CHC.EF.Reverse.Poco 1.0.0

EF Core Reverse Engineering Tool

Overview

This project is a dynamic code generator designed to work with .NET 8.0 and Entity Framework 6.0. It provides a command-line interface (CLI) to automate the creation of essential EF components such as:

• POCO Classes: Generate C# classes based on database tables
• Fluent API Configurations: Provide detailed mappings for database schemas
• DbContext: Integrate table operations into a unified context
• Optional UnitOfWork: Manage database transactions and operations efficiently

Features

Architecture & Configuration

• Modern .NET Architecture:
  • Built on .NET 8.0
  • Leverages IServiceCollection for Dependency Injection (DI)
• Flexible Configuration:
  • Configure via command line arguments
  • Support for appsettings.json and custom configuration files
  • Optional settings for features like pluralization and PascalCase conversion

Multi-Database Support

• Supports both SQL Server and MySQL out of the box
• Easy to extend for additional database providers using IDatabaseSchemaReader abstraction

XML Safety and Documentation

• Escaped XML Characters: Ensures generated XML comments are valid
• Multi-line Comment Support: Properly formatted documentation

Code Generation

• Generates properties with accurate data types and constraints
• Supports Data Annotations (e.g., Required, StringLength)
• Outputs well-structured class files for each database table

Installation

Global Tool Installation

Install the tool globally using the .NET CLI:

dotnet tool install --global dotnet-efrev

Required Packages

If you're using the generated code, you'll need:

dotnet add package Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore
dotnet add package Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer
dotnet add package MySql.EntityFrameworkCore

Usage

Initialize Configuration

Create default configuration files:

efrev --init

This will create:

• appsettings.json: Standard .NET configuration file
• efrev.json: Tool-specific configuration file

Basic Usage

Generate code using default settings:

efrev

Command Line Options

Options:
  -c, --connection        Database connection string
  -p, --provider         Database provider (SqlServer/MySql)
  -n, --namespace        Namespace for generated code
  -o, --output          Output directory
  --pluralize           Pluralize collection names
  --data-annotations    Use data annotations
  --config              Path to custom configuration file
  --settings            Path to appsettings.json file
  --init               Initialize configuration files
  --help               Show help message

Configuration Methods

1. Using appsettings.json:

{
  "CodeGenerator": {
    "ConnectionString": "Server=localhost;Database=YourDb;User Id=YourUser;Password=YourPwd;",
    "ProviderName": "Microsoft.Data.SqlClient",
    "Namespace": "MyGeneratedApp.Data",
    "DbContextName": "MyDbContext",
    "UseDataAnnotations": true,
    "IncludeComments": true,
    "IsPluralize": true,
    "OutputDirectory": "./Generated"
  }
}

2. Using command line:

efrev -c "Server=localhost;Database=YourDb;" -p "Microsoft.Data.SqlClient" -o "./Models"

3. Using custom config file:

efrev --config "path/to/efrev.json"

4. Mixed approach:

efrev --settings "custom-appsettings.json" --connection "NewConnectionString"

Configuration Priority

1. Command line arguments (highest)
2. Custom configuration file (efrev.json)
3. appsettings.json (lowest)

Example Output

Given a database table Users, the generator will produce:

POCO Class:

[Table("Users")]
public class User
{
    [Key]
    public int Id { get; set; }

    [Required]
    [StringLength(100)]
    public string Name { get; set; }

    public DateTime CreatedAt { get; set; }
}

Fluent API Configuration:

modelBuilder.Entity<User>(entity => {
    entity.ToTable("Users");
    entity.HasKey(e => e.Id);
    entity.Property(e => e.Name).HasMaxLength(100).IsRequired();
});

Extensibility

• Add New Database Support: Implement IDatabaseSchemaReader for additional database providers
• Customize Code Output: Modify EntityGenerator to change the structure or style of generated code

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

Connection Issues

If you encounter connection problems:

1. Verify your connection string
2. Ensure database provider is correctly specified
3. Check database permissions

Configuration Issues

• Make sure configuration files are in the correct location
• Verify JSON syntax in configuration files
• Check file permissions for output directory

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please:

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Submit a pull request with your improvements

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.

Release Notes

• v1.0.0: Initial CLI release
  • Added command line interface
  • Support for multiple configuration sources
  • Improved error handling and feedback