="Microsoft.Identity.Client, Version=3.0.8.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=0a613f4dd989e8ae, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\Microsoft.Identity.Client.3.0.8\lib\net45\Microsoft.Identity.Client.dll</HintPath>
</Reference> 
<Reference Include="System" />
<Reference Include="System.Buffers, Version=4.0.2.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=cc7b13ffcd2ddd51, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\System.Buffers.4.4.0\lib\netstandard2.0\System.Buffers.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="System.Collections.Immutable, Version=1.2.5.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\System.Collections.Immutable.1.7.0\lib\netstandard2.0\System.Collections.Immutable.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="System.ComponentModel.Annotations, Version=4.2.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\System.ComponentModel.Annotations.4.7.0\lib\net461\System.ComponentModel.Annotations.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="System.Core" />
<Reference Include="System.Data.Common, Version=4.1.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\System.Data.Common.4.3.0\lib\net451\System.Data.Common.dll</HintPath>
  <Private>True</Private>
  <Private>True</Private>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="System.Diagnostics.DiagnosticSource, Version=4.0.5.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=cc7b13ffcd2ddd51, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\System.Diagnostics.DiagnosticSource.4.7.0\lib\net46\System.Diagnostics.DiagnosticSource.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="System.Memory, Version=4.0.1.1, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=cc7b13ffcd2ddd51, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\System.Memory.4.5.3\lib\netstandard2.0\System.Memory.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="System.Numerics.Vectors, Version=4.1.3.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\System.Numerics.Vectors.4.4.0\lib\net46\System.Numerics.Vectors.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="System.Runtime.CompilerServices.Unsafe, Version=4.0.6.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\System.Runtime.CompilerServices.Unsafe.4.7.0\lib\netstandard2.0\System.Runtime.CompilerServices.Unsafe.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="System.Threading.Tasks.Extensions, Version=4.2.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=cc7b13ffcd2ddd51, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <HintPath>..\packages\System.Threading.Tasks.Extensions.4.5.2\lib\netstandard2.0\System.Threading.Tasks.Extensions.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="System.Data.DataSetExtensions" />
<Reference Include="System.Data" />
<Reference Include="System.Drawing" />
<Reference Include="System.Windows.Forms" />
<Reference Include="System.Xml" />

I tried to have a NET Core Winforms application but getting the designer working was like jumping through flaming hoops so I scratched that. It's doable but not worth the effort for my project.

user_64758360
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