EF 4.1 code first with Existing Database.Mapping Fks,table etc.Clarification needed

I am learning code first and I have project to be used with an existing database.

I am a bit confused of what I meant to be doing.I will explain:

• Do I need to create an entityconfiguration for each table in my existing database?
• Within this EntityConfiguration for each table do I need to create foreign key relationships?
• Do I need to do a ToTable for each table in my existing database?
• Is there any free tool "codeplex" that pointing to an existing db will generate this codeFirst stuff?

I have seem few blogs about "EF Code first with existing db" but I am not sure or was n开发者_Python百科ot clear to me If Need to create this stuff or I will be getting strange errors like "MyColumn_MyColum" basically as if codeFirst is trying to build some FKs or something.

can somebody clarify? thanks a lot. I know there are few questions but if you can answer 01 or 2 that would be fine.

thanks again

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If you want the code to be generated for you use database-first approach with DbContext API. Simply create EDMX file from your database and let DbContext Generator template generate all entities and context for you.

DbContext Fluent API is mainly targeted to the code-first development approach where EF will created database for you from the code you provided. It can be used with existing database but it requires much more skills and understanding of mapping wich EF can provide to you.

Generally:

• You don't need to provide EntityConfiguration for each table if you follow some naming conventions (entity name is singular form of table name, all properties have the same name, primary key in table and entity is named as Id or EntityNameId, etc.).
• You don't need to define relationships manually if you follow conventions with exposing navigation properties and possibly also foreign key properties. The issue can be naming of many-to-many keys and junction tables.
• ToTable is needed only if your entity does not follow naming convention or if you map some advance inheritance or splitting.

EF uses a lot of default conventions which drive how the names should be defined. Conventions can be removed.

You will not do anything wrong if you define EntityConfiguration for each table - it will at least allow you learning what is needed and your mapping will be explicit / self documented.