I would like to generate code from a SQL Server database using scaffolding and Entity Framework Core. The project I am working with, has a dependency on COM.

When executing the following command in the terminal:

dotnet ef dbcontext scaffold "Data Source=mysource;Initial Catalog=mydb" Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer

I get an error

MSB4803: The task "ResolveComReference" is not supported on the .NET Core version of MSBuild. Please use the .NET Framework version of MSBuild.

Of course I checked, building the project normally from Solution Explorer works fine. So, I understand the command line tool does not use the same way to build...

How can I tell dotnet ef dbcontext scaffold command to use the right "thing" to build ?

Also, why does it need to build itself (I want to generate code, not to build it...) ?

How can I check if it connects properly to the database? I am not even sure this works, since it seems it wants to build before anything else.

I would like to generate code from a SQL Server database using scaffolding and Entity Framework Core. The project I am working with, has a dependency on COM.

When executing the following command in the terminal:

dotnet ef dbcontext scaffold "Data Source=mysource;Initial Catalog=mydb" Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer

I get an error

MSB4803: The task "ResolveComReference" is not supported on the .NET Core version of MSBuild. Please use the .NET Framework version of MSBuild.

Of course I checked, building the project normally from Solution Explorer works fine. So, I understand the command line tool does not use the same way to build...

How can I tell dotnet ef dbcontext scaffold command to use the right "thing" to build ?

Also, why does it need to build itself (I want to generate code, not to build it...) ?

How can I check if it connects properly to the database? I am not even sure this works, since it seems it wants to build before anything else.

• c#
• sql-server
• entity-framework-core

• 1 Just use EF Core Power Tools – ErikEJ Commented Jan 17 at 15:32
• Thanks @ErikEJ - what does it mean? Should I install something – mguijarr Commented Jan 17 at 15:35
• So I gave a try to EF Core Power Tools, it seems helpful however I don't know how to generate code like what I was expecting from the command line in the question – mguijarr Commented Jan 17 at 15:51

1 Answer 1

So, I answer my own question (again !), may this helps future me or someone in the same situation...

1. thanks to EF Core Power Tools extension, I could test connection and have the proper Data Source=... instruction

2. I used --no-build option to not have this build step

3. I had to clean and rebuild the whole project

Finally, I got the generated code as expected.